Chocolate Truffles
Serves: 6
Jacklyn McClure
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
61
Spice
50
Sweetness
53
Sourness
46
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.3
Difficulty
Ingredients:
Directions:
1
Heat the heavy cream in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan
2
Make sure that you have chopped the chocolate as finely as possible to allow it to melt quickly and easily
3
Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl
4
Make a ganache by pouring about half of the hot cream over the chocolate and letting it sit for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate
5
Then slowly whisk until smooth and homogenous
6
Do not add all of the hot cream to the cold chocolate at once; the shock of the temperature extremes would cause the fat in the chocolate to separate
7
As the chocolate melts, you will see some elasticity if there is no fat separation
8
This means the chocolate still has an emulsion; the fat molecules are still holding together
9
If the ganache separates, it loses its elasticity, collapses, and becomes very liquid
10
I use a hand-held immersion blender to ensure a smooth ganache and to keep the emulsion of the chocolate
11
Add the remaining cream gradually and mix until all of the hot cream is incorporated and the ganache is smooth and homogenous
12
If the ganache separates, it is very easy to fix
13
Simply add a small amount of cold cream and whisk well
14
This will bring the ganache back together
15
The ganache should be thick, shiny, and smooth
16
Add the desired flavoring and mix until fully incorporated
17
Pour the ganache onto a plastic wrap-covered baking sheet and spread evenly with a rubber spatula
18
Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for at least 4 hours at room temperature
19
I usually make the ganache at the end of the day and let it cool overnight
20
As it cools, it will thicken and set
21
When the ganache has cooled to the consistency of toothpaste, scrape it into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip
22
Do not stir the ganache when you do this
23
Incorporating air by stirring will cause the ganache to harden
24
Pipe 1-inch-diameter mounds spaced 1 inch apart on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet
25
To pipe the mounds, hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment as you begin to pipe
26
Once you have formed the mound, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the top of each mound
27
You can also use a spoon and drop small mounds of ganache onto the baking sheet
28
Let the truffles harden at room temperature for a couple of hours (or in the refrigerator for 15 minutes), until they are hard enough to roll with your hands
29
When I roll the truffles, I usually wear surgical gloves
30
The gloves are not mandatory but if you do not use them, be sure your hands are very clean
31
To roll the mound into a ball, place a truffle between both palms, squeeze slightly, and roll between your hands
32
The truffles will look nicer if they are as round as possible
33
When all the truffles are rolled into balls, they are ready to be coated
34
If they have become too soft, place them in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours until they are firm enough to dip
35
You can use either a dipping fork or your hands to dip the truffles in chocolate
36
To use the fork, drop the truffle into the bowl of tempered chocolate and then retrieve it with the dipping fork
37
Hold the fork over the bowl for several seconds to allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl
38
Gently scrape the bottom of the fork against the side of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate and roll the dipped truffle in the desired garnish
39
Place on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet
40
If you use your hands, dab some chocolate in the palm of one hand
41
Roll the truffle in that palm to completely coat it with chocolate
42
Place the enrobed truffle on the baking sheet
43
Repeat for the remaining truffles
44
This method is very quick but it can also be extremely messy
45
When all of the truffles have been coated once, repeat the enrobing procedure
46
This is necessary only when you enrobe the truffles by hand rather than with a fork
47
The truffles are usually more evenly coated when dipped with a fork
48
As soon as each truffle gets a second coating, immediately roll it in the desired garnish
49
You need to do this before the chocolate sets or the topping will not adhere
50
At this stage, it is good to have a friend help because it is hard to dip and roll at the same time
51
Place the truffles on a clean parchment paper-covered baking sheet and allow them to set, about 5 minutes
52
The truffles will keep for up to 2 weeks at room temperature, when stored in an airtight container
53
To toast coconut: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C)
54
Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 3 minutes
55
Remove from the oven and stir to keep the sugar in the coconut from burning
56
Return to the oven and toast until golden brown, about 3 more minutes
57
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and cool on a wire rack
58
To toast nuts: Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C)
59
Spread the nuts evenly on a baking sheet and place in the oven
60
Toast for about 30 minutes, until they are golden brown
61
You will be able to smell the nuts when they are ready
62
A good test is to break a nut in half and check to see if it is light brown on the inside
63
