Mexican Chocolate Cinnamon Muffins

Well, it's the day after Thanksgiving. No! I did not go shopping. It's insane out there. People were actually camping out infront of the stores overnight to be the first in line to buy whatever it is they were going to buy. I just don't get it. But, that's me. I'll cook and crochet and make whatever comes to mind. If I happen to see something that I absolutely have to have for someone maybe I'll get and then again, maybe I won't. This commercialism is starting to get to me.

So, today, Bob's watching football and basketball. He's got that mighty remote in his hands and switching back and forth between games. I'm watching some old movies on the boob tube, my crocheting basket next to me and I'm sipping some hot peppermint tea and having some muffins. I'm still too full from yesterdays meal to have a full course. Life is nice and peaceful right now.

So, I wanted to share the muffins I made with you and ask you to relax. Sit back and enjoy these holidays. Stop and smell the roses...or the chocolate. Big hugs from me to you.
Mexican Chocolate Cinnamon Muffins

1 package plain devil's food cake mix
1 package (3.9 ounce) chocolate instant pudding mix
1 cup (8 ounce) sour cream
½ cup water
½ cup oil
4 large eggs
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped Mexican Chocolate
1 cup pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners, set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, and eggs. Blend with a mixer on low for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down sides again. Fold in the chocolate and pecans into the batter. Spoon batter into lined muffin cups to ¾ of the way full. Bake for 23 to 27 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Carefully remove muffins from pans and allow to cool completely on wire rack.
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You can find this recipe in the Mi Chita's Mexican Chocolate Dessert Ecookbook

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My First Truffles

Make Your Own Truffles

If you missed out on the free truffle offer, no problem. Make your own. They are really super easy to make. They’re great stocking stuffers, gifts for neighbors and friends, and party favors for your holiday gathering.

One (or a couple) of simple plastic molds, some chocolate, cream, flavoring, patience and imagination will have you turning out truffles in no time. You can find molds at the craft store or online. They run about 2 dollars or less a piece. I strongly recommend you get a couple of the 12-count truffle molds. You can make one in chocolate and one in white chocolate. You can use regular baking chocolate or you can use the packaged candy wafers. Use whatever is easiest and most comfortable for you. Whatever you do, just put your heart into it. People will love and appreciate it. Make it from the heart not the wallet.

Here are 4 recipes for homemade truffles that you can make in a snap. Now, I like to use molds because I don’t make very good hand rolled truffles. It just seems easier for me. But you can make the filling, chill it, scoop up some chilled ganache filling with a small melon baller and dip in the chocolate cover or nuts or cocoa or anything you can think of.

The four recipes I want to share with you are:

Hot and Spicy Chocolate Truffles
Candy Cane Peppermint Truffles
Amaretto Truffles
Kahlua Truffles

Two are covered in dark chocolate and two are covered in white chocolate. Mix and match to give away. I made the Candy Cane Peppermint Truffles and the Hot and Spicy Truffles. Experiment. Find flavors that you, your family and friends would enjoy. Then just have FUN making them.

Hot and Spicy Chocolate Truffles

Enrobing truffle chocolate
1-pound dark or bittersweet chocolate

Ganache (filling)
1/3 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper powder
Habanero Sea Salt, for garnish, optional

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until just boiling (stir to keep from burning).
Take cream off the stove, add chocolate and let it sit for 2min.
Stir chocolate and cream together. If the chocolate is not completely melted, return the saucepan to the stove over low heat and stir until melted.
Add cayenne pepper and stir.
Transfer to a pastry bag.
Allow the filling to sit overnight in the refrigerator.
When it is ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before use.

Directions:
Melt your enrobing chocolate. Fill the cavities of your chocolate molds, swirling around to make sure all crevices are filled. Tap mold on counter to remove any air bubbles. Turn mold over melted chocolate container to remove excess chocolate. Scrape the mold around the cavities to remove any remaining excess. Allow chocolate to harden 4 to 5 minutes. If time is an issue, place mold in refrigerator to speed the process.

Fill each cavity with your prepared ganache filling. If you let it sit in the refrigerator overnight, remember to allow the filling to come to room temperature. Leave a 1/8 inch space to fill with more melted chocolate to seal the truffle. Scrape off any excess.

Chill in the refrigerator 5 to 6 minutes until the chocolate pulls away from the mold and the truffle has set.

Turn the mold over onto a plate or cutting board. Tap the mold lightly and the truffles should release. If you are adding a garnish topping, swirl a bit of the melted chocolate on top of the candy piece and add whatever garnish you desire. What I did with the Hot and Spicy Chocolate Truffles is I sprinkled some of the Habanero Sea Salt on the melted chocolate. I love the taste of sweet and salty in these truffles. They are now ready for packaging.

