Simply put, brittle and broken gluten free biscuits equals Brandy Chocolate Truffles! I’ve given up carefully feeling the packets of biscuits in the aisles. One; I look odd, two; they’re still broken! You know the kind, the ones that look like they’ve survived but break in half when you touch them. However, I’ve learnt not to mind so much, you see one persons broken biscuit can be anther persons, cheesecake base, millionaires shortbread biscuit base. In this case it means making the best ever Brandy Chocolate Truffles you’ll have ever tasted!
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Homemade Chocolate Truffles – my family recipe
This recipe is thanks to my Great Aunt Sheila. My sisters and I have fond memories of going to her house every New Year just before we went back to school for a big family gathering, the piano would be tinkled, games would be played and truffles scoffed by the dozen until we felt sick! Aunty gave me her recipe a few years ago now and as soon as life changed for us I knew I had to make them gluten free, and later dairy free and guess what, they taste just the way I remember them.
How can I make these Chocolate Truffles dairy free?
Making dairy free and vegan condensed milk is very simple so please don’t be wary of making your own condensed milk with this easy two ingredient recipe and method;
Dairy Free and Vegan Condensed Milk Recipe
Empty a 400ml tin of coconut milk into a medium saucepan, add 150g caster sugar and stir to combine. Place on a high heat and stir until bubbling. Turn heat down to a gentle rolling boil and leave for 15 minutes. Don’t leave unattended and stir occasionally, the condensed milk will halve in volume and go a wallpaper paste colour! Remove from the heat, pour into a glass heatproof jug and cool to room temperature, this will take about an hour.
You now have a 250-300ml volume of dairy free condensed milk (depending on how long your reduced the liquid) that you can use with a variety of recipes.
I have made this using 200g of caster sugar in some of my recipes but now feel that you can get away with 50g less sugar unless you plan to continue to reduce the liquid to make a toffee sauce in which case you need all 200g of sugar.
I also use this condensed milk recipe in my Easy Christmas Truffle Cake Pops Homemade and Gluten Free that are decorated to look like cute little Christmas puddings, another idea for gifting this Christmas.
Can I make these into Chocolate Orange Truffles?
Absolutely YES! in fact you can make these into chocolate orange truffles, coffee or mocha truffles, rum truffles, vanilla truffles even mint chocolate truffles. The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination. I’ve added some tips below on how adapt these truffles to make different flavours.
- Chocolate Orange Truffles – use 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract with the brandy or swap the brandy for Cointreau. If you wish to make an alcohol free version then just use the orange extract.
- Rum Truffles – just add 2 tablespoons of you favourite rum in place of the brandy
- Mocha/Coffee Truffles – use Tia Maria in place of the brandy or for a non-alcoholic version make a strong coffee with 2 teaspoons of instant coffee and 2 tablespoons of boiling water (allow to cool before adding to the truffle mixture)
- Vanilla Truffles – add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the truffle mixture in place of the brandy
- Mint Chocolate Truffles – just add a teaspoon of mint extract to the truffle mix.
- Cherry Chocolate Truffles – how about adding some Cherry Brandy or Kirsch to the mixture?
Other Free From Christmas Recipe Inspiration
These are typically made at Christmas in this house but they also make excellent gifts for loved ones or teachers. If boozy treats are your thing, you’ll love my gluten and dairy free recipe for Homemade Baileys and Chocolate Orange Baileys and I’ve managed to add a fair few glugs to my Gluten Free Stollen Bites recipe too! In fact, all my Christmas Recipes can be found here; Glutarama Christmas Recipes
I also highly recommend having a look at these gluten free recipes too for further festive inspiration; Intolerant Gourmands Mince Pie Brownie Cupcakes, Gluten Free Alchemists German Gingerbread Cookies and Free From Fairy’s 14 Of The Best Christmas Recipes, Free From The Top 14 Allergens
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Chocolate Truffles with Brandy Recipe
These Brandy Chocolate Truffles are family recipe that I've adapted to be gluten free and now dairy free too. They still taste exactly the same…delicious! Perfect for gifts and always our traditional recipe for Christmas.
- 160 g broken gluten free biscuits approx. 16 digestives
- 5 tbsp cocoa powder
- 5 tbsp desiccated coconut
- 50 g butter melted
- 100 g vegan condensed milk see notes and main text.
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 70 g Vermicelli (chocolate strands) to decorate you will need a whole pot of chocolate strands check label for may contains
- Either add your biscuits to a large bowl and break up into crumbs with a rolling pin, or pop in a blender and blitz for a few seconds.
Then, to the biscuit crumbs, add the cocoa powder, coconut, condensed milk, brandy and melted butter and mix to combine.
- The mixture will be very sticky but should come together and be pliable.
Chill in the fridge for 30mins to allow the mixture to set a little – this makes in easier to handle
Using a teaspoon take a walnut-sized lump of mixture and roll into a ball in your hands – you will get messy, it's part of the fun!
Pour your Vermicelli into a bowl before you start to make your truffles.
Roll each ball in the vermicelli and place onto a plate or into a Tupperware container.
Repeat until you've used up all the mixture, this should make approximately 16 bite-sized truffles.
- Pop the Tupperware into the fridge and chill.
These will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.
To make dairy free you’ll need to make your own condensed milk, but fear not, it’s so easy;
200g caster sugar
400g tin of coconut milk (high coconut content 60%+)
heat in a saucepan on rapid boil for 20mins until the mixture starts to turn a delicate translucent golden colour, take off heat and cool completely.
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These do sound moreish, I bet they don’t stick around for long. Commenting as BritMums Baking Round-up Editor.
Not really, I have to hide some in the back of the fridge for just me! they do last ages actually and with most alcoholic bakes/sweets they improve with age
Wow, these look and sound good. Thanks for the condensed milk recipe too, good to know.
You are very welcome Julie, its super simple so I doubt you’ll ever need to refer to it again, but that’s what I’m here for – making life simple! xx