CARAMEL WHISKY TRUFFLES

Truffles may very well be the perfect party treat. They are quick and easy to make, very convenient to transport, and almost everyone loves them. These little spherical sweet treats are full of caramel and chocolate flavours, with a hint of whisky. The whisky flavour isn’t that prominent, so if you want to add more, by all means do it, but keep in mind that you will need to increase the amount of icing sugar, to make the truffles firmer. They stay soft at room temperature, but they do not lose their shape. And if you want, you can even place them in the freezer for a little while, so they almost have an ice cream bar texture.

Ingredients
For the truffles
500 grams butter, unsalted
250 grams Angel Delight mix (butterscotch flavour)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
250 grams butter cookies (such as Petit Beurre)
300 grams powdered milk
400 grams powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons whisky
For the caramel sugar coating
300 grams granulated sugar

Preparation

To make the truffles, place the softened butter in a very large bowl, and beat it with an electric mixer on high, for at least 5 minutes, until it becomes lighter in colour and very creamy. Sift in the dessert mix and the cocoa powder, then blend really well, for about 2 more minutes. Add in the cookie crumbs, powdered milk, and the whisky, and blend on high for about 5 minutes. The batter should start to thicken up. Finally, sift in the icing sugar in a few additions, blending on medium as you add. The finished batter will still be a little soft. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap, and place the entire bowl in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until chilled thoroughly. Chilled batter will be slightly dry (because of the buttercream crusting) and not sticky at all.

While the batter is in the refrigerator, make the dry caramel. Pour the sugar in an even layer in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or a skillet. Place the saucepan over medium heat and let the sugar melt and cook slowly. Do not rush this process or stir the sugar at this point. It will take some time for the sugar to start melting, but once it does start to brown on the edges, slowly move the melted sugar towards the centre. Still on medium heat and keeping a close eye on it, cook the sugar until it starts to turn darker in colour and very fragrant.

Once it becomes evenly a deep amber colour, remove it from the heat and immediately pour on a silicone mat. Let it cool and harden completely, then, using a kitchen mallet or a rolling pin, crush it into manageable shards. Put the caramel shards into the food processer and pulse it until the caramel is ground to your desired consistency. Take out portions of the batter (using a tablespoon measure), and roll them into truffles. Immediately roll the truffles into the ground caramel, and serve. Yields 70 truffles.