Violet Truffles

Last year I made these for the first time, after sourcing some Violet liqueur from a local (ish) distillery.  It is not easy to get unless you buy a French one costing the earth.  I mean this one wasn't cheap but a hell of a lot cheaper than France's best.  I still have rather a lot of this left so I thought it was time to make another batch of these flower-scented little beauties.  I may be a bit odd, but I adore chocolates and sweets that reek of roses or violets or even lavender. Though lavender can be a bit too much Granny's pocket handkerchief-like.  I still remember with a shiver how when we had to kiss our Granny's cheek, it was always covered in her scented powder which left a gritty taste on the lips. Aaaagh, not pleasant.  She was one of those tough old birds who never admitted to pain or discomfort, and wouldn't let you do so either.  I guess women of that generation (who had been through the Depression and the War which followed) had to be damn tough and stoic.  They had to make do; oh how could I ever forget the chopped-up phone books in the toilet?  At least the pink ones were pretty.:)  It is an absolute miracle that the toilets didn't back up in those days due to the incredibly hard and shiny paper thrust down them.  Perhaps they did?  I guess Granny wouldn't have told us anyway. Well, enough of toilet talk.  Here is the recipe for violet truffles- a much nicer topic.

ingredients:

200g. of white chocolate melts or chips
60mls of creme fraiche or in a pinch,  3 tbs of sour cream and one of thickened cream.  (I have 15 ml tbs)
45mls Violet liqueur
food colouring if desired- I used Queen's natural extracts; about 10 drops of purple and 8 drops of pink
icing sugar to roll the truffles
150g of dark or milk chocolate
bling! - if you wish you can drop bling on top of the chocolate- sprinkles, cachous, edible glitter etc.

method:

Melt the chocolate in the microwave- mine took about 80 seconds on high
Stir in the creme fraiche, then the liqueur and colouring- mix well
Whack into the fridge for several hours till firm or if in a hurry like me, into the freezer for 2-3 hours
Take out of the fridge/freezer and roll into walnut-sized balls in a bowl of icing sugar so they are well coated
Put back into the fridge till very firm and cold
Then melt the dark/milk chocolate, cool it a little, and either dip the balls into the chocolate or do as I do when the weather today is well into the 30's- spoon on a lovely little chocolate cap onto each one
Add bling!
Place into the fridge
Wrap in cellophane and tie with a ribbon for gifts

adding sour cream/creme fraiche

adding the liqueur- looks murky I know!:) 

colouring stirred in

after a couple of hours in the freezer- a very soft mixture

icing sugar

cute little cases ready for the truffle mix

rolling in icing sugar (oops I left my phone on the table)

ready for their chocolate tops

mmm- chocolate!

bling added!

wild violets (image David Anstiss)