Recipe: White Chocolate and Rosemary Truffles (make ahead)

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND ROSEMARY TRUFFLES
"These rich and interesting truffles offer a delicate balance of white chocolate with aromatic rosemary. I find that the rosemary tempers the sweetness of the white chocolate so it doesn't end up too sickly. See what you think."



Scant 1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
A large sprig rosemary
7 oz white chocolate, broken into pieces
1 tbsp corn syrup
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Sunflower oil, for greasing
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Put the heavy cream and rosemary in a small pan and bring to a boil - this is important, otherwise the ganache won't thicken when beaten.

Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Pour over the cream and rosemary and stir once or twice.

Set the bowl over a pan of very gently simmering water, add the corn syrup and butter. Let melt, stirring once or twice to combine. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.

Discard the rosemary. When cool, beat the mixture with an electric mixer until soft, fluffy, and paler in color. Pour into a lightly oiled disposable foil container (7x5-inches) and put into the refrigerator to set.

Lay out a large piece of parchment paper on your counter and dust liberally with confectioners' sugar.

Retrieve the foil container from the refrigerator and snip its edges so that you can carefully peel them away. Turn out the truffle block onto a board. Cut into (1 1/4-inch) cubes (you'll need to clean the knife with paper towels every few cuts) and transfer the truffles to the parchment paper as you go.

Dust the truffle cubes with more confectioners' sugar and roll, pressing gently, to cover them completely.

Transfer the truffles to petit-four paper cups and arrange in lidded boxes. Store in the refrigerator, where they can last for up to two weeks.

Makes about 30 truffles
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Random House
Adapted from source: Handmade Gifts from the Kitchen by Alison Walker, photograph by Tara Fisher