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Everyone loves truffles. Not only are they easy to make, they are also very easy to eat. 🙂 I learned to make truffles years and years ago from Mr. Chocolate himself Jacques Torres. He was on an old PBS cooking show and I was mesmerized. He made it look so easy, and it is.
Here’s how:
For the Ganache you will need:
- 600 grams of good chocolate (Callebaut, Valrhona) (bittersweet / semi sweet) In this case I used Ghirardelli. Use chocolate chips or a bar of chocolate. If you use a bar, chop it up into small pieces so it melts easily.
- 2 cups of heavy cream 35%
- 1/4 of liquor (optional but I love it) In this case I used Baileys, but you would use, Grand Marnier, Brandy etc.
To coat the truffles you will need:
- 2 cups of sifted cocoa powder
- 2 cups of toasted and cooled chopped nuts (I used almonds)
Directions:
Heat the heavy cream in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan.
Heavy cream and baileys
When small bubbles form it is ready
Make sure that you have chopped the chocolate as finely as possible to allow it to melt quickly and easily. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl. Make a ganache by pouring about half of the hot cream over the chocolate and letting it sit for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate.
Pour 1/2 the cream over top, let sit for 30 secs and then whisk
Then slowly whisk until smooth and homogenous.
Do not add all of the hot cream to the cold chocolate at once; the shock of the temperature extremes would cause the fat in the chocolate to separate. As the chocolate melts, you will see some elasticity if there is no fat separation. This means the chocolate still has an emulsion; the fat molecules are still holding together. Once chocolate is starting to melt and you are whisking, add the remaining cream and whisk until is becomes shiny and all the chocolate is melted.
*IMPORTANT – If the ganache separates, it loses its elasticity, collapses, and becomes very liquid. Use a hand-held immersion blender to ensure a smooth ganache and to keep the emulsion of the chocolate. Add the remaining cream gradually and mix until all of the hot cream is incorporated and the ganache is smooth and homogenous. If the ganache separates, it is very easy to fix. Simply add a small amount of cold cream and whisk well. This will bring the ganache back together.
Ready to go in to fridge to cool
The ganache should be thick, shiny, and smooth. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for at least 4 hours at room temperature. I usually make the ganache at the end of the day and let it cool overnight. As it cools, it will thicken and set.
When the ganache has cooled to the consistency of toothpaste, you can start forming your truffles. I use a spoon to gather some ganache and use my hands to form it into a ball. This recipe should make ~60 truffles. When all the truffles are rolled into balls, they are ready to be coated. If they have become too soft, place them in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours until they are firm enough to coat. To coat just roll the truffles into the cocoa or toasted nuts.
The truffles will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, when stored in an airtight container.
Now sit back, grab a cup of coffee or a glass of red wine and enjoy all of your hard work. I promise you cannot eat just one.
I am a girl who loves food. I grew up with a Mom who was an excellent cook. She wrote a cookbook when I was a child, and as they say, the rest is history. Started a catering business in 2005 and haven’t looked back. I am a mom to 2 beautiful girls and I want them to love food as much as I do. In the meantime, I love life and love my job @ www.monicaskitchen.com twitter @monicawhite9
For The Love Of Food 
Delicious! I need to make these…one day:)