This is the last Christmas recipe I am sharing this holiday season, I promise. I know, it’s coming a bit late and I guess we all have had enough of all the Christmass food. Not only on our tables but also everywhere on social media. All food blogs and Instagram accounts are full of holiday-themed recipes and pictures.
On the other hand I would not limit these chocolate mini cakes to the Christmas season only. It’s not one of the very traditional recipes everyone automatically connects with the holidays, unlike gingerbread cookies for example. I think you can successfully make (and eat) them anytime during the year.
Warning: this recipe can cause serious chocolate overdose:)! Best when freshly baked with liquid chocolate in the middle.
Ingredients:
- 350 g all-purpose flour (“hladká” in Czech shops)
- 140 g softened butter
- 70 g granulated sugar
- 70 g cane sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 30 ml milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 100g Dutch process cocoa powder
- pinch of salt
- chocolate truffles of your choice, I used Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffles (pack of 21pcs)
- Alternative to chocolate truffles and / or to utilize the remaining dough after covering all truffles you have: dark or milk chocolate of your choice (1 bar)
- Optional: almond slices for decorations
Directions
Preheat oven to 180ºC (356ºF). Put the chocolate truffles to a fridge for, ideally an hour before you start preparing the dough.
You should have ideally two baking trays, so that you can place the dough on one while the other one is already in the oven. Better to place baking paper on the trays.
Make the dough
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Add the egg mixture into the bowl with butter and beat until well combined.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined.
Take about a spoon of the dough, press dough with your fingers to get a small flat oval shape. Place a chocolate truffle in the middle of the oval and cover it completely with the dough from all sides. As a result you will have a dough ball with a chocolate truffle inside.
Alternatively, or once you use all your truffles and still have some dough available, you can fill the cakes with just pieces of chocolate. This will also allow you to make smaller cakes. I also put an almond slice on the top of the smaller ones.
Bake the cakes
Once you have one tray full of mini cakes, place it in the oven. Don’t place them too close to each other as they will flatten in the oven and spread to the sides. In the meantime continue with assembling more cakes and placing them on the second tray. Bake for about 12 – 15 minutes until the cakes start cracking.
Recipe inspired by Apetit online.
BakinginPrague 