Petits Fours
Fantastic little mouthfuls
Rum truffles, coated fruits and liqueur cream cups
Selection of petits fours will delight anyone, after dinner or as a gift.
For a Christmas gift, pack in pretty boxes, but keep in the fridge until the last moment.
Liqueur cream cups
INGREDIENTS
4 oz/l25 g best bitter chocolate, broken into pieces
knob of butter
¼ pint/150 ml double or whipping cream few drops of vanilla essence
little icing sugar, sieved few teaspoons each of creme de menthe, creme de cassis, grand marnier and apricot or tangerine brandy
chocolate, grated or flaked, toasted almonds crystallised violets, angelica, to decorate
METHOD
Melt the chocolate with the butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Stir gently,
Brush melted chocolate thickly  inside the paper cases to make lining,
Line the cases as thickly as possible. Turn upside down on a tray to set and chill for 10 minutes.  Any excess chocolate will run down onto the baking tray. Trim when firm.
You may find it necessary to brush on a second coating of chocolate, to give a really firm case. Then chill until really hard for 15-20
Whip the cream, flavour with a little vanilla and
sugar and divide into 2 or 4 bowls. Flavour each with a littIe of a different liqueur
 Carefully peel all the paper of the chocolate
cases and place on a tray or plate. Keep cold.
Pipe or spoon one flavour of cream carefully and neatly into the chocolate cases. Smooth over surface and chill.
If you prefer you could also spread
more melted chocolate over the top so the centres are a surprise - use cooled, melted chocolate. Top with one of the suggested ingredients or just a drizzle of melted chocolate.
Rum truffles
INGREDIENTS
4 oz/125 g bitter chocolate
4 oz/125 g unsalted butter
5 oz/150 g icing sugar,
sieved
2 tsp/20 ml instant coffee
dissolved in I tsp/5 ml rum
2 oz/50 g sponge crumbs
2 tbsp/30 ml cocoa
powder, sieved
METHOD
Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes or in a bowl over a pan of hot water,
stir gently.
Gradually beat in 4 oz/125 g sugar,
coffee and crumbs until you have a firmish consistency, chill for 30 minutes.
When mixture is firm, roll into even-sized balls and place on a baking tray. It's important that the mixture is really cold before you shape the truffles
especially if you have warm hands. Return to fridge
Coat thickly in sieved cocoa or icing sugar  and
place in cake cases.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve with a selection of other petits fours
Dipped fruits
INGREDIENTS
about 1 lb/450 g of strawberries, , maraschino cherries or grapes
4 oz/125 g best bitter chocolate
½ oz/12.5 g unsalted butter
METHOD
 Clean and dry the fruit very thoroughly,  but don't remove hull or stalks.
Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave on High for 1-2 minutes, or over a pan of hot water, stirring gently until smooth.
Cool slightly and dip fruit into chocolate to half coat.
Cool on greaseproof paper and then place in tiny cases. Sprinkle with icing sugar if you wish.
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