Day 10: Gilligan's Island, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and Chocolate Truffles

I had a couple of things that I had to do yesterday so I didn't start this recipe until late afternoon and of course not reading the entire recipe ahead of time.....I didn't finish until after 8pm last night. In from running errands and it was little chilly in the house so instead of cooking with an apron - I cooked wearing my fur vest. Image: Lovey Howell from Gilligan's Island cooking.......OK, maybe not :D First, you have to chop 8 ounces of chocolate......I felt like Charlie from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory because each 1 ounce of the chocolate was wrapped in gold foil so as I chopped chocolate, I couldn't help, but sing "I've got a golden ticket...". Chocolate chopped and 1 cup of simmering heavy cream added and you get let it be in the bowl for 10 minutes. Stir until melted and mixture has to set at room temperature for an hour THEN you have to stir and whip the mixture until it thickens. THEN you spread it out on a cookie sheet and let it set-up for 2 hours......hhhhmmmm. (Well, during that time I started watching a movie with the family (Akeelah and the Bee) which I had never seen before. If you have never seen it - great flick.) So I was delayed when I started scooping and rolling the chocolate. The recipe indicated that you should scoop the chocolate with a melon scoop, but alas I don't own a melon scoop so I use a baby spoon. Worked like a champ.

It is a bit messy rolling the chocolate because they start to soften under the heat of your hands. Once rolled - I had chopped some slivered almonds, chocolate sprinkles, and coconut to roll the chocolate in - into the "dusting ingredients" and plop onto parchment paper. The recipe called for rolling them in cocoa powder, but I don't care that taste so I substituted with the above. Back into the fridge for them to re-firm. Done - spit spot.

They are very rich and those rolled in almonds are probably my favorite - the almonds cut a little bit of the chocolate. For those of you who love chocolate - you will love the ones rolled in chocolate sprinkles. Oh Heaven next is Day 11.....