Many don't realize however, that the origins of this merriment celebrate the lifting of eating and drinking restrictions observed during Lent. For those not overly partial to a little tipple, St. Patrick's Day means that you can enjoy a great feast of the food that you have chosen to deny yourself throughout this period.

Irish Cream Truffles Dessert Recipe

There is no better way to take advantage of this break than with a tasty treat. Bear in mind that this particular sweet takes advantage of the lifting of the ban on both sweet foods and alcohol in one fell swoop, making this a dessert that should only be shared with the adults!

The preparation time should only be around 20 minutes, and cooking time won't be much more than 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• Bittersweet chocolate 110g
• Dark chocolate 50g
• Heavy cream 2 tablespoons
• White chocolate 50g
• Irish cream liqueur 2 tablespoons
• Butter 25g

Directions

1. Prepare the base of our scrumptious dessert by melting the dark chocolate. You can do this in a microwave or by using a hot-water bath. It's a good idea to use plain chocolate here rather than any that might contain artificial additives or sweeteners.
2. Now that you have your chocolate all nice and gooey you need to add your cream, which you will have pre-heated in a small saucepan. The cream should be hot but make sure you don't bring it to a boil. Pour this hot cream into your chocolate and mix it all together thoroughly until you have a nice smooth consistency. Now let it stand and thicken for about 15 minutes.
3. Add your butter and Irish liqueur to the mix. (It should be noted that the liqueur is not essential, but it wouldn't be very Irish without it!) Stir it all together nicely, then cover your mixing bowl and place it in the fridge.
4. Your mix is going to stay in the fridge for around 30 minutes. It needs to be very cold and close to being sit, but still pliable, so just have a little check on it about 15 minutes in just in case you've got one of those especially cold fridges!
5. Once the wait is over, scoop up your mix with a tablespoon and roll it into nicely rounded balls. Place these onto a baking tray and then put them back in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes.
6. Ground up the milk chocolate and dark chocolate and place them in separate small trays or plates. Take out your chocolate balls from the fridge and roll them in the powder to give them a nice soft coating. You can choose to cover them completely in dark or milk chocolate, or you can give them a combination of the two. Put them back on the baking tray and leave them out sitting proudly on your finest piece of handmade kitchen furniture until your hungry guests arrive.

So there you have it, an easy to make, but highly enjoyable little treat to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Why not double up on the measurements if you want to really take advantage of the lifting on those Lenten restrictions; it's another two full weeks until you can enjoy the sweeter things of life again. Great craic, as the Irish almost certainly would say. Enjoy!

 What is your favorite St. Patrick's Day treat?

The post Dessert Recipe: Delectable Irish Cream Truffles for St. Patrick’s Day appeared first on Mom it Forward.

The holidays are such a perfect time to enjoy time with your family and friends. There is nothing better than a holiday party where you can share food and desserts with the people you love. There is something so magical about an evening party full of laughter and good times…and truffles!

These cookie dough truffles are the perfect addition to any party. They are easy to make and taste delicious! They are also a great homemade holiday gift to give to your family and friends!

Enjoy the recipe and please consider joining our National Holiday Bake Sale for Share Our Strength! Help feed hungry children by donating or hosting your own bake sale or cookie swap. For more details, please visit this site.

Dessert Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Makes 3 dozen truffles. Original recipe by La Casa de Sweets.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 small package of Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix (3.4 oz)
• ½ cup egg beaters
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 bag chocolate candy melts

Instructions:

1. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Combine the butter and both sugars in the bowl of your mixer; mix until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla extract on medium speed,.
4. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt on low speed. Be careful to mix only until combined (do not over mix).
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Use a measuring tablespoon shape the cookie dough into balls, and place them on the lined cookie sheets. Freeze the dough balls for 30 minutes.
7. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each time, until smooth.
8. Remove the dough balls, a few at a time, and dip them in the melted chocolate. Return them to the lined cookie sheet. Store in the refrigerator until they are ready to be enjoyed.

What types of truffles do you love to make? Why do you enjoy making truffles?

Jackie Gonzalez-Feezer blogs at La Casa de Sweets. She hopes that this post has encouraged you to host your own holiday bake sale for charity! If you would like to learn more about baking for charity, please visit her website, La Casa de Sweets, and follow her on facebook and twitter! Blessings to you and your family this holiday season, and happy baking!

The post Dessert Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles appeared first on Mom it Forward.