All those toasted seeds and nuts give a roasted aroma and the perfect crunchy texture for smooth, buttery chocolate ganache. Although it might sound a bit strange sea salt heightens the wonderful deep flavour of dark chocolate.

You cannot beat a good chocolate truffle and they always get demolished by my dinner party guests, even when they’ve just devoured a side splitting 3 courser – I believe everyone has that extra stomach reserved solely for chocolate.

The other great thing about truffles is that they are really easy to rustle up. You can make them in advance and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to serve them.

Serve with post meal coffee, a cup of masala chai, or a sweet dessert wine or dry sherry. Yum!

Makes around 50 truffles

For the truffles:

• 300g 70% dark chocolate
• 50g salted butter
• 300g double cream

For the  coating:

• 6 tbsp sesame seeds
• 6 tbsp salted peanuts
• 1 1/2  tsp sea salt flakes

Break up the chocolate into pieces, cut the butter into cubes and put both into a mixing bowl. Gently heat up the double cream in a saucepan until it just about comes to the boil then slowly pour over the chocolate and butter, whisking vigorously as the butter and chocolate melt and the mixture thickens. Once the mixture is smooth,  cover the bowl with cling film and keep in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Bash up the peanuts into small pieces then pour into a heavy based frying pan with the sesame seeds. Stirring constantly, toast on a medium/ low heat until the sesame seeds are lightly golden.

Pour the toasted nuts onto a plate to stop them cooking and mix in the sea salt flakes. Remove the ganache from the fridge. Boil a kettle and fill a cup with boiling water. Heat up a teaspoon in the hot water then scoop a heaped spoonful of chocolate truffle mixture onto a piece of greaseproof paper. Repeat until you have used up all the chocolate.

Roll each truffle between your hands to create round balls. You can use a small amount of oil in each palm to avoid the mixture sticking to your hands. Next roll each truffle in the nut mixture until they are evenly coated. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours and serve chilled with milky coffee, tea or hot masala chai. Even better with dessert wine or Irish liqueur.