Delicious and creamy, simple chocolate truffles – a little heavenly bite – can be the end of a perfect meal, a tasteful gift for a friend, a secret trove of indulgence. Fine chocolatiers make and sell truffles, sometimes at exorbitant prices. They’re often enrobed in tempered chocolate, but they’re also very, very good rolled in simple unfussy coatings.
We are definitely chocoholics at our house, and we love chocolate truffles. If you’ve never made truffles at home, don’t worry: they’re a lot quicker to make than you might think! They’re actually very easy to make. All you need is very hot cream, good quality chocolate, some flavorings, something to roll them in, and a little bit of time.
Did I say easy? I did. Have fun!
a note on ingredients
If you find a high quality chocolate chip, they work extremely well, and cut out the chopping step. I like Ghiradelli bittersweet 60% chocolate chips and luckily my local grocery store carries them.
flavor variations
Truffles may be flavored with various liquors: rum, brandy, Kirsch, various fruit cordials or brandies. I make a raspberry cordial that’s perfect in a truffle, and can coat the outsides with finely crushed freeze-dried raspberries. Other interesting outer coatings to consider:
- finely shredded coconut (try this with rum in the truffle!)
- crushed peppermint candies
- crushed salted peanuts or cashews
- grated white chocolate
- fine espresso powder
- crushed and powdered freeze-dried fruit
Simple Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients
- ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream 4 oz, 120 ml
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 60-65% cacao advised 227 g
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 5 ml
- 1 Tbsp amaretto, rum, or other liquor (instead of vanilla) 15 ml
- cocoa powder for coating the truffles
- alternatives: coconut, finely chopped nuts, rainbow sprinkles, crushed peppermint candies
Instructions
MAKE THE GANACHE
- First, chop the chocolate into even small pieces. If you can find a high-quality chocolate chip, they work extremely well! Put the chocolate pieces in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it just barely begins to boil. Remove the pan from the heat, and pour it over the chocolate. Add the liquor or vanilla extract now, also. Let it stand a minute or two – wait until most of the chocolate is melted.
- Beat the resulting mixture so that it is thoroughly combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl often. It should be glossy and smooth.
- Leave the mixture in a cool spot for at least 4 hours – and ideally, overnight – to let it set.
FORM THE TRUFFLES
- Once the ganache has set firmly, scoop out small balls with a melon baller or spoon. Roll each one very briefly in the palms of your very clean hands, and put each truffle on a sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Chill the truffles in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes, while you assemble and prepare whatever you’ll roll them in.
- Roll the truffles in cocoa powder – Dutch-processed cocoa powder is not as bitter, so I recommend it here. Consider also crushed peppermints, tiny nonpareils, shredded coconut, finely chopped nuts, or even rainbow sprinkles.
- Store the truffles at room temperature for up to a week, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. They’ll taste best at room temperature.