Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Truffles
Romulo Yanes for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.
Total Time
30 minutes, plus at least one hour’s chilling
Rating
5(747)
Comments
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If the word “ganache” intimidates you, you are not alone. Maybe if the stuff were called “basic, simple and entirely superior chocolate sauce,” more people would make it. Ganache is not just chocolate sauce, though; it is also the basis for the easiest chocolate truffles.

Featured in: At the Heart of Truffles, Adaptable Ganache

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Ingredients

Yield:About 1½ cups ganache, or 24 truffles
  • cup heavy cream
  • 8ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder as needed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat cream in a pot until it steams. Put chocolate in a bowl, pour hot cream on top, and stir until chocolate is melted and incorporated into cream.

  2. Step 2

    Chill until solid all the way through, 1 to 2 hours. Using a chilled melon baller or latex gloves to prevent the ganache from melting or sticking to your hands, scoop out about a tablespoonful and quickly roll it into a ball. Repeat, lining truffles on a plate or a baking sheet.

  3. Step 3

    If truffles become too soft to handle, place them in refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes. Roll them in cocoa powder, confectioners’ sugar or a mixture of sugar and ground cinnamon. Serve immediately or store, wrapped in plastic, in refrigerator for up to four days.

Ratings

5 out of 5
747 user ratings
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Comments

These were easy to make and tasted delicious. However, handling them to shape into balls was a mess and they looked terrible...essentially like small, powdery turds. I thought about naming them "reindeer droppings".

Second time around I poured the melted ganache mixture into a greased "petite treat" mold (any kind of candy or mini mold would work). Did the trick! After cooling I popped them out and dusted them with cocoa powder. A much better looking result.

Pour into a foil-lined square baking dish. Chill, lift and cut into small squares. These pieces I place into a quart-sized Chinese food plastic container half filled with cocoa, about three at a time. Close the lid and shake vigorously. The rattling around in the container knocks down the sharp edges and the cocoa covers them completely, all without making a mess. They emerge looking like actual truffles - a perfect ball shape is not needed.

I have made them like this for 35 years. I wouldn't do the mold thing (mentioned by some readers). I just keep putting them back in the freezer to harden up enough for me to ontinue perfecting the shape. Afterall, they are SUPPOSED to look like powdery ....truffles!

Just don't use nitrile gloves while placing your hands in the freezer. Or do, your choice.

I added orange zest to the warm cream and followed the suggestion in comments to chop the chilled ganache into cubes and toss with cocoa to blunt the edges. Easy, looked great, delish!

How many this make?

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