Spiced Christmas Cocktail Chocolates

Method

If 'jolly and merry' was a flavour!

This Christmas cocktail chocolate perfectly balances sweet, sour and spiced notes in a warming, creamy centre.  Combining Cointreau with lime, cinnamon and orange in a Callebaut Crema filling all encased in a snow-white shell.  A Christmas gift for the tastebuds!

How to Make Spiced Christmas Cocktail Chocolates:

Ingredients

For the Shells

• 500g Valrhona Ivoire (SCC5200)
• Orange Cocoa Butter (SCR458)
• Red Cocoa Butter (SCR450)
• Green Cocoa Butter (SCR471)

For the Ganache

• 10ml Cointreau (SCL105)
• 1 drop of Lime Spice Drops (SCF0652)
• 2 drops of Cinnamon Spice Drops (SCF1293)
• 3 drops of Sorrento Orange Flavour Oil (SCF0647)
• 20g Cranberries, chopped (SCN294A)
• 100g Callebaut W2  (SCC520)
• 50g KerryMaid Whipping Cream (SCM280)

Method

Step 1 - Shells

1. Ensure that the moulds are clean and dry, so as to not compromise your chocolates

2. Using a toothbrush or small paintbrush, splatter the moulds with red, green and orange cocoa butter

3. Temper the Valrhona Ivoire white chocolate, and pipe it into the moulds to cast the shells
4. Empty and scrape the moulds, ensuring to save the excess chocolate - this will be used for capping, later on
5. Leave the shells inside the moulds to set

Step 2 - Ganache

1. Chop and blend the cranberries, and set aside
2. Bring the cream to a boil, then pour over the W2 chocolate and blend until smooth
3. Stir in the orange, lime and cinnamon drops, as well as the cranberries and Cointreau
4. Once combined, transfer the filling into a piping bag and allow to cool

You can easily adapt this recipe, using Callebaut Crema W2 instead of chocolate and cream! Simply warm the crema before adding the flavour drops, cranberries and Cointreau.

Assembly and Finishing

1. Once your shells have set and the filling has cooled, pipe the ganache into the shells, leaving around a 2mm gap for capping
2. Using the leftover chocolate, cap the chocolates and leave to set
3. Once set, they're ready to turn out!

Enjoyed this recipe? Give it an autumnal twist with freeze-dried apple instead of cranberries, and flavourings like Pumpkin Spices, Chai Spices and ginger.