White Chocolate Truffles with Rose and Pistachio
Ingredients
Serves about 30 truffles
¾ cup (175 ml) whipping cream
¾ lb (340 g) + ⅓ lb (175 g) finely chopped high quality white chocolate, divided
6 tbsp (90 ml) unsalted butter
½ tsp (2.5 ml) best quality rose water, or to taste
1½ tsp (7 ml) Grand Marnier (optional)
1 pinch salt
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely crushed edible dried rose petals
⅔ cup (150 ml) chopped toasted pistachios
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately add ¾ lb (340 g) chocolate, butter, rose water and Grand Marnier, if using. Gently whisk until chocolate and butter are melted and mixture is completely smooth. Pour into a shallow container, cover and refrigerate until fully set, preferably overnight.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a ½-in (1.25 cm) round nozzle (or a plastic freezer bag with ½-in (1.25 cm) snipped off from one corner). Spoon chocolate mixture into bag and pipe 1-in (2.5 cm) mounds onto lined baking sheet. Place sheet in freezer for 2 hours, or until truffles are solid.
- In a shallow bowl, combine crushed rose petals and pistachios and set aside.
- In a small pot, bring water to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Place remaining ⅓ lb (175 g) chocolate in a small heatproof bowl that will fit over pot. Place bowl over pot of simmering water and melt chocolate slowly, stirring, until smooth. Turn off heat, leaving bowl over pot so chocolate remains liquid.
- To roll the truffles, this step is a bit messy, so having an extra pair of hands here can be quite helpful. Wearing thin plastic gloves, smear a little melted chocolate into your palm with a spoon. Carefully pick up a truffle (they will be quite soft) and quickly but gently roll it in a circular motion between your palms to make a thin even coating of chocolate and round out shape. Place truffle into pistachio mixture and roll it around with a fork to coat evenly. Set it on parchment-lined baking sheet; repeat with remaining truffles. Remove gloves and quickly roll each truffle between your palms once more to help pistachios adhere and to finish shaping. Place truffles back on baking sheet and return to freezer to set overnight.
- Once set, store truffles in refrigerator overnight, or in freezer for up to 1 month, well covered, until ready to pack into decorative boxes for gifting. These delicate confections need to be refrigerated until serving.
Drink Pairings
Royal Bubble
Ingredients
Serves 1
1 oz (30 ml) Stolichnaya Razberi Vodka
½ oz (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ oz (15 ml) simple syrup*
2½ oz (75 ml) Medici Ermete
Concerto Lambrusco Reggiano Frizzante
raspberry, for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass with ice, combine vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup. Stir to chill and dilute, then strain into a flute glass. Top with Lambrusco and garnish with a raspberry.
- * 1:1 ratio of sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
Featuring
After 8 Eggnog
Ingredients
Serves 1
1 oz (30 ml) McGuinness Crème de Cacao
1 oz (30 ml) McGuinness Crème de Menthe
3 oz (90 ml) dairy or non-dairy eggnog
mint sprig, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine liqueurs and eggnog in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a rocks glass over new ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.
Featuring
BAKED APPLE
Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Buffalo Trace Bourbon
2 oz (60 ml) apple juice
¾ oz (22 ml) fresh lemon juice
¾ oz (22 ml) Spiced Maple Syrup*
dried apple or star anise, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine bourbon, apple juice, lemon juice and Spiced Maple Syrup. Shake, then strain into a rocks glass over cubed ice. Garnish with dried apple or star anise.
- *Combine 3.4 oz (100 ml) maple syrup and ¼ tsp (2.5 ml) baking spice in a glass jar and microwave until hot, 30 to 60 seconds. Steep and let cool for 5 minutes, then fine strain to remove spices. Unused syrup may be stored indefinitely in refrigerator.
Featuring
WITCHES’ HONEYDEW BREW
Ingredients
Serves
2 tbsp (30 ml) black sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
1 oz (30 ml) Luksusowa Vodka
1 oz (30 ml) Bols Melon Liqueur
½ oz (15 ml) lime juice
2 sprigs fresh mint
2 oz (60 ml) soda water
green food colouring (optional)
Instructions
- If using, place black sesame seeds on a plate, moisten rim of a stemless wine glass and gently roll in crushed sesame seeds so they stick to glass. In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, melon liqueur, lime juice and mint. Fill with ice and shake vigorously to combine. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into prepared glass over cubed ice and top with soda water. Add a few drops of green food colouring to intensify the colour, if desired.
Featuring
BLOOD & SPICE
Ingredients
Serves
2 oz (60 ml) Bacardí Spiced Rum
½ oz (15 ml) pink grapefruit juice
½ oz (15 ml) lime juice
½ oz (15 ml) grenadine
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
hibiscus flower, for garnish (optional)
red food colouring (optional)
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients. Fill with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into a Collins glass over cubed ice and garnish with a hibiscus flower, if using. Add a few drops of red food colouring to intensify the colour, if desired.
Featuring
PURPLE POISON
Ingredients
Serves
1½ oz (45 ml) The Botanist Gin
¼ oz (7 ml) Bols Blue Curaçao
1 oz (30 ml) raspberry juice
¼ oz (7 ml) lemon juice
blackberry, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients. Fill with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a blackberry.
Featuring
AMARETTO & APRICOT BRANDY SOUR
Ingredients
Serves
1½ oz (45 ml) St. Rémy XO Brandy
1 oz (30 ml) Disaronno Amaretto
¾ oz (22 ml) lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) Apricot Jam *
1 egg white
freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish
* APRICOT JAM (or store bought):
2 cups (500 ml) apricots, peeled, pitted and crushed
½ oz (15 ml) lemon juice
1½ cups (375 ml) sugar
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring continuously, until mixture thickens, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and skim off any foam, if necessary. Ladle jam into a sterilized glass jar with a lid and store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients. Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a coupe or sour glass and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
Featuring
CRANBERRY WHISKY SMASH
Ingredients
Serves
1½ oz (45 ml) Bearface Canadian Whisky
1½ oz (45 ml) Cranberry Cinnamon Shrub *
2 oz (60 ml) soda water
3 to 5 cranberries, fresh or frozen, for garnish
*In a saucepan, combine cinnamon sticks and water. Bring to a boil. Boil until liquid is reduced by half; remove cinnamon sticks and measure water; should yield 1 cup (250 ml). Add remaining ingredients to cinnamon water in saucepan. Stir to combine, cover and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some cranberries split open. Remove from heat, uncover and allow to cool completely. Pour into an airtight, non-reactive container and refrigerate overnight.
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, stir together whisky and shrub. Add cubed ice, top with soda water and garnish with cranberries.
Drink Pairings
CARROT, MARMALADE & GINGER COLLINS
Ingredients
Serves
1½ oz (45 ml) Tanqueray No. Ten Gin
1½ oz (45 ml) carrot juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) Orange Marmalade *
1 tsp (5 ml) freshly grated ginger
½ oz (15 ml) lemon juice
2 oz (60 ml) sparkling apple juice
parsley sprig, for garnish (optional)
* ORANGE MARMALADE (or store bought):
1 medium navel orange (with thin peel)
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
½ cup (125 ml) sugar
Wash orange thoroughly. Cut off both ends, halve orange and cut each half into 8 sections. Using a food processor, pulse orange sections until peel is in tiny pieces. In a medium saucepan, combine processed orange, water and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, stirring often, until thickened. Allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a sterilized glass jar with a lid and store in refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine gin, carrot juice, marmalade, ginger and lemon juice. Gently shake and strain into a Collins glass over cubed ice. Top with sparkling apple juice and garnish with a sprig of parsley to make it look like a carrot, if desired.