Nipples of Venus (Capezzoli di Venere)
I first learned of these confections through the famous scene of the same name in the movie Amadeus. Fast forward 30-plus years later, and inspired by a viewer's request, I finally learned that these were in fact real, and very delicious, thanks in part to the star of the show, chestnuts. Serve these as a sexy snack during a Valentine's viewing of the corresponding film.
white sugar
⅓
cup
unsalted butter, room temperature
5
tablespoons
dark chocolate, chopped
6
ounces
whole chestnuts
14
ounces
salt
1
pinch
cayenne pepper
1
pinch
vanilla extract
1
teaspoon
brandy
¼
cup
white chocolate, chopped
8
ounces
confectioners' sugar
⅓
cup
milk, or as needed
2
teaspoons
paper candy cups
red food coloring, or more as needed
1
drop
 Cream sugar and butter together with a spatula until light and creamy. Set aside.
  Heat an inch of water in a pot set over low heat. Melt dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl placed over the pot. Stir with a small spatula.
  Place chestnuts in a food processor; pulse on and off until very finely ground. Add chestnuts to the sugar-butter mixture and stir until combined. Add salt, cayenne pepper, vanilla extract, and brandy. Stir well. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix again until filling is well blended.
  Scoop filling onto a silicone-lined baking sheet and smooth out if necessary. Cover the balls in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the white chocolate coating.
  Reserve about 20% of the white chocolate to stir in later. Melt the rest in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water until an instant-read thermometer inserted in to the chocolate reads 105 degree F (41 degrees C). Add the reserved white chocolate and stir until melted.
  Place 1 chocolate truffle on a fork and hold it up above the white chocolate coating. Spoon on the white chocolate until ball is well coated. Use another fork to push the truffle onto a lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining truffles and coating. Place the bowl of coating back over hot water if it chocolate starts to harden.
  Mix confectioners' sugar with enough milk to make a very thick paste that will hold together well. Dye it pink with red food coloring. Transfer into a piping bag and pipe a small dot on top of each truffle. Serve truffles in paper candy cups.
