Cookies and Cream Truffles

So this morning, between classes and screaming 5 year olds, I grabbed a pen and paper and started working on my menu for Christmas lunch.  I probably would've been able to think more clearly had I been at home on my balcony with cup of steaming coffee and Sade on the Hi-Fi but alas, someone has to bring home the bacon, so to speak.  


Quite a few readers and facebook friends have asked me the question I have been dreading, "So, what are you making for Christmas lunch?  I'm sure it's going to be something fabulous!"  Little do they know that this year is going to be a very difficult one for me.  Not only will this be my 9th Christmas away from my family, but my friends are all out of the country in exotic locations such as Thailand and the Middle East.  For this reason I didn't actually feel like doing anything, no Christmas tree, no Advent Krantz.


Any way, long story short - I get a message from my two Taiwanese jet-setter friends, asking if we couldn't have an early Christmas lunch - at my house, of course!  Panic stations!  What am I going to cook for this early Christmas lunch?  To be honest, I'm not entirely sure yet, but I did find the ingredients for these über delicious Cookies and Cream Truffles on my way home tonight.  They are dead easy to make and all your friends of the female persuasion will love them - guaranteed!

And the best of all?  After I finished the chocolate outer layer, I was left with about a tablespoon of melted chocolate.  What better to whisk up the leftover chocolate in some hot milk and taking a well deserved break with some delicious hot chocolate?


The original recipe is from the Good Food Channel.


Cookies and Cream Truffles

Ingredients:

• 500g Oreo biscuits (that's about 4 regular packs.  I used the one with the chocolate filling)
• 250g cream cheese, softened (I softened it by nuking it in the microwave oven for 30 seconds)
• 400g milk chocolate
• 100g dark chocolate (You can also use white chocolate but it is too difficult to find in Taiwan)

Method:

1. Crush the biscuits and blitz them until resembling coffee grounds in a food processor or blender.
2. Pour the blitzed biscuits into a large mixing bowl and mix in the cream cheese until the white of the cheese is no longer visible.  I used the dough attachments to my trusty electric hand mixer.
3. Using a teaspoon, roll the mixture into balls and place on a tray lined with wax paper.  Refrigerate for about 40 minutes to an hour.  (I made mine just bite size and got 55 truffles.  You can make them bigger if you want.)
4. Break the milk chocolate into pieces and place it in a microwave-safe bowl.  Carefully melt it for 20 seconds at a time and stir each time until smooth.
5. Coat balls with melted chocolate, place on trays lined with wax paper and refrigerate again, to cool.
6. Finally, melt the dark (or white) chocolate and use a fork to drizzle it over the truffles.  Let it cool.

Still having trouble with the colour of my photos but you get the idea, right?

If you put your truffles in some paper liners (those mini cup cake liner things) and in a nice looking box, they will make an excellent Christmas present.  The also make an excellent accompaniment to the after-Christmas-lunch-coffee.