The Trouble with Truffles

I'll be teaching Truffles this week at a ladies retreat in Jasper Alberta, but Truffles are so good that I thought I'd post the recipe for you to make your own for Christmas, or Thankgiving or for dessert tonight. Enjoy. By the way there is no trouble with truffles, just a play on words from Star Trek.

Basic Truffles

1/3 cup 35% cream
1 tsp vanilla
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder


In a medium saucepan heat the cream and vanilla to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted. Chill completely. Scoop into small balls. Combine the confectioners' sugar with the cocoa powder. Roll the chocolates in the the sugar, chill until serving.

Yields 3 dozen

Chocolate Amaretto Truffles

4 ounces semi sweet chocolate
1 tbsp amaretto liqueur
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted almonds

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Add the liqueur and the butter, stir gently until butter is melted, chill for at least 2 hours. Scoop into small balls and roll in the chopped almonds. Refrigerate until serving.

Yields 18 truffles


Oh My Truffles

1 bottle Asti Supmanti wine
1/3 cup 35% cream
1 tsp vanilla
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder


In a medium saucepan heat the wine and reduce to 1/4 add the cream and vanilla bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted. Chill completely. Scoop into small balls. Combine the confectioners' sugar with the cocoa powder. Roll the chocolates in the the sugar, chill until serving.

Yields 3 dozen

Smiles and Kisses

1/3 cup 35% cream
1 tsp vanilla
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup rice krispies
1/4 cup sun dried blueberries
1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder


In a medium saucepan heat the cream and vanilla to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted. Stir in the krispies, blueberries and coconut. Chill for one hour and stir. Chill completely. Scoop into small balls. Combine the confectioners' sugar with the cocoa powder. Roll the chocolates in the the sugar, chill until serving.

Yields 3 dozen

Tea Truffles

2/3 cup 35% cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp tea leaves
6 oz semi sweet chocolate
1 cup cocoa powder

Bring the cream and butter to a boil, add the tea leaves and steep for 5 minutes. Pour the cream through a fine mesh strainer into the chocolate and stir until the chocolate has melted. Chill for at least 2 hours and scoop into small balls. Roll in the cocoa powder. Chill until service.

Yields 2 dozen

Double Dip Mint Truffles

3/4 cup 35% cream
8 oz semi sweet chocolate
2 tbsp creme de menthe liqueur

1 lb dark sweet chocolate
2 tbsp shortening

Heat the cream in a sauce pan until boiling, remove from heat and add the semi sweet chocolate and liqueur, stir until completely melted then chill for at least 2 hours. Scoop into small balls.

In double boiler heat the dark chocolate and shortening. Using a toothpick skewer the truffles and dip then one at a time into the melted chocolate. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to harden. Serve.

Yields, 24

Enough To Make You Blush Truffles

1/3 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup 35% cream
12 oz milk chocolate chips
1 tbsp Chambord (raspberry liqueur)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Press the raspberries through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds into a sauce pan. Add the cream and to a boil, remove from heat. Stir in the chocolate stirring until the chocolate melts. Add the liqueur and chill. Scoop into small balls and roll in the cocoa powder.

Yields 2 dozen


Ebony & Ivory Truffles

7-1/2 oz of white chocolate
8 oz dark sweet chocolate
3/4 cup 35% cream
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Place the chocolates in separate small mixing bowls. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan until boiling, remove from heat. Pour 1/4 cup of the hot cream into the white chocolate and the remaining cream into the dark chocolate. Stir both until smooth and then chill.

Scoop equal amounts of small balls from the chilled chocolate. Press together a white ball with a dark one and gently roll together. Roll through the cocoa powder and serve.

Yields 3 dozen.


WOW Truffles

1 cup 35% cream
8 oz. dark chocolate
19 oz white chocolate, 3 oz chopped
3 oz macadamia nuts
2 tbsp shortening
1 cup chocolate sprinkles

Heat the cream in a sauce pan to boiling, remove from heat and stir in the dark chocolate. Cool to room temperature, fold in the chopped white chocolate and the nuts. Chill throughly. From into even size balls, and refrigerate for an additional 3 hours.

Melt the remaining white chocolate in a double boiler with the shortening. Skewer the balls with a toothpick and and dip into the melted chocolate. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow to set for 30 minutes then roll in the chocolate sprinkles. Refrigerate until serving.

Yields 2 dozen

Hazel's Kisses

1-1/4 cup hazelnuts (filberts)
1/3 cup 35% cream
24 oz. white chocolate
1/4 cup dried apricots finely minced

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).

Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Rub the nuts in a terry cloth towel to remove the skins. Then finely chop in a food processor.

Heat the cream in a saucepan until boiling, remove from heat. Stir in the chocolate and stir until chocolate is just melted. Fold in a 1/4 cup of the nuts and the chopped apricots. Chill until set. Scoop into small balls. Roll in the remaining nuts and chill until serving.

Yields 2 dozen

Gypsy's Jewels

2 cups 35% cream
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1-1/3 lbs dark chocolate
2 tsp Goldschlager (cinnamon liqueur with gold flecks)

Coating
1 lb. dark chocolate
2 tbsp shortening
edible gold leaf for decorating

Heat the cream, sugar and butter slowly to a boil remove from the heat. Stir in the chocolate and liqueur, stirring until the chocolate has completely melted. Chill until hard. Scoop into small balls. Chill.

Coating:
Heat the dark chocolate with the shortening in a double boiler. Skewer the chocolate balls with toothpicks and dip into the melted chocolate. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Decorate with the gold leaf.

Yields 3 dozen

Dreamy Coffee Truffles

12 oz dark chocolate
4 oz softened cream cheese
1 tbsp instant coffee
1 tsp hot water
8 oz milk chocolate
2 tbsp shortening
2 oz white chocolate

In a double boiler combine the dark chocolate and cream cheese and heat until melted and very smooth.

Combine the instant coffee with the hot water and stir into the chocolate. Chill until set firm.

Scoop into equal size balls.

Melt the milk chocolate and the shortening in a double boiler and allow to cool to room temperature. Skewer each ball with a toothpick and dip into the melted chocolate. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler and drizzle over the the chilled chocolate truffles for garnish.

Yields 2 dozen.

They'll Bite You Back Truffles

1/3 cup 35% cream
1 tsp Mexican vanilla
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder


In a medium saucepan heat the cream and vanilla and pepper to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted. Chill completely. Scoop into small balls. Combine the confectioners' sugar with the cocoa powder. Roll the chocolates in the the sugar, chill until serving.

Yields 3 dozen

Slipped In Greece Truffles

1/2 cup 35% cream
8 whole star anise pods, crushed
8 oz sweetened bittersweet chocolate
1 tbsp Ouzo
1-1/2 cups cocoa powder

Heat the cream and the star anise in a sauce pan to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Stir in the liqueur return to the stove and bring back to a boil. Remove from the heat, stir in the chocolate and continue stirring until smooth. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Scoop into even size balls, and roll in the cocoa powder, serve.

Yields 2 dozen

Don't Get Bogged Down Truffles

1/2 cup 35% cream
9 oz 40% cocoa milk chocolate (Valhrona)
2 oz unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1 cup dried cranberries

Coating
9 oz 40% cocoa milk chocolate (Valhrona)
1/2 dried cranberries

Heat the cream in a sauce pan until boiling, remove from heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients and chill for at least 4 hours. Scoop out even size balls.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Heat the coating chocolate over simmering water in a double boiler. Place each coated truffle on the cookie sheet and sprinkle with crasins.

Yields 2 dozen