X'mas Project I - Truffle Bouquets

This year is the first time since 2006 that we are spending x'mas in the comfort of our own home. We have been living overseas for the past 4 years and december is always the time we travel back to Perth to visit my husband's side of the family. But since we had to go back just 2 months ago for my brother-in-law's wedding, we decided that it would be too expensive to fly back twice in 2 months. So for this year, we get to enjoy a cold x'mas for a change and in our home in Japan. And although I feel a little sad not being able to spend time with my husband's family on this festive season, I am also happy that I get to finally embark on little x'mas projects with my 3 year old. Projects that I never got to work on since we were never in our own house at x'mas.

X'mas project I - The making of truffle bouquets.

I always like the idea of homemade truffles as x'mas gifts. I know mince pies are probably more traditional and classic but I was never a fan of them so there was no motivation in making my own.

My original plan with the truffles was to make them with my 3 year old and then put them in little truffle boxes and give them away as gifts. However, there isn't any decent stores here that sell baking accessories so I couldn't find any truffle boxes even after searching many stores. I saw from a regular food blog that I read where truffles were being made in cute little bouquets and I thought that would be a brillaint idea and a good subsitute to traditional boxes.

I embarked on this truffle project on Wednesday morning for Aiden was at school. I had wanted to do this with him but figured that it would be too hard as he is still a little too young to help in something like this. Besides, I wanted to do this fast as I have been so busy lately with everything and really can't afford to spend the whole day making truffles with a 3 year old.

The recipe was simple - about 200g of cream cheese to 1 packet of tim tam truffles. Yes you heard me right. I was making Tim Tam Truffles! I had to make about 50 truffles as I was planning to do 3 truffles in one bouquet and they were meant to be given to the kids at Aiden's school on their last day. The quantity I mentioned earlier made about 24 truffles so I doubled the quantity. I used 1 packet of the classic Tim Tams, and another packet of white chocolate Tim Tams. Put everything in the food processor to mix them up and then leave them in the fridge to firm up overnight.

The cheese and tim tam dough

This is the easiest part. Rolling into truffle balls.

Coating the truffles in caramel bits, almond, chocolate sprinkles and desicated coconut. I did the dark chocolate coating the last as those needed more work.

The finished product.

Making into a bouquet. This was the hardest part and I needed my husband's help.

Off to school!

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