EASY TRUFFLES
What chocolate lover wouldn’t be thrilled with rich, decadent truffles for Valentine’s Day? Instead of heading to the nearest chocolate shop, pick up a few items from the market and make these simple homemade truffles with your own two hands!
yield: about 30 truffles
prep time: 10 minutes
chill time: 2 hours
total time: 2 hours 10 minutes
12 ounces chocolate, chopped (semisweet or bittersweet)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 Tbsp liqueur, optional (see step #5)
1. In a double boiler over barely simmering water, combine chocolate, butter and heavy cream. Heat until chocolate is melted. Stir until you have a smooth mixture.
2. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.
3. Pour into a shallow casserole dish and cool to room temperature.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours. If you refrigerate longer than two hours, the mixture will be too hard to work with. If this occurs, allow the mixture to sit at room temperature until they are pliable enough to work with.
5. If you are infusing truffles with spirits of any sort be sure to let the chocolate cool enough, so the heat does not burn off the alcohol. A good measure of readiness is to place a small dab of chocolate on your lips, if it’s warm and not hot the truffle mixture is ready to be infused.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a small scoop (2 tsp) or a melon baller, scoop out chocolate mixture, roll into one inch balls, and place on prepared baking sheet.
7. Continue with remaining chocolate mixture.
8. Roll balls in your desired coating, I typically use high quality sweetened cocoa powder such as Scharffen Berger.
9. Refrigerate truffles until ready to serve.
What chocolate lover wouldn’t be thrilled with rich, decadent truffles for Valentine’s Day? Instead of heading to the nearest chocolate shop, pick up a few items from the market and make these simple homemade truffles with your own two hands!
yield: about 30 truffles
prep time: 10 minutes
chill time: 2 hours
total time: 2 hours 10 minutes
12 ounces chocolate, chopped (semisweet or bittersweet)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 Tbsp liqueur, optional (see step #5)
1. In a double boiler over barely simmering water, combine chocolate, butter and heavy cream. Heat until chocolate is melted. Stir until you have a smooth mixture.
2. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.
3. Pour into a shallow casserole dish and cool to room temperature.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours. If you refrigerate longer than two hours, the mixture will be too hard to work with. If this occurs, allow the mixture to sit at room temperature until they are pliable enough to work with.
5. If you are infusing truffles with spirits of any sort be sure to let the chocolate cool enough, so the heat does not burn off the alcohol. A good measure of readiness is to place a small dab of chocolate on your lips, if it’s warm and not hot the truffle mixture is ready to be infused.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a small scoop (2 tsp) or a melon baller, scoop out chocolate mixture, roll into one inch balls, and place on prepared baking sheet.
7. Continue with remaining chocolate mixture.
8. Roll balls in your desired coating, I typically use high quality sweetened cocoa powder such as Scharffen Berger.
9. Refrigerate truffles until ready to serve.
