Chocolate Fruit Truffles Recipes

CHOCOLATE AND FRUIT TRIFLE

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter according to package directions; pour into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Crumble enough cake to measure 8 cups; set aside. (Save remaining cake for another use.) , In a large bowl, whisk the milk, water and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in the whipped cream. , To assemble, spread 2-1/2 cups pudding mixture in a 4-qt. glass bowl. Top with half the crumbled cake; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon orange juice. Arrange half the berries and kiwi over cake. , Repeat pudding and cake layers; sprinkle with remaining orange juice. Top with remaining pudding mixture. Spoon remaining fruit around edge of bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

KIDS CAN MAKE: FRUIT-AND-NUT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Special equipment: food-safe gloves
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet, and bake until brown and toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely, then very finely chop.
• Put the chocolate, vanilla, orange zest and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until very hot and steaming; pour over the chocolate, then let sit for 10 minutes. Stir until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. (If all the chocolate has not melted, microwave the mixture in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until smooth.) Add the pecans, apricots and prunes, and stir to combine.
• Transfer the chocolate-fruit mixture to a large baking dish, and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the mixture has hardened but is still soft enough to scoop, about 3 hours. (The mixture can be made up to 2 days in advance; let soften at room temperature until scoopable, about 30 minutes.)
• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Scoop heaping teaspoonfuls of truffle mixture, and place them on the prepared sheet. Once all the mixture has been divided up, roll the mounds into smooth, round balls. (Using food-safe gloves for this helps keep it from getting too messy.) Roll each ball into sanding sugar right before serving or wrapping. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE FRUIT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Crumble fruitcake into a bowl.
• Melt chocolate, butter and cream in a double boiler.
• Pour chocolate mixture over crumbled fruitcake, add rum or brandy and mix well.
• Refrigerate until firm.
• Roll heaped teaspoons of mixture into balls, roll in cocoa, nuts or coconut.
• Place truffles into confectionery cases.

WHITE CHOCOLATE PASSION FRUIT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place 1 pound of the chocolate in a 2-quart mixing bowl. In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream into the bowl with the chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 1 minute, then stir together with a rubber spatula, whisk, or immersion blender until thoroughly blended. Add the passion fruit purée and stir to blend well. Cover the truffle cream, let cool to room temperature, and chill in the refrigerator until thick but not stiff (3 to 4 hours). Or let the truffle cream sit at room temperature for several hours or overnight until completely set and thick.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Fit a 12-inch pastry bag with a large, plain round pastry tip with a 3/4-inch opening and fill partway with the truffle cream. Holding the pastry bag 1 inch above the paper, pipe out mounds 1 inch in diameter. Or use a small ice cream scoop to form the mounds. Cover the mounds with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 2 hours or in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
• Dust your hands with confectioners' sugar and roll the mounds into balls. These will be the truffle centers. Cover and chill the centers for another 2 hours in the freezer.
• Remove the truffle centers from the freezer and bring to cool-room temperature so the outer coating won't crack when they are dipped. Line 2 more baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Melt and temper the remaining 1 1/2 pounds chocolate (see pages 25-30). Place a truffle center into the tempered chocolate, coating it completely. With a dipper or fork, remove the center from the chocolate, carefully shake off the excess chocolate, and turn the truffle out onto the paper. After dipping the truffles, place 2 tablespoons of the tempered white chocolate in a paper pastry cone and snip off a tiny opening at the pointed end. Pipe the letter P on top of each truffle.
• Let the truffles set up at room temperature, or chill them in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. When the truffles are set, place them in paper candy cups. In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the truffles will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. The truffles are best served at room temperature.
• VARIATION
• Instead of dipping the truffle centers in chocolate, roll them in a small bowl of confectioners' sugars as soon as they are formed.

FRUIT PRESERVE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Line a 13-by-9 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap; set aside.
• In a heatproof bowl, set over (but not touching) simmering water, melt 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate and milk chocolate together until it reaches 120 degrees.
• Place cream and vanilla seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat; heat until cream just comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Let cream mixture cool until reaches 120 degrees. Stir in fruit preserves.
• Remove chocolate mixture from heat and add to cream mixture. Using a heatproof spatula, mix together, starting from the center of the saucepan and working your way to the outer edges until mixture is emulsified. Add butter and mix with an immersion blender until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking sheet, evenly spreading mixture with an offset spatula; cover with plastic wrap, pressing down gently on chocolate mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.
• Line the back of another 13-by-9 1/2-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Uncover chocolate and invert onto parchment paper; remove second piece of plastic wrap. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, and a steel ruler as a guide, cut chocolate into 1-inch squares.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Roll each square of chocolate between your hands to form a smooth ball. Transfer chocolate balls to baking sheet; refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Melt remaining 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over (but not touching) simmering water. Place cocoa powder in a shallow dish. Place some of the melted chocolate in the palm of your hand and roll a chocolate ball in the melted chocolate to coat, then roll in cocoa powder. Repeat process with remaining chocolate balls. Transfer truffles to an airtight container, stacking truffles no more than 2 to 3 inches high, and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Bring truffles to room temperature just before serving.

WHITE CHOCOLATE FRUIT AND NUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan bring the dates, cranberries, orange juice, zest, ground spices and honey to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Finely chop the walnuts and combine with coconut. With damp hands combine the fruit puree with the processed nuts. Form mixture into 3/4 inch balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Allow to cool completely.
• When the fruit balls are cooled, place 2/3 of the white baking chips into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir and microwave at 30 second increments until melted when stirred. Stir in remaining chips and stir until melted and shiny.
• Dip the fruit and nut balls into the white baking chips and return to parchment lined cookie sheets. Allow to set. Should the melted chips cool during dipping, return to microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.
• When completely set, store covered for 3 to 4 days.
• Please note that standing time is not reflected in either the prep time or cooking time.