Christmas Truffles

Looking for a lovely gift idea that you can whip up right at home? Truffles are a lovely gift to give and receive during the holidays, and they're not too hard on you, either.

While the Penguin Truffles that I posted this week are very labor intensive and tricky to do, these truffles are just as delicious and are significantly easier to make. In addition, truffles can be made ahead, which means that you have extra time to trim the tree, wrap presents, and run errands. 

The truffles recipes listed below are but two of countless variations, so you can adapt them to taste and mood. Wrap them in pre-made candy boxes with some colored tissue paper for a lovely present!

Dark Chocolate Rum Balls

Makes 30 truffles

400 grams good-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 2.5 cups)

1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbps rum (or any other liqueur)
375 grams dark chocolate melts
100 grams white chocolate melts

First, melt the 400 grams of dark chocolate in a metal bowl placed over a simmering pot of water (make sure the pot does not touch the water!). Stir continuously to avoid burning until all pieces are melted. Once the mixture is smooth, remove from heat and stir in the rum. Refrigerate, covered, for at least four hours or until the mixture is firm enough to roll into balls.

Line a tray with parchment paper. Roll 2 teaspoonfuls of chocolate mixture into a ball and place on the prepared tray. You might want to wear disposable latex gloves for this, as it can become messy . If you're not wearing gloves, make sure to wash your hands in very cold water so that your palms are cool and do not melt the chocolate. Repeat with remaining chocolate mixture. Place in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm.

Meanwhile, place the dark chocolate melts in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Stir with a metal spoon until smooth. Reduce heat to low and stir.

Line a tray with parchment paper and divide your truffles into 4 batches. Remove 1 batch from the fridge and, using a fork or truffle dipper,  dip the truffles (one at a time) in the melted chocolate to coat. Gently tap the fork or dipper on the edge of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off and carefully place on the prepared tray. Repeat, in 3 more batches, 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 (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Stir with a metal spoon until chocolate melts and is smooth. Use a fork to drizzle the white chocolate over the truffles. Set aside for 5 minutes to set.

Keep your truffles in the fridge, covered, for up to a week before using!

Coffee / Chocolate Truffles

Makes 20 truffles

200 grams good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tsps instant coffee powder OR 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder

These basic truffles can be altered to create new flavors. For coffee truffles, use coffee powder or use vanilla extract for basic chocolate!

Melt the chocolate in a metal bowl placed over a simmering pot of water (make sure the pot does not touch the water!) and stir continuously until melted. Once the mixture is smooth, remove from heat and add the coffee powder OR vanilla extract. Refrigerate, covered, for at least four hours or until the mixture is firm enough to roll into balls.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and, using 2 tsps of the mixture at a time, roll into balls. As I say above, you might want to use latex disposable gloves for this step. Once all the truffles have been rolled, dip them in cocoa powder to coat. 

Keep in the fridge until ready to use (up to a week!).