I had a chance recently to try the new Silk Cashew Milk which I used to make the ganache that is inside these adorable Triple Chocolate Truffle Christmas Mice as part of a sponsored post for Tap Influence. #SilkCashew

 

Until this week, I had never tried making chocolate ganache for truffles using a nut milk and have to say I was absolutely amazed by the results. The chocolate ganache was just as creamy and full of chocolate flavor as the ganache I usually make using heavy whipping cream. I was truly stunned when I tasted it. I could not tell the difference.

Silk’s new Cashew Milks are made from cashews and have a really creamy texture and a very, very, subtle cashew flavor. It really tastes like milk. I don’t like to just drink milk, so when I first tried the milk I poured it over a bowl of cereal and loved the flavor. I wasn’t sure, however, how it would work mixed with chocolate and have to say I  was so pleased with the results.

 

I realize making chocolate anything is not going to be low calorie, but to be able to make chocolate truffles using Silk’s Unsweetened Cashew Milk which has 25 calories per cup versus using heavy whipping cream which has 400 calories per cup and have virtually identical results is incredible. You can use the sweetened Cashew Milk if you prefer, which has 60 calories. Both make a richly luxurious ganache. For me, I was happy with the unsweetened. I’ll save the sweetened for on my cereal.I’m sure you are going to be seeing many more lighter truffle recipes like this in the future.

At first when I made this chocolate ganache, I thought about just scooping and rolling it in cashews, but you know me, I have this insatiable desire to make my food cute.A few weeks ago I made some Turkey Truffles out of egg shaped chocolate truffles and they were really popular, so I thought I’d revisit that idea. I drew up a lot of different animals, and had a hard time deciding which one to start with, but finally settled on Christmas mice. I am totally in love with them. So, I’m happy with my choice, but don’t fret, you’ll be seeing more like this soon.

Triple Chocolate Christmas Truffle Mice

Ingredients: (makes 40)

1/2 cup Silk Cashew Milk
(unsweetened or sweetened)
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons, very soft butter

Decorations:
30 ounces melted and tempered white chocolate
or melted white confectionery coating
80 white chocolate callets
or confectionery coating wafers
40 pink Sixlets
80 black candy pearls
pink luster dust
4 ounces white modeling chocolate, recipe here
40 mini candy canes

Supplies:
2 1/4 or 2 1/2 inch egg shaped candy molds
small squeeze-it mold painters or squeeze bottles, pastry bags or zip top bags

Instructions:

 

Pour Silk Cashew Milk and the chopped chocolate into a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high power for 45 seconds. Remove and stir. Heat for 30 more seconds then let the bowl sit in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Remove and stir. If not all the chocolate it melted, heat for 15 second increments, stirring after each until melted.

Stir in the softened butter. Allow this ganache to cool for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, paint a thin layer of white chocolate into  each egg shaped cavity in your candy molds.

Make sure you fill in any thin spots or holes and be sure the chocolate goes all the way up to the edge of the egg cavity. Wipe the excess chocolate off around the edge of the eggs.

If using pure chocolate pop the molds in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes. If using confectionery coating, place in the freezer for about 5 minutes.

Pipe chocolate ganache into the chocolate shells, leaving enough room to top the ganache with a thin layer of chocolate.

Let the eggs sit for 1 hour at room temperature until the ganache thickens and drys on top.

Pipe a layer of chocolate over top of the ganache and scrape off any excess chocolate.

Pop them in the refrigerator for pure chocolate and freezer for confectionery coating for 5 minutes until the top coat is hardened.

Carefully turn the mold upside down over a baking sheet or counter top and allow the chocolate eggs to fall out. If you have any chocolate around the edges of the egg, cut it off using a sharp paring knife.

Cut a curve into each white chocolate callet/wafer so that they can be attached to the curved egg to form ears. Brush a little pink luster dust in the center of each ear. Use a dab of white chocolate to attach one ear on either side of the top part of each egg.

Put a teaspoon size dollop of the white chocolate on a piece of parchment paper. Allow it to thicken a bit, then set one chocolate truffle egg, with the rounded side down, in the middle of it. Hold it until it hardens in place. If the chocolate is thick enough, you can just set the egg on top and it will stand up.

Repeat creating little chocolate stands for all of your truffle eggs.

Use a dab of white chocolate to attach one pink Sixlets nose and two black candy pearl eyes.

Brush a bit of pink luster dust to make rosy cheeks then draw on whiskers and a smile using a food coloring marker.

Pinch off small pieces of white modeling chocolate. Roll into longs then thin out one end. Attach to the back of each mouse using a dab of white chocolate, creating a tail.Attach one mini candy cane to each mouse using some white chocolate.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Best if used within 7 days.

Have you tried the new Silk Cashew Milk yet? If you have, be sure to stop by their Facebook page to tell them about your experience.

If you’d like to learn more about Silk Cashew Milk and their other products you can sign up to receive their newsletter.

For more recipes using Silk Milks, check out their Pinterest Boards.

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.

 

If you’d like to have the ultimate guide to working with Candy Clay (modeling chocolate) be sure to get your printed or e-book copy of Candy Clay Creations. This 102 page book is filled with tips and tricks for making and working with candy clay along with 17 step-by-step tutorials for decorating cupcakes, cookies, and more using candy clay. It’s a fantastic resource for anyone who wants to make festively decorated treats.

Be sure to check out all my fun Christmas Recipes!

More Chocolate Christmas Recipes
from Hungry Happenings

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer Pops

Edible Santa Suit Candy Cup

Nutter Butter Polar Bear Cookies

Sweet Sugar Cone Santa Hats

Frosty Snowmen Pretzels

Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles

Nutter Butter Penguins