Classic Chocolate Truffle Recipes

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• In a medium-sized pan, combine semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream over low heat, mix until you achieve a smooth consistency.
• Pour mixture into a bread pan.
• Allow to sit in refrigerator for 1 hour or until mixture is solid.
• With an ice cream scoop, form balls from the mixture (refreeze if truffle begins to melt).
• Roll in cocoa powder for topping.
• Enjoy!

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Using a serrated knife or the heel of a chef's knife, chop 12 oz. of the chocolate for the ganache by shaving shards from the bar and then cross-cutting, to get chips now bigger than peanuts. Transfer to a small stainless-steel bowl. Chop the remaining 2 lb. chocolate the same way, and set aside to use for dipping. Chop the chocolate.
• Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just comes to a boil and pour it over the chopped ganache chocolate. Using a wooden spoon, stir quickly in small circles in the center of the bowl. The chocolate center will become a viscous, shiny emulsion. Add the cream.
• Gradually stir in larger circles, bringing in more chocolate from the sides. Keep enlarging the shiny center until all the chocolate has been incorporated. If the emulsion cools before all the chocolate has melted, briefly flash the bowl over a pan of hot (not simmering) water for a few seconds, being careful not to overheat the ganache and lose the emulsion. When there are no more lumps, continue stirring for one more minute; don't overmix. Set the ganache aside to cool. Stir until all the chocolate has been incorporated into the mixture.
• Meanwhile, in another bowl, beat the butter with a wooden spoon until it's very soft, smooth, and creamy. When the ganache has cooled to room temperature and thickened noticeably, add the butter, in small pieces a few at a time. The butter should blend without melting. Stir until no butter bits remain. Gradually pour in the liquer, stirring constantly to maintain the smooth emulsion. Add the butter.
• If you want to pipe the truffles immediately, chill the ganache in the refrigerator until it's cool but not firm, 10 to 15 minutes. Otherwise, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it isit at room temperature until ready, up to one day. When you're ready to pipe, the ganache should be as smooth and as soft as peanut butter (but not as sticky).
• Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a 1/2-inch tip, one third of the way with the ganache. Holding the bag vertically, pipe the ganache onto parchment-lined baking sheets, aiming for 1-inch drops. Refrigerate the truffle centers until quite firm, about 1 hour. Pipe the ganache onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Shape each truffle center into a smooth ball by rolling it between your palms. Your palms will be covered in chocolate after rolling a few truffles. If you sense that the truffles are melting too much as you roll, dip you hands in ice water, dry them well, and then continue rolling. (To smooth the truffles even more, refrigerate them for 30 minutes and then roll them a second time.) Refrigerate the shaped truffles on the baking sheet for 1 hour, or until ready to dip. Shape the truffles.
• Set two parchment-lined baking sheets on a long work surface, leaving enough space to one side for the melted chocolate and the truffle centers, in that order. If you're rolling the truffles in cocoa powder, sift it into a shallow dish and set it to one side of the work area.
• If you're tempering the dipping chocolate, chop about one-quarter of it into even finer pieces. Set these aside in a bowl separate from the rest of the dipping chocolate. In a medium saucepan, simmer about an inch of water. Transfer the 2 pounds (or 1-1/2 pounds, if you're tempering) of chopped dipping chocolate to a stainless-steel or Pyrex bowl that's large enough to rest over-not in-the water.
• Remove the pan of water from the heat and set the bowl of chopped chocolate over it. Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is completely melted. If you're not tempering, set the bowl on the work surface, and skip ahead to the section on dipping the truffles below.
• If you're tempering the chocolate, continue heating it over the pan of hot water until a chocolate thermometer registers between 120° and 125° F. Remove the bowl from the saucepan, dry the bottom, and cool the chocolate to 86° F by adding the reserved finely chopped chocolate, 2 Tbs. at a time, stirring after each addition until the pieces melt. Heat the chocolate.
• When the temperature reaches 86° F and the pieces no longer melt (you might not use all the finely chopped chocolate), very gently raise the temperature to between 88° and 91° F by flashing the bowl over the pan of hot water for 10 seconds at a time, drying the bottom of the bowl every time.
• To test if the chocolate is in temper, spread a bit on a swatch of parchment and let it cool for a few minutes. The chocolate is in temper if it sets quickly. If the chocolate has white streaks and is tacky to the touch, it is not in temper; start the process again by heating the chocolate to 120°F.
• Keep the chocolate in temper while dipping by holding it between 88° and 91° F. To monitor the temperature, tape the thermometer to the bowl (the bulb shouldn't touch the bowl). If the temperature in the center of the bowl drops to 89° F, flash the bowl over the hot water in 10-second increments until the temperature hits 90° F.
• Remove about one-quarter of the truffle centers from the fridge; set them on the work surface. Immerse one in the chocolate and spin it around with a fork to cover completely. Lift it out on the fork tines. Tap the fork on the sides of the bowl several times so the excess chocolate drips off and a thin chocolate shell forms around the truffle. You may have to tap 20 times or more. Dip the truffles.
• Gently set the dipped truffles on the lined baking sheets, using a knife to nudge the truffle off the fork without scraping off any coating. When the utensils are sticky with chocolate, switch to clean ones to avoid scarring the shell. Continue with all the truffle centers. Set the dipped truffles onto the lined baking sheets.
• If you're rolling in cocoa, instead of setting the freshly dipped truffles on parchment, tip them into the dish of sifted cocoa. When the dish is full of truffles, snap it back and forth to coat the truffles, and then gently transfer them to another plate. Roll in cococa.

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a saucepan heat heavy cream, vanilla bean and salt and bring to a gentle boil. Meanwhile, in bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water melt chocolate, stirring often, until smooth. Remove chocolate from heat. Strain cream mixture through a fine sieve into chocolate. (Rinse vanilla beans, dry them and reserve for vanilla sugar or another use.) Replace bowl in electric mixer and whip chocolate ganache mixture until cool and light in color. Cover and chill.
• When ganache is firm, spoon up about 1 tablespoon. Place cocoa in a shallow plate and use to dust palms. Lightly and quickly roll chocolate mixture between palms to form irregularly-shaped balls. Dredge truffles in cocoa until well-coated. Set on a foil-lined baking sheet while you continue to make truffles with remaining ganache. Best when served within 24 hours, or store in a cool place up to 3 days.

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Add the chopped chocolate to a heat-safe mixing bowl.
• Place the cream in a saucepan and bring it to simmer over low-medium heat.
• Once warmed, pour the warmed cream over the chopped chocolate and stir in the espresso powder.
• Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to melt.
• Mix it well until the chocolate is melted and creamy.
• Add the vanilla extract and give it one final mix.
• Let the mixture cool to room temperature and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out one ball at a time, gently rolling it into a circle.
• Immediately roll in cocoa powder.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to fully set up before serving.

PERFECT CHOCOLATE 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, vanilla bean, and 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; remove vanilla bean and discard.
• 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.

GRAND MARNIER CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Chop the chocolates finely with a sharp knife.
• Place them in a heat-proof mixing bowl.
• Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just boils.
• Turn off the heat and allow the cream to sit for 20 seconds.
• Pour the cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with chocolate.
• With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted.
• Whisk in the Grand Marnier, if using, coffee, and vanilla.
• Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
• With 2 teaspoons, spoon round balls of the chocolate mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm.
• Roll each dollop of chocolate in your hands to roughly make a round ball.
• Roll in confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, or both.
• These will keep refrigerated for weeks, but serve at room temperature.