Cranberry Truffles

Esplanda's Cranberry Truffles are a small-format confection built around cranberry, and that pairing sets most of what you can expect from them. Truffles in this style usually pair a soft, rich center with the sharp, tart edge of the fruit. Cranberry's acidity is what keeps that richness from turning cloying. The producer's details don't list the coating, filling or cocoa percentage, so check the packaging for those before you plan around them. For serving, give truffles like these a few minutes out of the fridge or cool cupboard. Chocolate-based centers taste fuller and melt more evenly at cool room temperature than straight from the cold, and the fruit's aroma opens up as they warm. Eat them in two bites rather than one, so you get both the outer layer and the center. They work well beside a drink. A tawny port or a ruby port is the classic match for chocolate and red fruit, served in a small tulip-shaped glass or a standard port glass at cellar temperature. A dry sparkling rosé in a flute picks up the cranberry's tartness without competing with the sweetness. For something non-alcoholic, strong black coffee or an unsweetened black tea in a small cup gives a bitter counterpoint that suits the fruit. If you put them on a cheese board, expect them to sit well next to a creamy, mild cheese such as brie or a fresh goat cheese, with the truffle acting as the sweet element. These are a snack-aisle item, so they are not an ingredient for cocktails. Their best use is as a small sweet bite served on the side of a drink, or with coffee after a meal.