Harold Mcgees Chocolate Cheese Truffles Recipes

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place cream and butter in pot and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in melted dark chocolate. Mix with a beater until smooth. Add vanilla and mix again until smooth. Refrigerate until the mixture has become solid enough to scoop, at least 4 hours. Scoop out small balls and roll in cocoa powder. Place in candy cups to serve. Keep refrigerated.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Combine the chocolate and the cream in a heavy saucepan and place over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted.
• Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the liqueur, if desired. Refrigerate until the mixture is firm, 2 hours or longer.
• Spread a sheet of waxed paper on a baking sheet. With a spoon or spoons, scoop mounds of the mixture about 1/2 inch to 1 inch in diameter, then use your fingertips to form balls quickly. If the mixture becomes too soft, chill briefly before making more truffles. Place them on the paper. Refrigerate overnight.
• If using a chocolate coating, break the half-pound of chocolate in pieces and melt them in the top of a double boiler or in a microwave oven. Remove the melted chocolate from the heat or the oven and allow to cool to tepid, 90 to 100 degrees, stirring it from time to time.
• Spread the cocoa powder onto a chilled platter.
• Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and, if using the chocolate coating, drop them one at a time into the melted chocolate and quickly lift them out with a fork or a professional dipping loop, allowing excess chocolate to drip off. Roll the coated truffles in the cocoa, return them to the baking sheet lined with waxed paper and refrigerate again until firm. If not using the chocolate coating, roll the balls in cocoa and refrigerate again until firm.

GOAT CHEESE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt the chocolate, stirring until it is smooth, remove the bowl from the pan, and let the chocolate cool slightly. In a bowl whisk together the goat cheese, the confectioners' sugar, the vanilla, and the lemon extract until the mixture is light and fluffy, whisk in the chocolate until the mixture is combined well, and chill the mixture, covered, for 1 hour, or until it is firm. Form heaping teaspoons of the mixture into balls and roll the balls in the cocoa powder. Chill the truffles on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper for 30 minutes, or until they are firm. The truffles keep in an airtight container, chilled, for 3 days.

CHEESECAKE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• Combine cream cheese, sugar, and almond extract in a bowl and whip using an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 hour; refrigerate for at least 3 hours more.
• Scoop cheesecake into small balls using a melon baller or a tablespoon-sized scoop. Place on a wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Freeze cheesecake balls, 8 hours to overnight.
• Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Stir in shortening until consistency is smooth and easy to work with.
• Dip each cheesecake ball into chocolate to coat; replace on the cookie sheet. Garnish with sliced almonds while chocolate is still warm.
• Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE GOAT CHEESE TRUFFLES B-S

Steps:

• In the top of a double boiler, or in a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water (make sure the water does not touch the bowl), melt the chocolate, stirring until it is smooth.
• Set the melted chocolate aside to cool for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• In a bowl whisk together the goat cheese, sugar, and vanilla until it is light and fluffy.
• Whisk in the melted chocolate until it is well combined.
• Chill, covered, until it is firm, at least 1 hour.
• To form the truffles, take a heaping teaspoon of the chocolate/cheese mixture and lightly roll it into a ball with your hands.
• Roll the finished truffles in the sifted cocoa powder, set them onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper, and chill until they are firm, about 30 minutes.
• The truffles can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• To make crust: Melt butter in saucepan and then add cookie crumbs. Blend thoroughly; mixture will seem dry. Pat into a greased 9- or 10-inch springform pan and ½ inch up the side.
• To make filling: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until fairly smooth and well blended. Add melted chocolate and liqueur; mix well. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until just blended.
• Pour filling into crust, then "chop" batter with a knife or spoon to remove air bubbles. Place a larger pan filled with hot water on lower rack of oven and set cheesecake on rack above it in center of the oven. Bake 1 hour or until center is almost set. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
• Remove side of pan and chill 3 to 4 hours before serving. For easier slicing, cut with a knife that has been rinsed in warm water. Dental floss also works like a dream for cutting slices in advance.