Who knew these were easy? In my mind, any type of candy-making is extremely hard. And the better it tastes, the harder it is to make. But oh, how wrong I was. These are so delicious, so incredibly rich and dark and chocolatey, and they are even easier than baking cookies.
The secret to truffles is that they’re really only two ingredients. Really good dark chocolate, and cream. You can’t really get much easier than that. They do take a while to set, though, so don’t make these ten minutes before your guests are scheduled to arrive. And, I wouldn’t recommend trying to make them at 8:30 pm when you get home from work, if, oh, say, you’ve promised your coworkers that you are bringing homemade truffles to your holiday party the next day. But, if you’re having a dinner party on Saturday night, you could easily make the ganache early in the day, and just roll the truffles right before the party starts.
Also, these truffles will support almost infinite variations. They could be flavored with some liqueur, lemon or orange zest, or made with white chocolate instead of dark for a lighter, creamy truffle. And spices! So many options, so little time.
For these, I rolled a third of the truffles in cocoa powder, a third in crushed peppermint candy, and a third in a mixture of cocoa, cinnamon and nutmeg. They all turned out delicious — the peppermint is my favorite, probably because I love love love peppermint. All three of the flavors are absolutely, 100%, utterly impossible to resist.
Chocolate Truffles
INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces good dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
2 tbsp cocoa powder
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small saucepan, heat the cream to a scald (small bubbles around the edges but not boiling).
2. Pour chocolate into a medium bowl. Add heated cream, cover, and let sit for five minutes.
3. Whisk cream and chocolate until smooth. If chocolate has not melted, heat over a double boiler until melted and smooth.
4. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, until truffle mixture is nearly solid.
5. Using a melon baller or your hands, form ganache into small balls. Place on wax paper on a cookie sheet.
6. Once balls are formed, refridgerate for 10 minutes.
7. Roll each truffle in cocoa powder until covered. Serve.
Makes about 36 truffles. Will keep for up to one month at room temperature.
21 responses so far ↓
1 Lewis // Dec 18, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Wow, that does look easy! When I read “Who knew these were easy” I was like “oh great another ‘easy’ recipe that is anything but…” and then I finished reading and wow, you’re right that is easy.
Definitely going to have to try these and let you know how it went!
2 Adele // Dec 18, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Delicious, handmade chocolate truffles for a holiday party? I hope your co-workers know how lucky they are.
3 Susan // Dec 18, 2007 at 7:21 pm
These look great, and wow so easy!
4 katy // Dec 18, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Lewis and Susan — SO easy! Sort of secretly easy, because they look as though they’re hard to make! Which is pretty much the best combination ever.
Adele — one of them told me today that my truffles “were the kind of thing where you wake up in the middle of the night wishing for another one!” I think that was actually the best cooking compliments I’ve ever gotten!
5 bee // Dec 18, 2007 at 8:57 pm
katy, i saw a gale gand recipe once wher she recommends creme fraiche or sour cream in lieu of cream. we’ve tried it with creme fraiche, and somehow they felt creamier and melted more easily in the mouth. your truffles look spectacular.
6 Susan from Food Blogga // Dec 19, 2007 at 8:10 am
Easy and decadent? Are you kidding me? You’re co-workers should build a shrine in your honor for these truffles, Katy. Thanks for submitting them to Eat Christmas Cookies. Cheers, Susan
7 Ellie // Dec 19, 2007 at 8:35 am
Gorgeous work hon! Alas, truffles are one of those things I’ve not yet tried, but are high up there on the ‘to do’ list. Pity its just too darn hot to handle anything that melty right now
8 Patricia Scarpin // Dec 19, 2007 at 11:36 am
your truffles are perfect, Katy. I’d love to grab a few!
9 katy // Dec 19, 2007 at 11:41 am
Susan — I think they really should have a shrine to me by now! I left the leftover truffles here overnight and we have been eating them for breakfast, isn’t that awful?!?
Ellie — Thanks!!! Yes, these would be a pain in hot weather — my hands were covered in chocolate from rolling them even in our freezing NYC winter!
Patricia — thanks!!!
10 katy // Dec 19, 2007 at 4:22 pm
bee — do you still bring the sour cream to a scald first? or maybe heat both over a double boiler? i am intrigued!!!
11 Deborah // Dec 20, 2007 at 1:31 pm
I love homemade truffles. I really hope I have some time to make some this year!
12 Katherine // Dec 20, 2007 at 2:34 pm
wow, these look amazing.
FYI, if you like peppermint a lot and you get sick of baking, I recommend Trader Joe’s peppermint version of oreos. Basically instead of the typical cream in the middle, they have a peppermint version with crushed up candy canes. They’re great! But I’m sure they’re like 4% as good as any off the desserts you’ve made.
13 Anali // Dec 20, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Hi Katy! Thanks for dropping by my blog.
I love truffles and these are gorgeous! : )
14 katy // Dec 20, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Katherine — oh YUM, I would love those! Whenever I go to Trader Joe’s, the lines always drive me nuts, but their lines are long because their food is so good! It’s such a catch-22.
Anali — Thanks!!!
15 Food History » Blog Archive » Carnival of the Recipes: 174 // Dec 23, 2007 at 5:19 pm
[...] presents Truffles posted at [...]
16 sunita // Jan 8, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Katy, those truffles are to die for…literally drooling here…thanks for the recipe
17 TBC // Jan 8, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Katy, I too made truffles recently. I did not find ‘em easy to make though! I tried balsamic chocolate truffles. They tasted divine. I want to try your peppermint candy ones when I make them next.
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21 Paul // Apr 6, 2008 at 2:22 am
Is Katy single?
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