Chocolate Truffles

I haven't made truffles for a while, but it just seemed fitting for a Valentine's Day post. :) The picture's from a while ago (white chocolate vanilla truffles dipped in dark chocolate with a sprinkle of raw sugar; dark chocolate raspberry truffles dipped in milk chocolate with red drizzles; milk chocolate spiced truffles dipped in white chocolate and dusted with cocoa powder). Over a year ago I gave my mom -- a chocolate lover like me -- a 'membership' to my Truffle of the Month Club. In other words: I got on the computer, created a certificate-like-card and gave it to her for Mother's Day; she got a monthly dozen truffles, I had a legitimate excuse to make a different flavor of truffle each and every month for a year. Definitely a win-win situation! :)

Chocolate chips/morsels will work...but your truffles are only as good as your chocolate. If you're going to go to all the trouble, splurge a little on the good stuff! I've used even more 'premium' varieties (with delicious results) but I regularly pick up bricks from Trader Joe's; good chocolate, very good price.

Dark Chocolate-Raspberry Truffles
1/2 C heavy whipping cream
6 Tbls butter
6 Tbls sour cream
18 oz dark chocolate
1/2 C chambord* (or other flavored liqueur or liquid flavoring)
cocoa powder for rolling
chocolate for dipping

Bring cream and butter to boil; boil for one minute. Remove from heat. Add chocolate, stirring until melted. Cool a few minutes; add sour cream and chambord. Pour into cake pan or casserole dish to chill. Chill until set, or freeze 1 hour. Scoop and roll into 1" balls. Roll lightly in cocoa powder. (If you plan to dip truffles in white chocolate, roll them in powdered sugar.) Chill again. Melt dipping chocolate in a double boiler; dip.

* I've used the chambord, and it is good. But I get a stronger raspberry flavor using real rasberry juice (blackberry juice - from fresh wild blackberries last August - was also delicious). I mash the berries through a strainer to remove the seeds and get about 1 C of pure juice. Add a dash of lemon juice and maybe a 1/4 C sugar (more or less depending on your personal sweet tooth). Boil it - stirring frequently - until it thickens and reduces to the 1/2 C the recipe calls for.


Milk Chocolate Spiced Truffles
1 1/4 C cream
2 tsp vanilla
7 Tbls butter
18 oz milk chocolate*, chopped into chunks
cocoa powder (for rolling)
chocolate for dipping

Spices:
You can flavor the cream with any spices/flavor(s) you like.
Here's one combination:
2 Tbls chopped ginger
3 cinnamon sticks
12 each peppercorns, allspice berries, whole cloves
1 whole nutmeg, cut into pieces
1 tea bag

Place chopped chocolate, vanilla and butter in a bowl. Bring cream to a boil. Add tea bag and spices; steep 20 minutes. Bring back to boiling, remove tea bag and pour over chocolate, straining out spice chunks. Pour into cake pan or casserole dish to chill. Chill until set, or freeze 1 hour. Scoop and roll into 1" balls. Roll lightly in cocoa powder. (If you plan to dip truffles in white chocolate, roll them in powdered sugar.) Chill again. Melt dipping chocolate in a double boiler; dip.


White Chocolate Truffles
1/2 C cream
3 Tbls butter
20 oz white chocolate*
1/3+ C powdered sugar
3 Tbls liquor/liquid flavoring
cocoa powder (for rolling)
chocolate for dipping

Bring cream and butter to boil. Reduce heat; stir in chocolate until melted. Remove from heat; whisk in powdered sugar and liquor. Pour into cake pan or casserole dish to chill. Chill until set, or freeze 1 hour. Scoop and roll into 1" balls. Roll lightly in cocoa powder. (If you plan to dip truffles in white chocolate, roll them in powdered sugar.) Chill again. Melt dipping chocolate in a double boiler; dip.

* White "baking morsels" are easy to come by in any grocery store. White "chocolate" isn't as available. Check the label and look for cocoa butter. Again, I find it - in 'chip' form :( at Trader Joe's, but only off and on.

And one more photo:
Truffles edge a platter
along with other tasty treats;
this was for a friend's bridal
shower last spring.