We can also use cooking as a way to say thank you. Those who suffer from anxiety or mental health issues are rarely suffering alone. There’s a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a partner, a friend or ally who suffers with us. While it’s not the same kind of pain, it’s suffering none the less. So this recipe is idea for gift that shows your appreciation for all the time and effort they have given to you. A gift of delicious, handcrafted truffles to say thank you:

We want to say thank you for trying to understand, we know it wasn’t easy to get your head around at first because you think differently to us, but you got there in the end.

Thank you for not giving up on us, for not just telling us to pull it together or to grow up, for showing us you understood that we didn’t have a choice because we hadn’t learnt how to manage our anxiety.

Thank you for talking to us all evening at a party when you could see how uncomfortable we felt, even though you really wanted to go and dance. For continuing to invite us to things, even though we’ve cancelled on you a lot, your determination knows no bounds.

Thank you for understanding when we drink too much to try and overcome the anxiety before a social event. For forgiving us if we sneak off to bed early during a dinner party, or have a cry at the end of the night. Thank you for not judging us, or making us feel guilty when we’re already feeling so bad already.

Thank you for sitting with us all day when we didn’t even have the strength to get dressed, for not getting cross and never loosing your patience.

Thank you for not making us feel like your friends thought we were odd, because they didn’t understand why we behaved differently sometimes. Thank you for understanding how much it would hurt us if we thought that they were judging us.

Thank you for not making us feel strange for only having a few close friends. You get that it’s hard for us to form friendships and our sensitivity means we often get hurt.

Thank you for driving us to work when we didn’t have the confidence to drive ourselves. For your unwavering commitment to our recovery, even when we didn’t show any ourselves.

But the biggest thank you is for knowing that it wasn’t really us, that we are not our anxiety, we are so much more, and for loving us unconditionally, even when we didn’t love ourselves.

Make these for someone you want to say thank you to, to acknowledge all those unspoken acts that meant the world to you. Thank you to all of those that care about sufferers of mental health, we really wouldn’t be here without you!

I found lots of good value and pretty boxes and ribbons for the truffles at Tiger. The little foil cases are available from larger supermarkets in the baking aisle. The truffles will keep in the fridge for about a week or can be frozen for a month as well, so pop a little note in to the box with storage instructions.

Chocolate Truffles

Makes about 40 (easily doubled)

FOR THE TRUFFLES:

300g good quality chocolate, at least 70% cocoa solids, really finely chopped or grated (you can also make them with white chocolate if you like, but it’s a little more tricky to work with, if this is your first time stick to dark)

300ml tub double cream

50g unsalted butter

Flavour options: zest 2 limes, zest 1 orange, 1 tbsp flavoured brandy or rum or liqueur or a few drops of flavouring.

TO COAT:

It’s tricky to give amounts here as it depends how many different varieties of truffle you want to make. If you allow about 2 tsp per truffle that’s a good rule of thumb, it’s easier to coat if you have a little more than you’re going to use.

Shelled Pistachios, blitzed or finely chopped

Flaked or ground almonds

Chopped hazlenuts

Chocolate sprinkles

Desiccated coconut

Cocoa powder

Icing sugar

Freeze dried raspberries, ground with a pestle and mortar

Tip the chocolate into a bowl. Put the cream, butter and alcohol (if using) into a small pan, bring up to the boil and then turn off. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for about 5 minutes, the stir until smooth and glossy. Add the zest or flavourings now, or leave them plain.

Allow to get quite cool, then cover the top with cling film and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight if you can.

To shape the truffles you have a few options. 1. Dip a melon baller or tsp measuring spoon in a bowl of hot water and scoop up balls of the mixture, then drop the truffles onto a large tray lined with greaseproof paper. 2. Lightly oil your hands in sunflower or groundnut oil and roll spoons of the truffles mix between your palms until round and smooth. 3. Transfer the mix to a piping bag and pipe rounds onto the lined tray.

Coat the truffles straight away, or the mixture wont stick. I used a pack of disposable foil trays to hold each different filling and got them ready while the mixture was still in the fridge. Gently roll the truffles until evenly coated and then pop back on the tray. Allow to harden in the fridge for an hour or so before boxing up.