Whiskey Week comes but once a year, but oh, what a glorious week it is. This time last year, I wasn’t much of a whiskey drinker (with or without the e) but a day spent sniffing, swirling, sipping and sampling at Whisky Live changed all that, and I’m now a confirmed mistress of malt.
So far, this year’s festivities are just as thrilling, with the launch this evening of Irish Distillers’ Yellow Spot single pot still, and more exciting events in the offing from the bekilted Michael Foggarty and the WJ Kavanagh crew. And all this before the main event in the Mansion House this Saturday! So, for the week that’s in it, some decadent whiskey-laced treats are in order – delicious on their own or with the dram of your choosing.
Chocolate whiskey truffles, adapted from Endless Simmer
What you need for around two dozen truffles:
225g dark chocolate – 60-70% is ideal – broken into chunks
120ml double cream
a pinch of finely ground sea salt
40ml whiskey (Redbreast and Kilbeggan work well – a madeira or port finish would be delicious too)
around 50g cocoa powder, for coating the truffles
What to do:
Place the chocolate and cream in a bowl, and sit it over a pot of simmering water. Leave the chocolate and cream to heat up for around four minutes, then remove the bowl from the heat and lightly whisk the two ingredients together until smooth and glossy. Stir in the salt, and then gently and gradually add the whiskey.
Pour the truffle mixture into a flat-bottomed container (Tupperware is grand) and leave in the fridge to set for at least three hours, or overnight if you can.
Take the container out of the fridge about an hour before you want to make the truffles and let the mixture warm up to room temperature. Scatter the cocoa powder out onto a plate.
Using a melon baller or a teaspoon, scoop out a small amount and roll into a ball using the palm of your hands. Quickly coat the truffle in the cocoa powder. Repeat for each truffle (you may need to wash your hands halfway through!). Transfer the truffles to a box or tin and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
