I’m still obsessing over the Chocolate Orange cookie in the last post.  Lots of steps, but I do hope you try making them.  So to make up for that, here is – for all of you non-baker cookie-lover types out there, a showstopper Christmas treat that you can actually make all year round.  Everyone is bound to be impressed if you serve these or if you take them to someone’s house as a gift!  These are Grand Marnier and Biscoff Truffles and will make you a star at the next Christmas party you attend.

All you need to make these truffles is a food processor that brings everything together.  If you don’t have a food processor you can always “crumb” the cookies in a ziploc bag and the edge of a pot (i.e. hammer them to get crumbs).  You might even want to consider leaving some pieces in small chunks, just for texture.    

Biscoff cookies have a delightful taste – some spice, some caramel, buttery – yum!  Most large well stocked grocery stores carry them in the international aisles or of course, as a last resort, get them online.  But really not that difficult to find.  You could also substitute your favorite cookie for the biscoff if you can’t find them.  Still so worth the taste.  Cream cheese in this recipe acts as a binder that keeps everything together.  Use your favorite brand of cream cheese.  

I put a chocolate coating on my shaped truffles and sprinkled them with some sea salt.  You could just roll them in cocoa (do I need to say “good quality” cocoa), but I made a coating of cocoa and shredded coconut.  I whizzed them together in a processor to get a finer flavored powder along with some larger pieces of coconut.  I also used Grand Marnier as the alcohol, but Rum, Bourbon, Amaretto etc would work.  A good motto to always remember when using flavorings – If you like the taste of it, use it!  If you don’t want to use alcohol, don’t, they will still be delicious.  

So put on that apron and get cracking. Keep them refrigerated but bring them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving. These also freeze (although not likely you will have any left beyond the first day) nicely wrapped well in plastic wrap, then foil then a freezer bag.  So you’re welcome for this easy but deliciously tasty recipe!  As always – enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese (half a package), softened 
  • 1 approximately 9-ounce sleeve of Biscoff Cookies 
  • 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or your favorite liquor (for the record, I didn’t measure 🙂 )
  • 1 cup dark chocolate, melted
  • sea salt for sprinkling on top

Directions

  1. Add the cookies to the bowl of your food processor and pulse to get a fine crumb
  2. Add the softened cream cheese and Grand Marnier – process to completely mix and form a dough.  This may take a minute or so, the dough will wrap around the blade.  Squeeze a little bit of the dough and if it stays together – it’s ready!  
  3. Using a teaspoon or scoop as the measure, roll into a ball and place on a tray or plate (it needs to fit in your fridge)
  4. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, truffles should be firm enough to handle (if not, freeze for 15 minutes or so)
  5. While the truffles are firming up, using a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave using short 30 second bursts – stir smooth
  6. Remove the truffles from the fridge and drop the truffles into the chocolate – 1 at a time, use the tines of a fork to remove scraping the tines of the fork against the side of the  bowl to remove any excess chocolate – place on a wire rack.  Sprinkle immediately with the sea salt as the chocolate will set in about 10 seconds
  7. Repeat until all the truffles are coated in chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt
  8. Return to the fridge to set – about 30 minutes.  
  9. After 30 minutes, store in an airtight container in the fridge. Note – the chocolate coating will stick to the wire rack so best to let them sit on the rack for about 10 minutes before trying to remove them, use your fingers to gently push them out from the bottom  
  10. Bring to room temperature before serving

Substitutions and/or Variations
For the truffle
Leftover or store-bought pound cake vanilla, marbled, chocolate etc (think “rum balls”), just add it to the processor instead of the cookies
Any type of cookie you like – ginger biscuits will give it some spice
Chocolate biscuits – because chocolate is always a good choice
Plain tea biscuits – Marie, social etc – they will take on any flavor from liquor
Instead of cream cheese – mascarpone, drained ricotta – but much shorter shelf life than cream cheese
Put a whole nut or piece of chocolate in the center of the truffle 

Toppings
Zest of a lemon or orange or a combination
Crushed nuts, cinnamon sugar, white chocolate, Christmas dragees, dried edible flowers