Chef notes
Besides the fact that I'm a chocoholic, I find it so impressive (not to mention simple) to make homemade truffles! I follow this basic recipe and dress them up with all sorts of creative toppings. They make the perfect edible gifts for the holidays.
Kitchen equipment required: A melon baller or 1-inch scoop will make uniform truffles.
Technique tip: Rolling the truffles can get messy, but it helps to coat your hands in cocoa powder.
Swap option: This is a basic recipe, but you can have fun by adding things like rum or peppermint extract to the chocolate and cream for different flavored truffles.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional toppings: cocoa powder, crushed candy canes, finely chopped nuts, melted dark or white chocolate, sanding sugar
Preparation
1.Place chocolate in a medium-sized bowl.
2.Pour cream into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil, scraping down sides with a spoon and stirring a few times.
3.Immediately pour cream over chocolate and set aside for 5 minutes.
4.Add vanilla and using a whisk, stir chocolate until mixture is smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until chocolate is set.
5.Using a melon baller or teaspoon, scoop chocolate and quickly roll into a ball between palms (this will be messy, but it helps to coat your hands with cocoa powder).
6.Place balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for another hour.
7.Remove from fridge and roll truffles into optional toppings (if using melted chocolate, let sit on counter or fridge until chocolate sets).
