12 Days of Prunemas: NYE Prune Milk Chocolate Truffles
Day 7 of Prune Christmas and New Year's EVE Celebrations!
This is a post for all subscribers sponsored by CAPrunes. It is the seventh of 12 posts over 12 days, celebrating ways to enjoy delicious prunes.
WOW, 2024. Goodbye to a year of monumental change. I got engaged, I became a mother, I said goodbye unexpectedly and suddenly to a dear pet of over 10 years, I have begun writing another cookbook, so so much…and now here we are celebrating the 12 days of Prunes Christmas together!! There are always blessings and sorrows, but one hopes with the closing of the year that most of the memories glow with golden warmth.
In fact, the seventh day of Christmastide was a day to honor St. Sylvester (one of the earliest popes) by count your blessings and toasting to hope for the new year! Along the way this tradition became our modern day New Year’s Resolutions; whether to make them and keep them or make them and break them (like every other human on this planet). It’s good to have hope, especially for oneself.
I can easily resolve to EAT MORE in 2025 and make more room for laughter. I am still working out the other realistic resolutions as a new mother with an infant and all the big dreams/plans I want to share with you. Resolve to have more grace and gentleness with oneself? For sure.
I hope you are celebrating tonight in YOUR FAVORITE FASHION. For me that means getting cozy tonight - maybe a fire, maybe some tea, definitely these truffles. The inspiration for these came directly from CAPrunes who sent me the MOST AMAZING CHOCOLATES called French Kisses.
Candied prunes encased in a delicate dark chocolate shell - I ate the whole bag in three days (Send more, please! xoxoxox). Now because I don’t want to make you temper and enrobe candied fruit in chocolate - at least not today - I came up with these quick ganache based prune STUFFED soft truffles. They are rolled in a dark chocolate cocoa powder for an at home version a cook/baker of any level can make. A few ingredients and some steady rolling, leaves you with lots of truffle KISSES to gift and indulge in. Perfect for midnight, when kisses are expected.
While kissing at New Years can feel like its for the cuffed only, the tradition originates among friends as a way of blessing someone with protection before going into the harshest part of winter - the new year - when survival was toughest. So kiss all your friends with chocolate (or lips!), we could all use blessings and protections for whatever tough days lay ahead!
Another tradition popular in Spanish and South American countries is to eat 12 fruits at midnight for the year ahead, usually its grapes or other small grapes. The hope is that each one is sweet as you eat it but if one isn’t - well now you’ve been warned! Why not eat 12 of these bite sized beauties at midnight to ensure a sweet year ahead?
Speaking of a Sweet Year Ahead! Exclusive discount for ALL Subscribers on our 2025 Buttercream Calendar. Use CODE SWEET2025 for 25% off before Jan 6.
Rolling these out is quite meditative - while you roll them out you might find yourself signing the classic Auld Lang Syne, find out why:
My favorite modern song for New Years Eve:
And without further ado…
Prune Milk Chocolate Truffles
Makes bite sized 50 Truffles
500g Milk Chocolate
150g Prunes, cut up
350g heavy cream
dark cocoa for rolling
Method:
Put chocolate and prunes in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a small sauce pot heat cream over medium heat until you see small bubbles along the rim and it is quite hot. Pour over chocolate and prunes, allow to sit for 1 minute.
Use an immersion blender to blend the chocolate, prunes and cream together till smooth. Move to your fridge to chill and firm top for 30 minutes.
Prepare a bowl with a good amount cocoa powder to roll your truffles and a sheet tray with a light dusting to place your truffles once rolled. Use a scooper to make 3/4 oz balls, roll briefly in half to make round and drop in powder to coat completely. Use gloves to prevent chocolate from melting on skin contact. You can drop a couple in a bowl at a time to keep things moving along.
Store truffles in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Room temperature truffles keep for a week.
Note: If you prefer a less bitter finish, use a lighter cocoa powder.
Happy Seventh Night of Christmastide! Happy Seventh Night of Hanukkah!
xoxox
P.s. More music to ease in to tomorrow because I love Taylor Swift!
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How fun! Agree- I resolve to eat more, too! I'm going to make sure every morsel either nourishes me or fulfills my greatest desire for indulgence, like your chocolate, - no in between meh food this year!