Candy Cane Peppermint Truffles

Enrobing Chocolate
1 pound white chocolate

Ganache (filling)
1-pound bittersweet chocolate
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons dark rum

Garnish
1/2 pound candy canes or peppermint candy, crushed

Directions
Melt the white chocolate and prepare your truffle molds as before.

Melt bittersweet chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water or in a microwave oven. Let cool. Melt butter; cool. Pour cooled butter into bowl of electric mixer and slowly add evaporated milk. Add cooled chocolate and rum. Pour into a pastry bag as before and allow to set up, about 1 hour.

Fill truffle mold cavities. Scrape excess and leave a 1/8 inch headspace. Cover with melted white chocolate to seal. Allow to set.

Crush candy and spread on a piece of waxed paper. After truffles are done, pipe a bit of melted white chocolate to top of truffle and sprinkle with crushed candy canes or peppermint candies.

Amaretto Truffles

Enrobing Truffle Chocolate
1-pound White chocolate or Wedding White Candy Wafers (Wilton)

Ganache (filling)
8 oz. dark sweet or white chocolate
3/4 c. heavy cream
1 1/4 tbsp. Amaretto
1 cup finely chopped almonds

Prepare your enrobing chocolate the same as for the Hot and spicy Truffles. Allow to set.
Simmer cream in saucepan. Place chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl. Add hot cream to chocolate and gently whisk to melt chocolate. Add Amaretto and almonds. Pour mixture in a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip and refrigerate until cooled but not hard. A couple of minutes should do it.

Fill prepared mold cavities with ganache, scraping excess and leaving a 1/8 inch headspace. Cover ganache with extra melted white chocolate to seal truffle. Allow to set as in previous instructions. Remove molded truffles and package.

Kahlua Truffles

Enrobing Chocolate
1-pound bittersweet chocolate

Ganache (filling)
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small chunks1/2-cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons Kahlua

Garnish, if desired
Espresso Flavored Sea Salt

Prepare molds as instructed with your bittersweet chocolate.

Filling:
Place the chocolate in a metal bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the Kahlua. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm, about three hours.

Fill the molds as per previous instructions. Seal with melted bittersweet chocolate. Allow to set. Remove truffles from mold. Dot the top of each truffle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with Espresso Sea Salt if desired.

And there you go. Seems like a lot, but it really isn’t. Once you get into the groove, you move right along and finish quickly. Prepare and plan to save yourself some time. Make one different truffle recipe each day, or plan on one day of truffle making. It’s a great recipe to enjoy making with your children or friends. This is one of those memory-making times that you will enjoy reminiscing about in years to come. Enjoy.

Cupcakes and Chocolate You Don’t Want to Eat

I know I said I would do the homemade truffles today, but I’m going to wait one more day. Late yesterday afternoon, the mailman delivered a greatly anticipated package I’d been waiting for from Nazarina at Giddy Gastronome. Last week I went onto her site because I absolutely love her artistic and creative design in everything she does: food and soaps. I had to contact her and tell her “I want some of those for my girls.” I could envision her giggling when she responded with “No problem.”

Look at this. Aren’t they the most adorable things you ever saw? The cupcake soaps smell of chocolate and raspberries. Nazarina not only did a great job in sending me the soaps I had ordered from her, but she included a surprise just for me. She added a bar of chocolate soap. She included it with a note saying, “I know how much you love chocolate, but you better not try eating this one! LOL.” It looks and smells like chocolate! Bob was getting a little worried about me sitting there for an hour just smelling soap. It was heavenly.

They are absolutely perfect stocking stuffers.

Here’s one that my daughter Lily wanted. It’s called H2O Required. It smells divine.

And of course, I had to order one just for me. The Asian Energizer. The aroma of Eucalyptus just filled the air as I opened the package.

I ask that you visit Nazarina at Giddy Gastronome for a look at some of the amazing work she does. Even her food posts are always beautifully and artistically arranged and designed. Such a talented young woman. You rock, Nazarina.

After celebrating the reception of my wonderful soaps, I got on the computer and had a note for me to visit her blog. Lord Almighty! She’s given baby chocolate blog 7 awards. I was totally speechless. These seven awards are:



This award now goes to: Michele at Life, Lightly Salted











This award now goes to: Nikki at Nik Snacks







This award goes to: Goes to Adam at Baking with Dynamite









This award goes to: Gloria at Cookbook Cuisine






Goes to Jenn at The Left Over Queen








Goes to Ben at What’s cooking?










Goes to Prudence at the Glass Slipper Cakery





Now I can think about my truffles! Abrazos y besos a todos!