Christmas Treates: Geodes, a Chocolate Delight

Hello! It's that season again. It's easier to get in the spirit when you have children or someone to snuggle up with during these frigid months:D  With Children their optimism and enthusiasm is infectious. They ask for what their heart desires, with no thought to the adult realities of  obligations or responsibilities. How liberating is that? Secretly within I do the same thing, only I include those adult responsibilities, because without them ...well, where will we celebrate?

With visions of sugarplums, well in my case Chocolate Bon bons and Truffles, dancing in my head.  I stumbled across this wonderful Recipe of  Goedes. From "The Joy of Chocolate" by Judith Olney. First you make Truffles than layer then alternately with Chocolate, Cocoa Powder and White Chocolate. They are about 5- 6 inches in diameter. Cut them open and walla beautiful circular patterns of chocolate bliss! They can be made smaller for individual servings too;).

Chocolate Truffles makes about 50

Ingredients
1 2/3 c. heavy cream
7 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 pound semisweet chocolate, cut or broken into pieces
2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier or to taste)
Cocoa powder for dusting

Instructions
1. Put cream and butter into a saucepan. Let butter melt over medium heat then, stirring all the while, turn up the heat and let the cream just come to a boil.
2. Remove from the heat and ad the chocolate to the saucepan and stir util it is completely melted.  Continue to stir until the mixture thickens and cools a bit. Stir in the grand manier if using, then cover the mixture and place in the refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours but stir it about 2-3 times as it cools and hardens.
3. To for the truffles, use a spoon or melon baler to scoop out portions, dust your hands and  the truffle  thickly with cocoa. Roll it between your hands and make a ball, roll it in the cocoa again and refrigerate immediately.

Geodes makes about 2  large or several smaller geodes

Ingredients
1 recipe of the chocolate truffles above
12 oz. white chocolate grated
1/3 c. + 2 Tbsp. boiling water approx.
Confectioners Sugar as needed
Semisweet, bittersweet or couverture chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
Cocoa Powder

Instructions
1.While the chocolate truffle mixture is cooling in the refrigerator...
2 Place the white chocolate over a double boiler. Add the boiling water to the chocolate and whisk over heat until the mixture is perfectly smooth.
3. Continue beating the white chocolate until it thicken a bit, then leave it to cool at room temperature.  * Both mixtures should have the same packing and firming consistency. Do not refrigerate the white chocolate as it will harden too much. If needed add a little confectioners sugar to solidify the white chocolate.
4. To make the 2 large geoedes form 1 white and 1 brown ball each 1 in. in diameter. Wrap the white ball in some brown truffle mixture and place it in the freezer; wrap the brown ball in white chocolate. Continue alternating each truffle by layering by alternating white and brown chocolate. Smooth each layer as much as possible and occasionally placing the balls in the freezer. When the mixtures are all used up place the geodes in the freezer to harden.
5. To make smaller geodes form several balls in the same way as step 4, but with fewer layers and chill.
6. Brush the geodes with melted chocolate and roll in cocoa. Wrap and refrigerate at least 1 day
7. To serve slice the large geodes in half and place them on a platter for each guest to cut a wedge for herself. Place smaller geodes on a platter for individual and half portions.

Enjoy.