Homemade Chocolate Truffles

++ Recipe adapted from Family Circle magazine, Feb. 2013

I recently returned from spending a week at our home in the Pocono mountains. While there I was determined to prepare a few things for my blog as I hadn’t posted anything in several weeks.

                      We had a bit of snow – not too much.  But it sure was c.o.l.d. !!

++ UPDATE – These Homemade Chocolate Truffles were a big hit.  A limit had to be set on the amount of truffles eaten at one time so the children wouldn’t eat them all !

Cooking, when you don’t have all your usual ‘stuff’, can be a real challenge.  The original recipe for these truffles calls for a food processor – which we don’t happen have at the Pocono house. So, I decided, seeing as I was ‘sans food processor’, to use a hammer and a zip lock bag to ‘bust up’ the chocolate – and I made the truffles in a large saucepan. Luckily, my efforts resulted in some creamy and delicious truffles!!

To make these truffles WITHOUT a food processor, scroll farther down…

 

ORIGINAL DIRECTIONS – USES A FOOD PROCESSOR  

  

INGREDIENTS

• 8″ square pan, lined with foil
• large cookie sheet, lined with waxed paper (Or a large tray.)
• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate   (I use Baker’s, which comes in 4 oz. boxes. You can find it in the baking aisle.  Buy 2 boxes but you’ll only need half of the 2nd one.)
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (You’ll need 2 full boxes.)
• 2/3 cup heavy (whipping) cream   (Full Cream)
• 2 Tbs. coffee liqueur
• 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar  (Icing Sugar)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• FOR ROLLING THE FINISHED TRUFFLES IN:
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder – mixed with 1 Tbs. confectioner’s sugar    ++ You do NOT have to add the confectioner’s sugar. I just don’t like truffles rolled in plain cocoa powder, although that’s how truffles are usually sold. 
• 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar   ++ Another option to roll the truffles in.

METHOD

++ Line a 8″ square pan with aluminum foil.

++ Line a cookie sheet or a tray with waxed paper.

Add 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar and 1/4 tsp. salt to food processor. Whirl 1 – 2 minutes until ground. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan using medium heat, warm 2/3 cup heavy cream and 2 Tbs. coffee liqueur just to a simmer.

With food processor running, add cream mixture in a steady stream. Process until smooth.

Scrape into pan. Chill for 1 1/2 hours.

Lift chocolate from pan using aluminum foil. Cut into 36 pieces.

Shape into balls. ++  Allow chocolate to warm up a bit – makes it easier to roll.  Place chocolate balls on a wax-paper lined sheet or tray.

Roll truffles in 1/3 cup cocoa powder mixed with 1 Tbs. confectioner’s sugar OR plain cocoa powder OR just plain confectioner’s sugar.

Truffles can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month, not that these will last that long.  Enjoy !

= = = = =

Directions for making these truffles WITHOUT a food processor.

On left, 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate.  On right, 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate.

• 8″ square pan, lined with foil
• large cookie sheet, lined with waxed paper (Or a large tray.)
• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate   (I use Baker’s, which comes in 4 oz. boxes. You can find it in the baking aisle.  Buy 2 boxes but you’ll only need half of the 2nd one.)
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (You’ll need 2 full boxes.)
• 2/3 cup heavy (whipping) cream   (Full Cream)
• 2 Tbs. coffee liqueur
• 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar  (Icing Sugar)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• FOR ROLLING THE FINISHED TRUFFLES IN:
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder – mixed with 1 Tbs. confectioner’s sugar    ++ You do NOT have to add the confectioner’s sugar. I just don’t like truffles rolled in plain cocoa powder, although that’s how truffles are usually sold. 
• 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar   ++ Another option to roll the truffles in.

++ Line a 8″ square pan with aluminum foil.

++ Line a cookie sheet or a tray with waxed paper.

Method

Break the 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and the 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate into pieces. Place the broken up chocolate in a zip lock bag and break up the chocolate further by using a meat tenderizer, a can, a hammer or anything else you can think of, like a rolling pin. Set aside.  ++ I got the chocolate into smaller pieces by using the NutriBullet I use to make smoothies. However, it’s not necessary to have the chocolate pieces this small because they’ll melt when added to the warm cream/liqueur mixture.

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, warm 2/3 cup heavy cream and 2 Tbs. coffee liqueur – just until it comes to a simmer.

Raise heat slightly. Add chocolate pieces, 1/4 tsp. salt and 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar. Stir slowly until chocolate is melted and mixture comes to a boil.

Remove pan from heat and allow mixture to cool for about 5 minutes. Then, using a large mixing spoon, beat the chocolate pretty hard for about 30 seconds.

Scrape into an 8′ pan which has been lined with foil. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours.

Lift chocolate from pan using the aluminum foil. Cut into 36 pieces. (Another adaption – we only had a round cake pan, so my pieces were uneven. But I worked it out!)

Shape chocolate into small balls about 1″ across.  ++  Allow chocolate to warm up a bit – makes it easier to roll.  Place chocolate balls on a wax-paper lined sheet or tray.

Roll truffles in 1/3 cup cocoa powder mixed with 1 Tbs. confectioner’s sugar OR plain cocoa powder OR just plain confectioner’s sugar.

Truffles can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month, not that they’ll last that long. Enjoy!