Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate truffles feature on the list of most exquisite and popular of all chocolates. The traditional recipe of this chocolate confectionery has a center of chocolate ganache that is coated either in cocoa powder or chocolate. Chocolate truffles are usually curved, conical or spherical in shape. The ganache could also be replaced with other fillings such as cream, caramel, nuts, almonds, berries or some other sweet fruits (assorted), melted chocolate, fudge, mint, chocolate chips and liqueur. Depending on the coating you use, you could make truffles such as milk chocolate truffles, dark chocolate truffles, white chocolate truffles and French chocolate truffles. Some of the best chocolate truffles can be made at home by following some easy chocolate truffles recipes. You can also make bulk chocolate truffles and favors to give as gifts at Christmas, thanksgiving, and at weddings.

Many people want to learn “how to make chocolate truffles.” Here’s a simple chocolate truffle recipe that even a novice can make.

• Coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate (8 ounces)
• Unsweetened chocolate (4 ounces)
• Unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
• Sweet condensed milk (1 can)
• Flavoring of your choice
• Coating of your choice

Start by heating the milk, butter, and chocolates in a cooking pan until the butter and chocolates are half melted. Remove the pan from the heat and mix well till it completely melts.

Add in a little bit of flavoring and whisk till you have a creamy-smooth mixture. Put this mixture in a bowl and let it stand for about two hours or till it gets firm. With the help of a tablespoon, take about one level tablespoon at one time and mold balls out of the chocolate. Place these molded chocolate balls on a greased parchment paper lined cookie sheet. In a bowl, place the coating and drop the truffles one at a time in this bowl with the help of greased fingertips. Shake your bowl so that the chocolate truffle is well coated. Remove and place it back on the parchment. An airtight container can be used to refrigerate these truffles for up to five to six days or they can be frozen and used for up to a month.

Here’s another recipe to make chocolate truffles that is easy and turns out quite delicious. For this you would require:

• Chocolate chips (semi-sweet) – 3 cups
• Sweetened condensed milk can – 14 ounces
• Vanilla extract – 1 tablespoon

Take a large saucepan and melt the condensed milk and chocolate chips together. Take it off the heat and mix in the vanilla. Next put this mixture in a smaller bowl and cover. Chill this mixture till firm or for about two to three hours. Make one inch balls of the mixture and decorate them in a covering of your choice. Put them in an airtight container and refrigerate.

This chocolate truffle recipe has a filling of vanilla cream. For this recipe you need:

• Cream cheese – 8 ounces
• Powdered sugar – 3 cups
• Vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons
• Almond bark – 1 ½ cups
• Dark chocolate bark – 1 ½ cups

Take a mixing bowl and cream the powdered sugar and cream cheese together. Next add the vanilla extract and mix well. Roll cherry sized balls and keep in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Melt the chocolate bark and almond bark together and heat in a small saucepan. Mix this thoroughly and take off the flame. With the help of a fondue fork dip one at a time the cherry sized balls you had prepared earlier into the chocolate mix and gently place it on some waxed paper sheets. Keep in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Easy chocolate truffles can be made for kids using condensed milk and cream cheese. Here’s a chocolate truffle recipe which is very easy to make and your kids are just going to love. For this recipe you would require

• Roughly chopped plain chocolate – 8 ounces
• Chopped unsalted butter – 6 ounces
• Double cream – 4 tablespoons
• Icing sugar – 3 ounces
• Grounded almonds – 3 ounces
• Icing sugar, cocoa powder or colored vermicelli – for the coating
• Paper cases for your chocolate tru ffles favors

Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave, making sure you stir the mixture after every two minutes. Take off the heat and gently stir in the cream, followed by the sugar and almonds. Leave the covered bowl in the fridge for a couple of hours, and if time permits, keep it overnight. Make small balls of the mixture by rolling it in your hands. Next roll these balls in a coating of your choice, and chill in the refrigerator till they firm. As no preservatives are used, these chocolate truffles last for only a few days.

Here are some tips to help you make chocolate truffles.

• Chop the chocolate you are going to use into small pieces that are more or less of the same size. This will ensure that your chocolate melts evenly.
• The traditional double burner is the best way to melt your chocolate.
• You could invest in a melon baler to help you form the centers.
• Use cocoa powder to coat your hands or wear food gloves before you roll the centers. This will ensure that the heat from your hands will not melt the centers. Recoat your hands as and when necessary.
• If you are using cream, make sure that you heat it separately, and then add it to the melted chocolate. Stir in the cream gently and do not whisk it as it could add air to your mixture and this could cause your chocolate truffles to crumble.
• Use two forks or a truffle dipper to dip your truffles in the chocolate mix. Also make sure that you tap the fork or dipper handle lightly on the bowl’s edge so as to make sure that any excess chocolate is shaken off.
• Experiment and make your own chocolate truffle coverings. You could use ingredients such as drizzled white chocolate, toasted coconut, crushed nuts, white chocolate, crushed candy pieces, cocoa powder, drizzled dark chocolate and the like for coating your truffles.

Submitted on January 16, 2014