How to Make Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate ruffles are a luscious experience for the taste buds, a wonderful gift for someone special, and remarkably easy to make.

Introduction
- Chocolate Truffles are a creamy chocolate candy, usually made of ganache, coated with hard chocolate or cocoa. Simple ganache truffles, coated with cocoa, are remarkably easy to make. The quality of the truffles will be directly related to the quality of the chocolate you use. While you don't need to purchase the most expensive chocolate, you should use a one that's good quality, with a high cocoa content.
- The recipe presented here is simple and the results are delicious. However, if you have more time and are feeling a bit adventurous, Food Network's Alton Brown has a more elaborate recipe.
Step 1: Gather Your Equipment
- Having the right equipment will simplify truffle preparation and help ensure the quality of the final product. Here's what you'll need:
1. Microwave Oven
  - The simplest way to ensure that the cream gets hot enough to melt the chocolate without getting burnt, is to use the microwave. If you don't have access to a microwave, this recipe gives instructions on how to heat the cream on the stove top.
2. Glass measuring cup
  - You'll use this to heat the cream in the microwave.
3. Food processor
  - Used to chop the chocolate, and ensure a smooth result when the ganache is blended.
4. Measuring spoon, or mini measuring cup
  - A mini measuring cup is ideal, as you can pre-measure your flavoring, and pour it in easily.
5. Teaspoon—not a measuring teaspoon, just a plain flatware teaspoon
  - This will be used to scoop out small amounts of ganache to form the truffles.
6. Pie plate, or similar flat bowl
  - The plate will be used to hold the coating, so it must have sides deep enough to prevent the cocoa from spilling out on the table while you're rolling the truffle in the cocoa.
7. Small paper or foil candy cups
8. Optional—gift boxes, parchment paper, ribbon
  - If the truffles are a gift, you'll want to package them attractively.
Step 2: Gather Your Ingredients
- The ingredients are simple, so the quality of each is very important to the final result. Choose a chocolate you like to eat, with a high cocoa content. Make sure the cream is fresh, as these are Swiss Method truffles with a short shelf life. Kahlua, or another coffee flavored liquor, is a great choice for flavoring, as the coffee enhances the chocolate.
1. Chocolate: 1 1/3 cup bittersweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped
2. Heavy cream: 2/3 cup
3. Flavoring: 2 tablespoons Kahlua
4. Coating: up to 2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
  - The amount of cocoa powder you actually use will vary by the size of the balls and how thoroughly you coat them—but make sure to have 2 cups on-hand.
Step 3: Make the Ganache
- A ganache is a blend of chocolate and cream, usually used to coat or frost baked goods. In this recipe, a thick ganache forms the base of the truffles.
1. Chop the chocolate in the food processor.
  - Use a quick pulse motion to chop the chocolate finely. Don't run it continuously, as this will heat the chocolate—you don't want to do that yet.
2. Heat the cream in the microwave.
  - You want the cream to be hot enough to melt the chocolate, but not boiling. The time this takes will depend on the power of your microwave. You'll know its ready when small bubbles form on the edge of the cream. Stop and check every 30 seconds. It will probably take about a minute.
3. Turn on the food processor, and while its running, add the cream.
4. Continue processing until the chocolate and cream are smooth.
5. Measure and add the Kahlua flavoring to the ganache.
6. Process for a few seconds until the flavoring is incorporated.
7. Place the ganache in the fridge for two to three hours.
Step 4: Form the Truffles
- Be prepared to get your hands dirty. There is no way around it—your hands will be well coated with chocolate before you're done!
1. Wash your hands.
  - You'll be forming the finished product directly, without further cooking, so cleanliness is important.
2. Arrange the paper candy cups on a cookie sheet, or serving platter.
  - You'll want to have the cups laid out ahead of time, as your hands will be coated with chocolate as your working.
3. Pour cocoa into a pie plate.
4. Use the teaspoon to remove a small scoop of the ganache.
5. Roll it into a ball with your hands.
6. Roll the ball in cocoa in the pie plate, coating the whole surface in the powder.
7. Place the finished truffle in a paper candy cup.
8. Repeat, until all the ganache is gone.
  - The number of truffles you end up with will depend on the size of the balls you roll, but you should get about four dozen, more or less.
9. Indulge. And make sure to refrigerate all leftovers—but don't expect to have any!
Conclusion
- These truffles make awesome gifts, a simple dessert after a great meal, or a wonderful self-indulgence when you need some "chocolate love." Now that you've mastered the basic recipe, feel free to be creative! Vary the flavoring by using different Liquer. Rum, Grand Marnier, Framboise, and Frangelico are all great choices, but don't restrict yourself to these suggestions. You can vary the coatings as well, by substituting ground nuts, or shredded coconut, for the cocoa.
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