Making a gift of food, in my opinion, is one of the finest gifts you can bring to someone. Especially, if they come as a result from the bounty of your garden. The cookbook, Treats, by April Carter is loaded with recipes and beautifully packaged ideas for food gifts.
What could be nicer than showing up at a party or weekend visit with spectacular home made goodies. Cooking for someone is truly a gift from the heart, and April Carter has come up with many gorgeous ways for you to show your love. trEATs contains over 50 edible gifts, both savory and sweet. Lucky for us, she has shared one of her recipes from the book here, which ties in perfectly with my party theme whose menu features recipes for food in the shape of a ball. Chocolate Rose Truffles recipes is at the end of this post.
From mini cakes and cookies, to smoked nuts, to flavored salts, you will find something to please any palate. What’s really inspirational, though, are the beautiful ways to package each idea, taking the gift that much further. April Carter’s blog Rhubarb and Rose, talks about her baking adventures and making things in London.
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featured recipe
Chocolate Rose Truffles
These romantic and subtly flavored truffles make a chic gift paired with a simple bunch of roses.
MAKES 40
For the Pudding
7 oz double (thick) cream
3 drops rose extract
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7 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
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2 oz cocoa powder
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Heat the cream in a saucepan over a medium heat until small bubbles appear, then add the rose extract.
Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour the cream over it. Gently whisk the mixture until it is completely smooth and all of the chocolate has melted. Set your chocolate mixture aside to cool, then chill for at least 1 hour, or until it is firm enough to roll into balls.
Place the cocoa powder in a shallow bowl. Coat your fingers in the cocoa, then scoop out around 10 g (1/2 oz) of the truffle mixture at a time and roll it into balls. Roll each ball in the cocoa to coat it, then place it in an airtight container, cellophane bags or a tin to store. Chill the truffles in the fridge until you’re ready to give or eat them (they keep for up to a week).
—Recipe reprinted with permission © trEATs by April Carter, Hardie Grant, 2014. photos © Danielle Wood. Distributed by Rizzoli New York
We've got more recipes in the shape of a ball in our 10 Black Tie
