Beth Kimmerle’s Catskill Blackberry Truffles

I have a house upstate NY and come August we’re completely surrounded by luscious blackberry bushes. Just when you think you’ve picked the motherload, another bush with purple bursting berries will greet you. The berries end up everywhere: in salads, breads and marinades but when paired with chocolate, they are so heavenly.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (8 oz.) heavy cream
• 16 oz. (1 pound) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
• ½ cup fresh blackberries
• ¼ cup tablespoons Chambord Liqueur
• ½ cup cocoa powder for coating
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar for coating

Directions:

In a small saucepan bring Chambord Liqueur to a boil. Add blackberries and cook for about 15 minutes or until liquid is mostly reduced. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring cream to a light boil. Once boiling, immediately turn off heat and add chopped chocolate and butter to pan. Let sit for a few minutes, until chocolate is mostly melted. Then, stir gently with a rubber spatula until smooth.

Add cooked berries to chocolate and stir with rubber spatula. Transfer truffle mix to metal bowl.

Tightly cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight until it is cool and firm.

Sift cocoa powder and confectioners sugar together in small bowl. Scoop out tablespoon of chocolate, and with hands, roll into a ball. Roll rounded truffles in cocoa powder mixture. Place finished truffles on plate or lined baking sheet. Continue forming and coating truffles with remaining chocolate. If chocolate becomes too warm, place back in the refrigerator.

Refrigerate in airtight container until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature.