Dark Chocolate Truffles Food

EASY DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Heat chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Add butter (and alcohol, if desired); stir until butter is melted.
• Pour mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until mixture is firm but still spoonable, about 2 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a very small (about 1 inch diameter) ice cream scoop (or a melon baller), drop balls of chocolate mixture onto lined sheet. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
• Put cocoa in a large bowl. With cocoa-dusted hands, roll chocolate balls one at a time until smooth. Drop into cocoa; roll to coat.

DARK CHOCOLATE CABERNET TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Combine cream, vanilla extract, and salt together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir wine into cream mixture and remove from heat.
• Stir semisweet chocolate into cream mixture until completely melted. Stir butter into mixture until incorporated. Pour chocolate mixture into a container, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Scoop the chocolate mixture using a teaspoon or a melon baller and shape into 1-inch balls. Place balls on the prepared baking sheets and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• Remove from refrigerator and roll balls in cocoa powder to coat.

DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Melt chocolate with oil and the water. Stir in vanilla and sea salt. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish, and refrigerate until mixture is set but still pliable, about 2 hours.
• With a 1-inch ice-cream scoop, make 28 balls, transferring each one to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Coat hands in cocoa, and roll balls to make smooth. Refrigerate on sheet 10 minutes. (Truffles can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before coating.) To serve, roll in cocoa or pat with nuts or coconut.

EASY CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Chop the chocolate and tip into a large bowl. Put the cream and butter into a saucepan and heat gently until the butter melts and the cream reaches simmering point. Remove from heat, then pour over the chocolate. Stir the chocolate and cream together until you have a smooth mixture. Add any flavourings to the truffle mix at this stage (divide the mixture between bowls and mix in liqueurs or other flavourings, a tsp at a time, to taste. Try bourbon, Grand Marnier, coconut rum or the zest and juice of an orange), or leave plain. Cool and chill for at least 4 hrs.
• To shape the truffles, dip a melon baller in hot water and scoop up balls of the mixture, then drop the truffles onto greaseproof paper. Or lightly coat your hands in flavourless oil (such as sunflower) and roll the truffles between your palms. You could also use a piping bag to pipe rounds onto baking parchment.
• Coat your truffles immediately after shaping. Tip toppings into a bowl and gently roll the truffles until evenly coated, then chill on baking parchment. Try: crushed, shelled pistachio nuts; lightly toasted desiccated coconut; or roll a truffle flavoured with orange zest and juice in cocoa powder. To coat in chocolate, line a baking tray with baking parchment. Melt 100g milk, dark or white chocolate for 10 truffles. Allow chocolate to cool slightly. With a fork, pick up one truffle at a time and hold over the bowl of melted chocolate. Spoon the chocolate over the truffle until well-coated. Place on the baking tray, then chill.
• To give as presents, place 8-10 truffles in individual foil or paper cases inside small, lined boxes tied with ribbon. Keep in the fridge until you're ready to give them. Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for three days, or frozen for up to a month. Defrost in the fridge overnight.

TRADITIONAL FRENCH DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is hot and starting to bubble but not fully boiling. Remove the cream from the heat immediately.
• Add the finely chopped chocolate and vanilla extract and stir with a wooden spoon until the ganache is completely smooth.
• Pop the pan into the fridge and chill the ganache until it is hard enough to roll into balls. Do not use the freezer, as this will make the ganache unworkable.
• Measure out each truffle by the heaping teaspoonful and use your hands to quickly roll the ganache into a ball.
• If the ganache gets too warm, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up. Work quickly so that your hands don't melt the chocolate too much. Chill the balls, a few at a time, as you go.
• Put the cocoa powder into a shallow dish. Take each chilled chocolate ball and quickly roll in the cocoa powder for an even coating. Pop the truffle onto a plate and place back into the fridge to chill down again before serving.

CARAMEL-DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES WITH FLEUR DE SEL

Steps:

• Place 8 ounces chocolate in metal bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); stir until chocolate is smooth. Remove chocolate from over water.
• Combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, occasionally brushing sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Increase heat; boil until syrup is deep amber color, brushing down sides and swirling pan occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add cream (mixture will bubble). Stir over very low heat until caramel is smooth. Mix caramel and 1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel into melted chocolate. Chill until truffle filling is firm, at least 3 hours.
• Place cocoa in bowl. Using 1 tablespoon truffle filling for each truffle, roll into balls, then roll in cocoa. Arrange on baking sheet. Cover; chill overnight.
• Line 13x9x2-inch baking sheet with foil. Place remaining 12 ounces chocolate in medium metal bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); stir until chocolate is melted and smooth and thermometer inserted into chocolate registers 115°F. Remove bowl from over water. Working quickly, submerge 1 truffle in melted chocolate. Using fork, lift out truffle and tap fork against side of bowl to allow excess coating to drip off. Transfer truffle to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining truffles. Sprinkle truffles lightly with additional fleur de sel. Let stand until coating sets, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

DARK CHOCOLATE AND RUM TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Remember: when melting the chocolate DO NOT let your bowl touch the water.
• Place the chopped chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water. Stir with a metal spoon until chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Stir in rum. Place in the fridge until the mixture is firm enough to roll into balls.
• Line a trays with baking paper. Roll chocolate mixture into a ball ( you can vary the size but 2 teaspoons might be a good start size). Place on trays. Repeat until mixture is gone then place in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm.
• When firm place the dark chocolate melts in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water . Stir with a metal spoon until the chocolate melts and is smooth.
• Divide the truffles into 2 batches this is so they will keep firm while working them. Remove 1 batch from the fridge. Use a fork to dip truffles 1 at a time, in the melted chocolate to coat. Gently tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Carefully place on the prepared tray. Repeat until all have been dipped with the remaining truffles and melted chocolate. Set aside for 10 minutes to set.
• Place the white chocolate melts in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water. Stir with a metal spoon until chocolate melts and is smooth. Use a fork to drizzle the white chocolate over the truffles. Place in fridge to set for 5 minutes then you can store in a container in the fridge or serve.

DARK CHOCOLATE ORANGE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Gradually stir in cream until blended. Stir in extract. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate until firm. Shape into 3/4-in. balls. Roll in sugar.

DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Heat cream, until it bubbles.
• Pour the heated cream over chopped chocolate. Do not mix
• Let the chocolate be in the heated cream, when you see the chocolate melting into the cream. Use a spatula and mix very gently. This forms an emulsion( something that happens when the fat and liquid are mixed). This mixture is called truffle or ganache.This is what gives the truffles the melt in the mouth texture.
• Put the truffle mixture in the refrigerator, until the consitency is hard enough to form balls.
• Make them at a size you wish. Mine was 3/4th of a table spoon. Use a scooper, else a stainless steel spoon should be good.
• Put the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Roll them on cocoa powder. and place them on the serving platter.

DARK CHOCOLATE ORANGE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• FILLING.
• In a small saucepan, heat cream just until bubbles form around edge of pan, remove from heat.
• Stir in 250 g of chocolate pieces until smooth, stir in orange juice concentrate and orange zest.
• Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until thickened and cold.
• Using a whisk (NOT electric mixer), beat chocolate mixture just until creamy and lighter in colour. Do not overbeat or mixture will separate.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with 1 cm plain tip, pipe filling into 2.5 cm diameter rounds on two wax paper-lined baking sheets.
• Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
• Sift icing sugar into a pie plate.
• Working with rounds from one baking sheet at a time, lightly roll in icing sugar.
• Gently roll each round between fingertips to round off tips. Return to wax paper-lined sheet and freeze for 1 hour or until hard and almost frozen.
• COATING.
• In top of double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, melt 375 g of chocolate.
• Remove from heat, let cool slightly.
• Sift cocoa into a pie plate.
• Using two forks, dip balls from one baking sheet at a time into chocolate, letting excess drip off. (If chocolate thickens while you work, rewarm gently over hot stove.
• Place balls in cocoa.
• Using two clean forks, roll truffles in cocoa and refrigerate on wax paper-lined baking sheet until hardened.
• Place truffles in candy cups and store in airtight container in refrigerator until just before serving.
• Can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen up to 3 months.

DARK CHOCOLATE MINT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Put entire bag of cookies in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to a fine crumb consistency. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Add cream cheese and mix until well combined. Roll into 1-inch balls. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 1 minute. Stir, then repeat in 1-minute increments until melted and smooth. Mix in peppermint extract.
• Drop chilled balls in the chocolate to coat, let any excess drip off, and place on waxed paper. Sprinkle crushed candy canes over wet chocolate. Return to the refrigerator until chocolate sets, about 1 hour.

DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place 8 ounces semisweet chocolate and the unsweetened chocolate in a 4-quart bowl.
• Heat the heavy cream in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth (now you have ganache). Refrigerate the ganache for 1 hour until firm but not hard.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon of ganache for each truffle (approximately 3/4 ounce), portion 24 truffles, evenly space onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the ganache portions for 15 minutes (so the ganache will be firm enough to roll into truffles). When the ganache is firm enough to handle, remove from the refrigerator and individually roll each portion of ganache in your palms, in a gentle circular motion, using just enough pressure to form smooth rounds. Roll 16 of the rounds in 2 tablespoons cocoa and separately roll 8 in the confectioners sugar until completely covered. Store the truffles in a tightly sealed plastic container, in the refrigerator. Remove about 1 hour before serving.

DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring the cream just to a simmer over medium-low to low heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand about 10 minutes to melt the chocolate.
• Add the vanilla and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Then beat the chocolate at medium speed, using an electric mixer, until it is thick and light colored. If the chocolate has cooled enough, it will be ready to form truffles right away. If the chocolate is still too soft to hold its shape when rolled in a ball, spread over the bottom of a baking dish and smooth the top. Refrigerate until firmed, but still scoopable, up to 2 hours.
• Pour the cocoa powder onto a deep plate or shallow bowl. Use a melon baller or small ice cream scoop to scoop out balls of chocolate and gently roll into a ball. Place them on the plate with the cocoa powder and roll between 2 forks to completely coat with the cocoa powder. Then use the forks to carefully transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper.
• If making the truffles a day or two ahead of time, let them stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.