Toasting nuts brings out their natural flavor
64
Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack
65
Heat the heavy cream in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan
66
Make sure that you have chopped the chocolate as finely as possible to allow it to melt quickly and easily
67
Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl
68
Make a ganache by pouring about half of the hot cream over the chocolate and letting it sit for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate
69
Then slowly whisk until smooth and homogenous
70
Do not add all of the hot cream to the cold chocolate at once; the shock of the temperature extremes would cause the fat in the chocolate to separate
71
As the chocolate melts, you will see some elasticity if there is no fat separation
72
This means the chocolate still has an emulsion; the fat molecules are still holding together
73
If the ganache separates, it loses its elasticity, collapses, and becomes very liquid
74
I use a hand-held immersion blender to ensure a smooth ganache and to keep the emulsion of the chocolate
75
Add the remaining cream gradually and mix until all of the hot cream is incorporated and the ganache is smooth and homogenous
76
If the ganache separates, it is very easy to fix
77
Simply add a small amount of cold cream and whisk well
78
This will bring the ganache back together
79
The ganache should be thick, shiny, and smooth
80
Add the desired flavoring and mix until fully incorporated
81
Pour the ganache onto a plastic wrap-covered baking sheet and spread evenly with a rubber spatula
82
Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for at least 4 hours at room temperature
83
I usually make the ganache at the end of the day and let it cool overnight
84
As it cools, it will thicken and set
85
When the ganache has cooled to the consistency of toothpaste, scrape it into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip
86
Do not stir the ganache when you do this
87
Incorporating air by stirring will cause the ganache to harden
88
Pipe 1-inch-diameter mounds spaced 1 inch apart on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet
89
To pipe the mounds, hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment as you begin to pipe
90
Once you have formed the mound, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the top of each mound
91
You can also use a spoon and drop small mounds of ganache onto the baking sheet
92
Let the truffles harden at room temperature for a couple of hours (or in the refrigerator for 15 minutes), until they are hard enough to roll with your hands
93
When I roll the truffles, I usually wear surgical gloves
94
The gloves are not mandatory but if you do not use them, be sure your hands are very clean
95
To roll the mound into a ball, place a truffle between both palms, squeeze slightly, and roll between your hands
96
The truffles will look nicer if they are as round as possible
97
When all the truffles are rolled into balls, they are ready to be coated
98
If they have become too soft, place them in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours until they are firm enough to dip
99
You can use either a dipping fork or your hands to dip the truffles in chocolate
100
To use the fork, drop the truffle into the bowl of tempered chocolate and then retrieve it with the dipping fork
101
Hold the fork over the bowl for several seconds to allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl
102
Gently scrape the bottom of the fork against the side of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate and roll the dipped truffle in the desired garnish
103
Place on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet
104
If you use your hands, dab some chocolate in the palm of one hand
105
Roll the truffle in that palm to completely coat it with chocolate
106
Place the enrobed truffle on the baking sheet
107
Repeat for the remaining truffles
108
This method is very quick but it can also be extremely messy
109
When all of the truffles have been coated once, repeat the enrobing procedure
110
This is necessary only when you enrobe the truffles by hand rather than with a fork
111
The truffles are usually more evenly coated when dipped with a fork
112
As soon as each truffle gets a second coating, immediately roll it in the desired garnish
113
You need to do this before the chocolate sets or the topping will not adhere
114
At this stage, it is good to have a friend help because it is hard to dip and roll at the same time
115
Place the truffles on a clean parchment paper-covered baking sheet and allow them to set, about 5 minutes
116
The truffles will keep for up to 2 weeks at room temperature, when stored in an airtight container
117
To toast coconut: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C)
118
Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 3 minutes
119
Remove from the oven and stir to keep the sugar in the coconut from burning
120
Return to the oven and toast until golden brown, about 3 more minutes
121
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and cool on a wire rack
122
To toast nuts: Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C)
123
Spread the nuts evenly on a baking sheet and place in the oven
124
Toast for about 30 minutes, until they are golden brown
125
You will be able to smell the nuts when they are ready
126
A good test is to break a nut in half and check to see if it is light brown on the inside
127
Toasting nuts brings out their natural flavor
128
Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack