Chocolate and tangerine marzipan truffles...a light, yet delicious dessert

Happy New Year everybody!!! All the best for you and your loved ones!!!

Have you had amazing festive dinners??? Well I sure have!

Now, unless I am mistaken it is nice to have a light treat at home these days as friends and family pay you a visit.. this sweet I am going to present you is a nice and easy dessert which at the same time helps you make use of the tangerine slices you throw away once you' ve consumed the tangerine!!! Heheh... healthy and economic..who would tell???

Ingredients: 300 gr of tangerine skins stemmed (orange skins are also welcomed), 1 tangerine (the flesh), 150 gr of sugar (or more depending on your tastes), 200 gr of almonds without the skin and shredded to become powder, 1 shot of brandy, about 400-500gr of melted 70% cocoa chocolate (I used classic baking chocolate, as well as a spicy one I had in the fridge so as to have a variety). Also, chocolate is optional. You can make the tangerine marzipan truffles and then dip them in sugar. Thus they become even lighter! Also you will need these small cupcake paper cases which I am not sure how we call them, even in Greek!

The above ingredients make about 40 truffles. Gather the clean skins of the tangerines little by little in a small bag and keep them in the fridge. Once you manage to gather 300 gr put them in water overnight and then again in the fridge. Change the water if you have the chance.

Next day put them in a pot with water, bring them to boil and throw away the water. Repeat, boil for 10-15' until they become soft and drain them. Put them in the blender and mash them up with the tangerine flesh.

In a pot, in medium fire put the sugar and the tangerine mash. Stir and let the ingredients mix and become dry. Add the brandy and let it evaporate. Keep tossing with a wooden spoon. Add the almonds and stir till they are lightly roasted. Remove from the fire. The whole process takes about 15'.

Melt your chocolate in the classic bain marie way - that is put a bowl with the chocolate over a pot with boiling water and allow some time to melt.

Create small balls of tangerine marzipan and dip them in the melted chocolate. Place them on these cupcake cases (or on a tray covered with cooking paper) and put them in the fridge.

Enjoy!