Impress your loved ones with these melt-in-your-mouth chocolate truffles.
The fastest way to a woman’s heart is with chocolate. Actually, it works on me, too. And even though working with chocolate is tricky, nothing could be simpler to make than chocolate truffles. Just like the ones they serve at the fancy restaurants. Sooooo simple to make with this how to recipe and sooooo seductive.
They’re called truffles because they look somewhat like the rare and expensive fungus of the same name found in Italy and France. Rolling them in cocoa powder is supposed to resemble the dirt on the mushroom when it is dug up. Bit of a stretch if you ask me. But they are fairly easy to make so I don’t care what they call them.
The first step in this easy recipe is to read The Science of Chocolate which explains how to handle chocolate. The basic recipe starts with making a chocolate ganache, which sounds intimidating, but it is simply chocolate and cream. You can also use ganache as a cake icing, just use equal amounts of cream and chocolate and add about 10% unsalted butter. When it is warm pour it over the cake and let it run down the sides.
Of course you could just skip the whole thing and order some fabulous Valentine’s Day truffles from my favorite chocolatier, Jacques Torres at Jacques Torres Chocolat in New York City.
Easy Homemade Chocolate Truffles Recipe
Makes:
Takes:
Ingredients
- 8 ounces high quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
- 4 ounces heavy cream or whipping cream (1/2 cup)
- 1 tablespoon seedless black raspberry jam
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
These recipes were created in US Customary measurements and the conversion to metric is being done by calculations. They should be accurate, but it is possible there could be an error. If you find one, please let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page
Method
- Prep. Chop or shave the chocolate into bits smaller than a pea. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl at least 2 cup (473.2 ml) capacity.
- Cook. Heat the cream in a saucepan over a medium heat until it starts to make small bubbles in the center, but do not boil.
- Add the hot cream to the chocolate and stir steadily with a fork or whisk until the chocolate has melted completely and there are no streaks. Just after adding the cream, add the raspberry jam. If it doesn't smooth out, microwave the mix on medium for about 20 seconds, then stir until smooth. If needed nuke it again. If you don't have a microwave, you can set the mixing bowl in a pan of hot tap water but do not boil the water. Or you could sit the bowl on top of a small saucepan with about an inch of water at a very low simmer. Be very careful to not get any water in the chocolate. That can lead to disaster. Stir steadily. That's your ganache. If you are adding mix-ins, add them after the hot cream. Or divide the ganache into several bowls and flavor each differently.
- Cool. Refrigerate until firm throughout, at least 3 hours.
- Prep again. Scoop out about a teaspoon and roll in your very clean dry hands until it is roundish and bite size, about the size of a maraschino cherry. The chocolate will melt quickly, so have your lover lick your hands when you are done. Make all the balls before you start coating them and place them on a tray so they are not touching.
- Put the cocoa in a shallow bowl. Roll each ball in the coating. Tap off excess so it doesn't get all over your shirt when you eat it. They will keep well in the fridge if covered but this probably won't be necessary.
- Serve. When ready to serve, grab one while you can as they will go fast.
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