Cooking Through "The Baker's Man": Mexican Chocolate Truffles

 

Eating healthier foods can give us all sorts of benefits, such as stronger bones, bodies, and minds. Eating avocados gives you shinier hair and smoother skin. Eating strawberries boosts short term memory and burns fat. Eating dark chocolate lowers your blood pressure. I would like to add that eating chocolate makes me happier.

Healthy foods make us, well, healthier, but there are other benefits of food. When people visit Bea’s Bakery in The Baker’s Man, they can find just the treat that they need. Need the courage to ask your crush to go on a date with you? No problem. Need help deciding which college to attend? She has the answer for you.

Feeling suffocated and immobilized by worry or fear? Bea’s Bakery has just what you need: Mexican chocolate truffles! Just one truffle will ease the tension in your chest, get your blood pumping, and help you breathe normally. Two or more truffles will soothe your worries and your mind. Better eat a few dozen just to make sure you’re cured.

Mexican Chocolate Truffles

Serves: 12

Difficulty Level: As easy as eating a truffle

Ingredients

8 oz dark chocolate bar or chips

½ c heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

chocolate melts for dipping, or powdered sugar, cocoa and/or sprinkles for rolling

How to Make

1. If using a chocolate bar, break or cut bar into pieces.
2. Place heavy cream in a small saucepan, and heat just until it bubbles.
3. Pour over chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute.
4. Stir until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
5. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne. Chill mixture for at least 2 hours. You can also let it sit overnight.
6. Use a cookie scoop (1 or 2 tbsp) to scoop chocolate mixture into balls. Roll into uniform balls, and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.
7. If dipping your truffles into chocolate, refrigerate truffles for at least 15 minutes before dipping. Otherwise, your truffles will turn to goo very quickly.
8. Melt chocolate melts according to package directions. Dip truffles in chocolate and top with sprinkles, if desired. Or roll them in cocoa, powdered sugar, or sprinkles.

The Baker's Man can be purchased in paperback or for the Kindle from Amazon and for the NOOK through Barnes & Noble.