There are few desserts that can top truffles and wine, unless there are wine in the truffles, of course. It also helps if the wine is decent. Meerlust Rubicon is a classic wine with a woody, smoky nose and with hectic spicy fruit on the tongue – it is with the greatest of respect that we accompany this wine with these truffles. I love the character, the depth, the roundness and the sheer darned sophistication of the wine and the recipe for these truffles is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time. Since Valentines Day is around the corner, why not test the recipe now.

Ingredients

• 200 g dark chocolate (70%)
• 150 g dark chocolate (60%)
• 160 crème fraiche
• 100 ml Meerlust Rubicon or something similar (cognac is also good)
• 50 g butter, softened and cut into tiny pieces
• 200 g bitter cocoa powder

Method

• Grate the dark chocolate finely;
• Add the wine to a pot and boil for about five minutes;
• Add the crème fraiche and bring it to boiling point, remove from stove and whisk in the chocolate;
• Add butter and stir all the ingredients briskly until everything has mixed well into a shining mixture;
• Put the ganache into a dish lined with baking parchment, cover it with cling wrap and put it in the fridge for about three and a half hours;
• Turn it out, roll it into small balls – they don’t have to be perfectly equal, just do your best;
• Sift the cocoa powder into a plate and roll the truffles in that using a fork so that your fingers don’t touch them.
• Put on a plate and refrigerate until you are ready to serve them with the rest of the wine;

Thanks to Mariska Nienaber for this recipe.