Maple, sea salt and chilli chocolate truffles

Method

1. To make the truffles, place the maple syrup, chilli, sea salt and 150ml/5fl oz water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Place the dark chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot liquid onto the chocolate. Stir well to emulsify into a glossy ganache. Leave to cool, then refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. To roll the truffles, use a teaspoon to scoop out even-sized nuggets of the ganache. Dust your fingers in cocoa powder and roll the ganache to form smooth spheres. If you want the truffles to be perfectly even-sized, then weigh out 9–10g balls for each nugget before rolling.

3. To coat the truffles, break half of the milk chocolate into small pieces and melt in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Chop the remaining half of milk chocolate and mix into the melted chocolate until it is fully melted and smooth. Dip your fingers into the chocolate and roll a layer of chocolate onto each truffle. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and leave in a cool place to set. Once set, roll a second layer of chocolate onto each truffle. Place in the fridge for 5 minutes to set.

4. To decorate, melt the white chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, then leave to cool for 10 minutes. Mix together the sugar and some of the red shimmer powder to make a pink sugar mixture. Roll some of the truffles in white chocolate, then toss through the pink sugar. Leave in a cool place or the fridge to set. To pipe hearts on some of the truffles, fill a small piping bag with melted white chocolate and cut a very small hole in the bag. Pipe a heart onto each truffle and leave in a cool place to set.

5. Pack the truffles into boxes or place on a bon-bon dish or plate. Store the truffles at room temperature in a cool dark place and enjoy within 2 weeks.