Festive and delicious dark chocolate truffles that are infused with the flavors of mulled wine. These boozy bite-sized treats are an indulgent holiday dessert for grown-ups. They are very easy to make and great for gifting. This recipe was adapted from Waitrose & Partners Food (find the original recipe here). I cut back on the amount of sugar as I prefer my chocolate truffles a tad on the bitter side. I also used some fennel seeds, nutmeg, orange liqueur and vanilla extract for the mulled wine.

Recipe

Mulled Wine Chocolate Truffles

(Makes about 20 small truffles)

Ingredients

2/3 cup red wine
5 cloves
1’ cinnamon stick
4 black peppercorns
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp brown or coconut sugar (or add more to taste)
1 small orange, halved
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp orange liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier (optional)
200 grams dark/bitter/semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for rolling

Method

In a saucepan, combine the wine, spices and sugar. Squeeze the juice from the orange into the pan, discarding the pits. Add the orange zest and vanilla. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced to almost half, then turn off the heat. Add the orange liqueur, cover and allow the spices to steep in the wine for about 5 minutes.

Place the chopped chocolate in a metal or ceramic mixing bowl and strain the wine over it (discard the spices). Mix well until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Refrigerate the chocolate mixture for a few hours to allow it to set. Use a melon baller or teaspoon to scoop out about 20 small portions of the truffle mix, about 1” in diameter. Shape them into balls and roll them in the cocoa powder to coat. Chill the truffles for an hour before serving.

Store them refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days.