Instead of giving your loved one the usual store-bought sampler this Valentine’s Day, show your affection with a beautiful assortment of handmade chocolate candies.
Amaretto, coffee, and crushed almond cookies flavor rich dark chocolate truffles in an adaptation of Julia Child’s recipe from her classic cookbook, The Way to Cook.
Invertase, a liquid enzyme that’s found in small bottles at most candy-making supply stores, is used in these candies to liquefy the luscious fondant filling. Once you’ve made the cordials, it will take about ten days for the filling to liquefy. We based this recipe on one found in Peter Greweling’s Chocolates and Confections (Wiley, 2010). For more Valentine’s Day recipes, check out our guide. Get the recipe for Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cordials »
These decadent candies taste best with a pinch of sea salt sprinkled on top.
Brigadeiros
Fudgy Brazilian chocolate balls rolled in chocolate sprinkles look fancier than they are–there’s no baking required here. See the recipe for Brigadeiros »
We based this recipe on one that appears in Peter Greweling’s Chocolates and Confections (Wiley, 2010). Feel free to improvise with the coating, using other kinds of ground spices, nuts, or chili powder.
Adding rolled oats that have first been ground in the food processor helps hold these chocolate balls together while giving them an earthy note. Get the recipe for Chocolate Truffles »
Peppermint Patties
The crisp, cool edge of peppermint is always a refreshing combination with chocolate–just don’t box these in an assortment of chocolate candies or the peppermint flavor will invade the others. See the recipe for Peppermint Patties »
