Bailey’s Hot Chocolate Truffles

Spring is usually the end of hot chocolate and Bailey’s on the rocks, but with the weather we’ve been having this week I think it’s perfectly alright to keep those on the table for a little while longer.

I wanted to make these truffles for a friend and also as an excuse to pick up discounted Irish cream the day after St. Patrick’s day. The alcohol gives them a special warming kick that’s undeniably good. Since I was running low on cocoa powder, I used hot chocolate mix to dust them instead; I think they turned out a lot better than usual because they don’t have that bitter bite that cocoa powder tends to give.

I used American Heritage chocolate drink mix for the coating which was rich and flavorful. I wouldn’t recommend using a mix that is overly processed or full of chemicals. You could also mix 6 Tablespoons of sugar and 2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder for a nearly identical coating.

Bailey’s Hot Chocolate Truffles

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup(8.5oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 Tablespoons Irish cream
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup powdered hot chocolate mix*

*See paragraph above

Method:

Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave or over a double boiler.
Mix the Irish cream into the melted chocolate until it’s smooth and shiny.
Refrigerate or freeze the chocolate until it’s semi-soft and doesn’t stick to your hands. You want it to be a little colder than you think it should be since your hands will warm it over time.
Pour the hot chocolate mix into a small bowl or onto a small plate.
With a melon-baller or a spoon, carve out pieces of chocolate about 1-inch in width. Roll the chocolate into as round a ball as you can and drop it into the hot chocolate mix.
Roll the ball around in the hot chocolate mix until the sides are all covered and move it to an air-tight container.
Refrigerate the truffles for 30 minutes for the right consistency before eating. Keep them refrigerated when not enjoying.