Macadamia Nut Truffles

Ingredients

150 grams good quality dark semi-sweet chocolate
100 grams of room temperature butter, cubed
1 egg yolk
1 tsp of honey
Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
8 unsalted natural macadamia nuts from Nuts about New Zealand
A baking tray lined with non-stick parchment paper
Mini candy papers (optional)

Method

1. Finely chop the chocolate and place in a clean, dry heatproof bowl. Set aside.
2. Fill a saucepan 1/4 full of hot water and bring it to a simmer. Fit the bowl snugly into the rim of the saucepan so that the bowl is suspended over the gently simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water otherwise it will overheat and seize up.
3. Allow the chocolate to gently melt. Once melted, remove the bowl from the saucepan and stir it with a clean, dry spoon until smooth.
4. Stir through the room temperature butter until completely combined. Next add the egg yolk and honey and stir until combined.
5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 1/2 hours or until set.
6. Set up your rolling station. Sift some cocoa powder onto a plate or into a bowl.
7. Cut the macadamia nuts in half.
8. Using a small melon scooper or teaspoon, scoop the chilled chocolate mixture (known as ganache) into little mounds and place them on the baking tray.
9. Shape the little mounds into roughly shaped balls with your hands. Keep your hands cool by placing them on the bag of ice every so often.
10. Use your thumb to gently press half a macadamia nut into the center of the ganache.
11. Drop it into the cocoa powder and roll it around until it’s completely covered then return it to the baking tray. Repeat the process with remaining ganache.
12. Store truffles in an airtight container for up to 5 days.