I consider truffles to be a perfect party treat - quick and effortless to make, and almost everyone loves them. And, since it's October, it is only natural to make them pumpkin-flavoured. Pumpkin purée is used as a flavour base which is then enriched with warm and inviting Speculaas cookies, cinnamon, and coconut. Warm autumn spices tie everything together, and vanilla makes them taste almost candy-like. They will stay soft at room temperature, but they do not lose their shape, although I recommend keeping them refrigerated until serving time.
Ingredients
250 grams pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
100 grams Speculaas cookie crumbs
75 grams icing sugar
75 grams desiccated coconut
50 grams desiccated coconut or Speculaas cookie crumbs, for decorating
Preparation
Add the pumpkin purée into a large bowl, add in the rum and vanilla, as well as cinnamon (if using), and then whisk everything until combined. Sprinkle in the desiccated coconut, and blend it completely into the pumpkin puree. The batter will become somewhat solid at this point, which is. Sift in the icing sugar, and whisk again.
The batter will become stickier, so start adding the cookie crumbs, while whisking. Finished batter needs to be ever so slightly tacky, but not so it sticks to your hands. Using a small cookie scoop, take out portions of the batter, roll them into neat little truffles, and then roll them in some additional coconut or cookie crumbs. Store them in the refrigerator until serving, I recommend at least 4 hours, best overnight, for the flavours to develop. Yields 20 truffles.
