It’s not too late for holiday candy making. If you’re like me, holiday plans and get-together seem to run well into January these days. Truffles would be the perfect thing to make for a New Year’s Eve party to share, or as a hostess gift! Below are two recipes I concocted for friends and family gifts this year. Chocolate Peppermint (which tasted like Frango Mints) and a Toasted Coconut Rum. You can be as creative as you’d like with truffles though by adding different extracts and coatings. Anything goes really!
Basic Truffle Recipe
11 ounces good quality chocolate (I used Ghiradelli’s 60%cocoa chocolate chips, this is just under two cups)
2/3 cup heavy cream (make sure you don’t use light cream or their won’t be enough fat content for the ganache to thicken properly)
various coatings (i.e. cocoa powder, chopped nuts, toasted coconut, colored sugar, crushed peppermint candies, candied ginger, etc.)
optional – 1 tsp flavored extract
Bring heavy cream to a boil in a small heavy saucepan. Pour the cream over the chocolate, then stir with a whisk (don’t beat or you’ll incorporate air), until the ganache is smooth. If this doesn’t quite melt the chocolate, you can put the bowl of chocolate and cream in the microwave and heat in 15 second intervals, stirring in between. This would be the time to add a flavored extract or alcohol if you desire.
Chill the ganache in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or until it holds it’s shape. When ready to form the truffles, I prefer using a small scoop or teaspoon. Roll the pieces of chocolate into a ball between your hands. If you plan on coating the truffles with cocoa powder or dipping them in chocolate, it’s a good idea to chill them again for a few minutes so they don’t lose their shape.
Toss the truffles in the coating of your choice. I use a fork to do this, again so you keep their in tact. If you want to coat your truffles in chocolate, you’ll need to temper the coating chocolate so that it hardens. You can find a good how-to on tempering here. If you are lazy, or over-commit yourself like I do and want a quick coating, just melt some of the Wilton chocolate melts to dip your truffles in!
Store in refrigerator.
Chocolate Peppermint Truffles
11 ounces good quality chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 bag Wilton chocolate melts, dark chocolate variety
Follow instructions in Basic Truffle recipe, but chill formed truffles for about 20 minutes longer before dipping in chocolate melts. Melt or temper chocolate, and use a fork to roll the formed truffle around before setting on a parchment lined baking sheet to cool. Store in refrigerator.
Toasted Coconut Rum Truffles
11 ounces good quality chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut, toasted
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp Malibu coconut rum (optional)
Follow instructions in Basic Truffle recipe, but roll in toasted coconut after truffles are formed. Store in refrigerator.
I apologize for the lack of pictures in this post, but my hands were full of chocolate during this WHOLE process and my husband wasn’t at home to be on camera duty! I will have to make again and post pictures later. 🙂
