Party sweet treats

Press, 27 January 1986, Page 16

Party sweet treats

COOKING with

Celia Timms

Here are some suggestions for extra sweetmeats to serve with after-dinner coffee, or for the sweettooths at a summer drinks party. Included are chocolate coated strawberries and prunes; chocolate tarts and chocolate truffles.

Chocolate strawberries

Select 24 evenly-sized, firm strawberries. Wash and dry fruit and chill before dipping, ensuring that each strawberry is completely dry. You then need:

IOOg dark chocolate 2 teaspoons Kremelta Break chocolate into small pieces and melt with the Kremelta in a bowl over hot water. Dip the top of the strawberry into the melted chocolate, leaving stem and green. Stand upright (egg cartons are good for this) until dry and set. They can be served on a bed of crushed ice in a glass bowl, but this is not essential. Chocolatecoated prunes Best-quality pitted dessert prunes should be used. Soak the required number of prunes in burgundy or port wine for several days, preferably a week. Remove and drain, then dry each prune;

chill. Ensure that the fruit is dry before dipping in the melted chocolate, otherwise the coating will not stick. For the chocolate coating, see instructions for chocolate-coated strawberries. Chocolate tarts The case for these tarts is made with melted dark chocolate, and the filling is a mousse mixture using white chocolate. You need: 500 g dark chocolate 200 g white chocolate 50g water 5g gelatine 6 egg whites Method: Break dark chocolate in to pieces and melt in basin over hot water. Lightly oil paper or foil patty pans and place a spoonful of warm chocolate in each, rolling it around and up the sides to evenly coat the inside of each patty pan. Set aside until firmly set. Tear off the paper or foil. For filling: Soak gelatine in cold water and dissolve over hot water. Beat egg whites until stiff. Melt white chocolate in bowl over hot water, add dissolved gelatine. Cool a little then fold in egg

whites. Pour into the chocolate cases and set in refrigerator. Decorate with half a strawberry or grated dark chocolate, and nuts. Chocolate truffles These delicious mouthfuls are made using a combination of praline powder and chocolate. You need: 120 g unblanched almonds 120 g sugar IOOg dark chocolate 200 g dark chocolate (additional) 1 teaspoon Kremelta Foil or paper sweets cases Method: Combine almonds and sugar in a heavy-based pan and place over heat until sugar slowly caramalises. When the colour is a rich light brown, or amber, pour on to an oiled tray and leave to harden. When set hard, break up into small pieces and process in liquidiser or blender or food processor until crumbed. It can be stored in an airtight container indefinitely. For the truffles, melt IOOg dark chocolate over hot water and add 250 g of the praline powder. Form into balls and refrigerate until set. Melt remaining 200 g dark chocolate with the Kremelta over hot water and dip the truffles in this, coating evenly. Leave to set and place each truffle in a foil or paper case to serve.