Tips for Making Chocolate Truffles

Making chocolate truffles is not as hard as it looks, and the results are both aesthetically pleasing and delicious. Creating truffles is an act of creativity aligned with an indulgence in some of the richest, more delectable desserts possible and an elegant box of handmade chocolate truffles is the perfect gift showcasing both talent and thoughtfulness.

Truffle Making Tips

• Chop chocolate into small pieces, roughly the same size to promote even melting.
• Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate and stir occasionally to ensure it melts all the way through.
• Heat the cream separately, then add to the chocolate. Stir until the cream is fully incorporated. Avoid whisking if you can. Adding air to the mixture can result in truffles that crumble.
• Cool the mixture until firm and stir occasionally so the mixture cools evenly. Otherwise, the outer layers will cool first and the middle will retain heat.
• Use a melon baller to form your truffles centers, then store in a sealed container until you're ready to roll them.
• Wear thin food prep gloves or coat your hands in cocoa before rolling the centers to prevent the heat from your hands from melting the centers. Recoat your hands with cocoa as necessary.
• If you're dipping truffles, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you're ready to dip.

Basic Handmade Chocolate Truffle Recipe
There are several methods you can use to prepare your ganache for truffle making. This recipe uses a baking pan to cool the mixture and uses melted chocolate barks for dipping rather than tempered chocolate. You can also skip dipping entirely and roll truffles in high-quality cocoa only.

Ingredients You Will Need:
5 ounces semisweet baking chocolate
3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
1 ½ cup almond bark
1 ½ cup dark chocolate bark 

Line a baking dish with plastic wrap, then grease the wrap (preferably with butter, for the sake of taste).

Chop baking chocolate as finely as you can manage. In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium high heat until simmering. Pour hot cream into a food processor and follow with butter and chopped baking chocolate. Process until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture, also called ganache, into the lined baking pan and refrigerate until cool and stiff, approximately three to four hours.

To form the truffle centers, remove the chocolate from the baking pan and discard plastic wrap. Place chocolate on a cutting block and slice squares approximately the size desired for each truffle. Quickly roll each square into a ball, touching the chocolate as little as possible. Refrigerate centers immediately.

Melt almond bark and chocolate bark in a small saucepan. Using a fondue fork, dip the truffle centers into the melted bark, place on a plate or baking sheet lined with wax paper and return to refrigerator.

Easy Truffle Recipe Featuring Vanilla Cream Filling

Ingredients You Will Need:
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 ½ cups almond bark
1 ½ cups dark chocolate bark 

In a mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until well incorporated. Add vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste and mix well. Roll mixture into balls about the size of cherries and set in freezer for 20 minutes.

Melt almond bark and chocolate bark together in a small saucepan on low heat. Mix thoroughly and remove from heat. Using a fondue fork, dip the truffle centers into the melted chocolate bark and place on a sheet of waxed paper to dry. Keep in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Variations on Chocolate Truffle Recipes
Once you've mastered making the basic recipes listed above, you can begin experimenting with classic flavor combinations or creating gourmet chocolate truffle flavors of your own.

Milk Chocolate Truffles. Use a milk chocolate bark for dipping and a high grade milk chocolate for the truffle centers.

Dark Chocolate Truffles. Use a high grade dark chocolate for the centers and a dark chocolate bark for dipping.

White Chocolate Truffles. Use high grade white chocolate for the centers and white almond bark for dipping.

Grand Marnier Truffles. Add two tablespoons of Grand Marnier (or other orange flavored liqueur) to the ganache when processing.

Irish Cream Truffles. Add two tablespoons Irish Cream liqueur to the ganache while processing.

Chocolate Rum Truffles. Add two tablespoons rum to the ganache while processing.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles. Mix half a cup of peanut butter with half a cup of powdered sugar until smooth and well blended. Fold peanut butter mixture into ganache before refrigerating. Form balls with chocolate and peanut butter mixture as usual, then dip in melted dark chocolate bark.

Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles. Crush a cup of hazelnuts and add to ganache when processing.