Chocolate truffles are always a perfect treat, and they’re especially appropriate for celebratory days, whether it’s a birthday, a holiday or Valentine’s Day. There are two ways to make them: the easy way and the time-consuming way. If you think I’m going for the latter, then you’re probably a first-time reader here.
This truffle is a delight that’s greater than the sum of its parts, for there are only three ingredients plus whatever you choose for enrobing, or coating them. In this case, enrobing is essential and is what makes this type easy and quick. With time-consuming truffles, the chocolate must be tempered first so the finished truffles boast chocolate that is and remains shiny and perfectly smooth. But when the truffle is covered with, say, cocoa powder, the chocolate — just a chilled ganache with butter – is hidden and tempering is no longer mandatory.
Because there are so few ingredients, you’ll want the best. That means perfectly-fresh butter and cream and an excellent chocolate, 60% cacoa or more. That doesn’t mean springing for Valrhona or Callebaut, but if you have them, they’re fabulous. In the supermarket, Ghirardelli, Lindt and the recent Hershey’s Natural are all available in 60% and now labeled that way.
When making them, disposable plastic gloves are handy, not just for hygiene but also because chocolate is notoriously sticky; if you choose to enrobe them the traditional way, in the palm of one hand, the gloves will be welcome. And resist the urge to make them golf-ball-sized or larger, like so many commercial truffles selling for $3 each and up. A truffle is meant to be bite-sized and easily popped into the mouth. As if it weren’t already easy enough to eat more than one.
Ella’s Chocolate Truffles
8 ounces good-quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate, 60% cacoa or greater
6 ounces heavy cream
1 ounce (2 TB) unsalted butter
cocoa powder, ground nuts, chocolate shavings as desired for finishing
Chop the chocolate into small bits, about 1/4″ and place into a heatproof bowl. Set aside.
Combine cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring, to keep the butter moving and to prevent the cream from scorching.
Pour hot mixture over the chocolate, cover (a pot lid works well) and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until all chocolate is fully melted and the ganache is smooth and fully combined, about 2 – 3 minutes. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate 8 – 12 hours or overnight.
When ready to make the truffles, put coatings on plates and line a baking sheet with parchment. Using a melon baller or teaspoon, scoop out bite-sized amounts of the filling and roll into balls; don’t worry if they’re not perfectly round. Roll each in coating and transfer to parchment.
Chill, covered, another 30 minutes or more. Serve at room temperature. Truffles can be refrigerated for 1 -2 weeks and frozen for 1 -2 months.
Makes about 24 small truffles
Related on From Scratch: Quick Two Ingredient Truffles
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Oooh, these sound (and look) fantastic!
Heaps better than my shortcut, faux-truffle recipe that calls for (gasp!) cream cheese and melted almond bark. Heh. I am definitely not a good candy-maker, but I might have to try your recipe, since it looks less daunting than others I’ve seen.
Cream cheese and bark sounds like a good combo, but you’re right, it’s not a truffle.
These couldn’t be simpler and you can even just sift cocoa or powdered sugar on top of them. Granted, they’re not as fine as a tempered chocolate version — which I do make — but this is something anyone can make.
Thanks for stopping by!
Wow! These looked so easy I just made them. I have cocoa, nuts and coconut to roll them in tomorrow!
I cannot wait! Thanks for sharing!
Hi, Violet! Don’t you love it when you see an interesting recipe and have all the ingredients on hand? Seems I’m always one ingredient short.
I’m glad you’re trying them and if you like them as much as I do, look out.
Thanks for stopping by. Don’t be a stranger.
OH MY GOOOOOOODNESS Ella!!! The truffles are…. amazing! Talk about comfort food!! SO EASY and so fantastic! I can’t wait to make them for Christmas for everyone.
I let my friend try them and I warned her that they were DARK chocolate truffles, which she is not a fan of. She said they were so decadent and so delicious, and wanted to know how to make them!
I used some bitter chocolate…80% cacao or is that cocoa (?), half a bar, and a bag of Ghiradelli bittersweet chips. I increased the cream and butter amount just a bit to make up for the bitterness of the chocolate. You DO need plastic gloves as it IS messy. I used a mellon baller to scoop them out (half a scoop) and then just rolled them in toasted coconut, toasted crushed pecans and cocoa powder. Keep in mind, smaller IS better here…they’re too rich to eat walnut sized pieces. I put them in the fridge to make them firm. In the future, I plan to add some Chambord, or cherry liquor. Oh yeah!!
Here is the best part….if you’re watching your carbohydrates as I do, using the dark chocolate/unsweetened chocolate mix, makes them so low-carb diet friendly, that you CAN eat more than one!
Thanks Ella! Not only do we share a love of cooking, but also a taste for politics….and a desire to make our country a better place!
I’m sharing your site with all my politically involved chef friends!
You’ve made my day, Violet. Thank you so much. Yours sound absolutely mouth watering! Chamambord sound wonderful and raspberry or orange liqueur would be good too.
I recently picked up a truffle recipe at the supermarket – 2 ingredients: chocolate and cream cheese. I’m going to play with it — it’s the type of recipe that has a left-over ingredient, grr — and will post whenever I get around to trying it.
Thanks in advance for any readers you send my way. Even if they disagree, I love opposing viewpoints. Expressed politely….
Thanks again for the update!
Most of my friends are intelligent conscientious individuals…. particularly if they love to cook.
The pleasure of feeding someone is synonymous with someone who cares about society as a whole.
Now if I could only get my muffin baking right….I’d feel better.
)
I’m sure they are, Violet, and I look forward to meeting them. You wouldn’t believe some of nasty emails I’ve gotten from Palin fans the past 24 hours. Sigh..
Anyway, I left a reply for you on the muffin post, asking for the list of ingredients and some other information about the muffins that are giving you trouble. We’ll get it straightened out!
Happy voting!
Really? Palin fans know how to read? I’m sorry they’re giving you trouble. You know how it is, ignorance breeds hate. I’m a believer that education can fix almost any problem we face in society today.
But on a sweeter note, the truffles, which have been in the fridge for what…. as week… are so perfect for a quick sugar fix. My husband thanks you for the recipe as well.
I just want to clarify that I used BITTERSWEET chips, not SEMIsweet, with 1/2 a bar of unsweetened chocolate….but the little extra cream and butter, somehow make up for the sweetness. Perfect for a dark chocolate fan.
Well, if they had any scruples they’d post publicly here in comments. I answer comments but not nasty emails.
Bittersweet and semisweet can usually be interchanged. It’s unsweetened that can’t be used in place of the others entirely. I really have to try that other recipe soon!