The Christmas tree is gone, the decorations are all stored away for another 11 months and now it is back to reality and routines, right? Not so fast. Before you rush back into your daily to-do's, you must take a minute to make these chocolate truffles. No sharing with the kids, friends, or co-workers.
Yes, they would have made the perfect little hostess gift for all those holiday parties, but there is a reason why I waited until now to post this recipe. You have worked hard wrapping, shopping, hosting and cooking all holiday season and so you deserve these truffles. Trust me.
Before my daughter was born, I had a catering business here in Los Angeles and these truffles were my most requested dessert. I know that chocolate has a reputation for being difficult to work with. A ganache that's too runny, chocolate that won't harden properly and those unsightly white streaks!
All will be well if you know a few things beforehand. Melting your chocolate takes patience. No rushing. Always melt it in a separate bowl placed over a pan of gently steaming water. Never let the water get too hot or touch the bottom of your bowl. This will result in scorching the chocolate and a bitter unappealing taste. Also, use the very best chocolate that you can find. I like to use semi-sweet with a 61% cocoa content. This makes the truffles intensely flavored without too much sweetness. Most chocolate brands will be available in small wafers that melt quickly and evenly.
Though decadently rich and silky, these truffles are deceptively easy to make and require only a few basic kitchen tools. A double boiler, wisk, small 1 inch scoop (or your hands!) and a sheet pan are all you will need.
The rest is easy, a little messy and very delicious.
Chocolate Truffles
Ganache Centers
16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
16 oz. (2 cups) heavy cream
Chocolate coating
16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
Place 16 ounces of chocolate and equal parts cream in the top of a double boiler, make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water, and melt over low heat. As I mentioned earlier, I like semi-sweet chocolate for my truffles but if you prefer a darker chocolate, feel free to substitute that in place of the semi-sweet. Stir occasionally until the ganache mixture is melted and takes on a glossy sheen. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. The mixture will become thicker as it cools.
Removed cooled ganache from the refrigerator. Use your 1 inch scoop, or a spoon, to scoop out a 1 inch ball of the ganache. Here is the messy part. Lightly and quickly, use the palm of your hands to roll the ganache into balls. If you tend to have warmer hands, they will melt slightly. If you work quickly and try to handle them as little as possible they can be coaxed into taking on a round shape. It takes a few tries to get the hang if it. Once you have a tray rolled out, place it in the refrigerator to chill before the next step. Meanwhile prepare your coating.
Using the same method as above, melt 8 of the remaining 16 ounces of chocolate in the top of a double boiler on low heat. In order for the coating to harden and form a hard shell around your ganache you will need to temper the chocolate. I have a simple method for doing this but if you would like the more technical aspects of tempering David Leibovitz does a beautiful job explaining the chemistry behind it along with several good techniques to try.
Once your chocolate has melted, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 8 ounces of chocolate. Keep stirring. The additional chocolate will melt as your stir, cooling the chocolate and ensuring that it will be tempered.
When all the chocolate had melted it is just a matter of dipping each ganache center into the chocolate and allowing it to harden. If it is warm in the kitchen I like to place my truffles into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to help them along. After this, they can be stored in a cool place at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
I am a purist when it comes to my chocolate but you may like to experiment by adding flavors to your ganache. Hazelnut (Frangelico), coffee (Kahlua), raspberry (Chambord) or cherry (Kirsch) are all good options. If you master the truffle technique and want to experiment, consider skipping the tempered coating and rolling your ganache centers directly in a dark cocoa powder...an equally decadent treat.
