I make - Chocolate Truffles

It's been a long time since I made chocolate truffles. This year, being inspired by store-bought Amaretto truffles, I want to make it again. Browsing around the net suggests most recipes fall into two categories, 1:1 or 2:1 ratio of chocolate and cream. I want my truffles chocolaty but also want the silky smooth texture. So I opted somewhere in between. Me and the resident truffle connoisseur are very pleased by the result. It's chocolaty, creamy and silky smooth once it's warmed by the tongue. The additional flavoring by alcohol is optional. You can skip that if you prefer. Just go straight to the coating. The raspberry powder coating adds a nice zing. It's our favorite coating.

Grand Marnier Truffles Coated With Orange Sugar or Raspberry Powder

Rum Chocolate Truffles Coated With Cocoa Powder or Icing Sugar

Chocolate Truffles with 4 Simple Variations

80 ml double cream
1 tbsp brown sugar*
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of sea salt flakes (optional)
125 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), roughly chopped
10 g salted butter
1 tsp honey

Flavor pairing (optional)
1) 2 tbsp Rum

2) 2 tbsp Amaretto

3) 2 tbsp Grand Marnier (+/- orange zest)**

4) 2 tbsp Baileys (+/- instant coffee granules)**

To finish
cocoa powder, icing sugar, orange zest sugar or freeze-dry raspberry powder

Combine double cream, sugar, vanilla extract and sea salt flakes (if using) in a milk pan. Heat the pot gently on low heat until small bubbles start to arise from the side. Turn the heat off and remove the pot from the heat source.

Stir in the chocolate and butter. Let the mixture sit for a minute to melt the chocolate. Then use a rubber spatula to gently stir until the mixture looks silky and shiny. Try to prevent introducing any bubbles into the mixture. Stir the honey in, followed by alcohol of choice (if desired). This is the chocolate ganache.

Taste the chocolate ganache to see if the sweetness needs to be adjusted. 

*Dark chocolate comes in different sweetness, from 10% to 30% (or more) by weight. The best is to taste and adjust the sweetness with brown sugar at this stage.

Pour the ganache into a shallow container, spread it out evenly and place a sheet of clingfilm over the surface. Chill for at least 2 hours until you can shape each truffles easily. Use two teaspoons or a melon baller to scoop out 16-20 truffles (each two-bite worth), then roll them by hand into balls and roll them in cocoa powder or icing sugar. Orange zested sugar works well with Grand Marnier. Raspberry powder pairs nicely with Rum or Amaretto flavored truffles.

I find it's better to air dry the coated truffles for a couple of hours before packing them away in a box. If you have a cold room, this would be a perfect place for that.

**To enhance the flavour further, you can add a quarter teaspoon of orange zest to Grand Marnier ganache, or a quarter teaspoon of instant coffee granules to Baileys ones.