Ingredients

Step by step

1. Put 300g of the chocolate into a bowl. Pour the cream into a saucepan and place over a low to medium heat. Just as little bubbles start to appear at the edges, add the butter and stir until melted.
2. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and leave for 5 minutes then stir gently until smooth and combined. Stir in your chosen liqueur (if using) with a large balloon whisk. Put the bowl in the fried to set for 3 hours until firm.
3. Use a teaspoon to scoop rough balls of the truffle mixture out onto a large tray lined with baking paper. Dust your hands in cocoa powder and roll the truffle mixture gently into acorn shapes (oval but with a slightly thicker end). Dust lightly in the cocoa powder then transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
   
   Meanwhile melt the remaining dark chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Once melted, stir until smooth then leave to cool.
4. Put the nuts in a small frying pan and toast over a medium to high heat for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. Tip into a shallow bowl to cool. Put the gold sprinkles and chocolate vermicelli into separate small bowls.
5. Once the acorn shapes are chilled, take one at a time and carefully dip the thicker end nearly halfway into the chocolate, gently shaking off any excess. Holding the dipped acorn over your chosen bowl of sprinkles or nuts, scatter the dipped chocolate end with the sprinkles or nuts to coat. Take a chocolate Matchmaker piece and press into the thicker base end to create a 'stalk'.
6. Leave to set on the lined tray while you continue to decorate the rest of the acorns. When they are all decorated, return the acorn truffles to the fridge to set hard.