‘Juliet Blushes’- Almond Cherry Chocolates
This is a simple but extremely tasty recipe for white chocolate treats with a moist Morello cherry centre. This mixture makes around 15 chocolates, although this depends on the shape and depth of the chocolate mould you use.
The cocoa butter and ground almonds create the base for the chocolate, which is enhanced with almond extract. These handmade chocolates have a smooth and creamy texture, with a marzipan flavour reminiscent of a Bakewell Tart.
You can make two half batches of the mixture, as you’ll need to half fill the mould and allow this layer to solidify first before adding the jam filling, then filling the remaining half with more white chocolate. You can partner these chocolates with our Raw Chocolate Romeo Hearts – a proper chocolate romance!
Organic Raw Cacao Butter 250g (Sussex Wholefoods)
50g raw cacao butter
Organic Ground Almonds 1kg (Sussex Wholefoods)
50g ground almonds
Maple Sugar 250g (Sussex Wholefoods)
2 tbsp maple sugar
2 tsp lucuma powder
Almond Extract 60ml (Nielsen Massey)
1 tsp almond extract
Morello Cherry Fruit Spread, Organic 284g (Meridian)
2 tsp Morello cherry spread
Other Ingredients
Method
1) Melt the Cacao Butter in a “bain marie” or a heat-proof bowl placed into a saucepan of boiling water – make sure the water does not touch the base of the bowl.
2) Once melted, remove the bowl carefully from the saucepan of water and sit on top of a tea-towel. Now add the Lucuma Powder, Maple Sugar, Almond Extract and ground almonds. Stir until all the ingredients are combined.
3) Make sure your chocolate mould is free of any moisture. Then pour a little mixture into the base of each rose bud/shape so that they are only half-full.
4) Once you have finished filling the mould tap the sides to help any trapped air bubbles rise to the surface. Allow to cool a little so that the outer edges are solidified but the inner core is not quite hard.
5) Using a teaspoon and little finger to guide, place a small blob of Morello Cherry Jam into the centre of each rose bud.
6) Then pour in the remainder of the chocolate mix up to the top of each mould.
7) Once you have finished filling the mould tap the sides to help any trapped air bubbles rise to the surface. Set aside to cool on a flat surface. These chocolates will take longer to solidify than dark chocolates because of the high proportion of Cacao Butter. Ours took a couple of hours to set properly in the fridge!
8) Store in an airtight container somewhere cool or in the salad compartment of your fridge.
