海角大神

When it comes to anecdotes about chocolates and life, the most famous quote of all has to be Forrest Gump鈥檚: 鈥淢ama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you鈥檙e gonna get.鈥�

Recently, I discovered another quote in a book by one of my favorite authors of all time, Haruki Murakami, "."听In chapter 10, Toru鈥檚 (the main character) love interest Midori says, 鈥淛ust remember, life is like a box of chocolates.鈥� 鈥� 鈥淵ou know, they鈥檝e got these chocolate assortments, and you like some but you don鈥檛 like others? And you eat all the ones you like, and the only ones left are the ones you don鈥檛 like as much? I always think about that when something painful comes up. 鈥淣ow I just have to polish these off, and everything鈥檒l be OK.鈥� Life is a box of chocolates.鈥�

Why am I bringing all this up? Why, because it鈥檚 Valentine鈥檚 Day this week of course!

If you鈥檝e ever been on the receiving end of聽a box of assorted chocolates, then you know exactly what Midori鈥檚 talking about. So why would you even subject your loved ones to this travesty?

The good news is, I鈥檝e come up with the perfect antidote to the聽 鈥� make your own chocolates, chocolate truffles to be exact. It鈥檚 the only way to ensure reliably good chocolate with every bite (while going easy on your pocketbook too!).

I know I know, you think it鈥檚 too hard, too complicated, too messy. I did too, but that was before I attended聽聽chocolate making class. Trust me, even the most novice of cooks/bakers/chocolatiers will be able to make these truffles. All it takes is heating up some heavy cream, lots of whisking聽and dexterous fingers for rolling!

Your truffles can be coated with anything your 鈥� or your sweetheart鈥檚 鈥� heart desires: pistachios, powdered sugar, matcha powder, etc. Rather than coat my truffles with cocoa powder or sugar or nuts (which you certainly can), I decided to experiment with black sesame seeds. You鈥檝e probably encountered these exotic, dark kernels crusted onto seared tuna or pressed into a fancy sushi roll. Perhaps your local ice cream shop has black sesame ice cream. More traditional preparations include glutinous rice balls stuffed with black sesame paste in sweet soup (), black sesame porridge (there are both聽听补苍诲听聽versions of this snack), and聽.

Compared to its pale cousin, black sesame seeds are nuttier in flavor, and they are an excellent source of many essential minerals, as well as a very good source of vitamin B1 (thiamin) and dietary fiber. Plus, their dusky shade makes a bold culinary and aesthetic statement.

Black sesame chocolate truffles
Makes 2 dozen truffles聽

Depending on your chocolate preference, you can use either semisweet (about 50-60%) or bittersweet (70% and above) chocolate. Or simply mix them up! You can find black sesame seeds at any Asian or Middle-Eastern markets. They usually come in big bottles, so you鈥榬e gonna need more recipes like聽,听听补苍诲听.

8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (Lindt and Green & Black鈥檚 are two brands I like), chopped as finely as you can
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 tablespoons roasted black sesame seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle into a gritty, sand-like texture (you can also use a food processor but pulse cautiously聽and don鈥檛 let the seeds turn into a paste)

1. Place chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl.

2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. As soon as the cream starts bubbling, take it off the heat and let it stand for about 20 seconds. Pour the cream through a sieve (to strain out the milk skin that may form) over the chocolate and let the mixture聽sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk till smooth, then add the vanilla and聽whisk until incorporated. Refrigerate, uncovered, until somewhat firm, about 1 hour.

3. Using 2 teaspoons (or a melon-baller), spoon balls of chocolate onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until set.

4. With your hands, roll the chocolate into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the sesame seed dust, pressing in and covering completely. Package in pretty boxes and watch your loved ones smile in delight when they bite into the truffles, one after another!

Note: These truffles will keep refrigerated for a couple of weeks but are best eaten聽at room temperature.

Related post on Pickles and Tea:聽