Unlike some of my other candy recipes (like my toffee or peanut brittle I shared last month), there’s no candy thermometer required today. Be sure to check out the video showing how to make chocolate truffles at the bottom of the recipe!
These chocolate truffles have been a work in progress for a while. I’d hoped to share them last month, mixed in with all my other candy recipes, but the recipe took longer than I’d hoped to perfect. I’m fitting this recipe in before Valentine’s Day, though, so I’m calling that a win, because who wouldn’t love to be gifted a box of homemade gourmet chocolate truffles from their sweetheart? Nobody I’d want to be paired with, that’s for sure 😉 Chocolate truffles are a chocolate lover’s dream, these are dark, decadent, creamy, and so rich. Small as they are, just one or two makes a satisfying after dinner dessert. I have lots of tips I want to share with today’s recipe, so let’s do this.
Tips for Making Chocolate Truffles
Melt your chocolate first
Many truffle recipes call for you to finely chop your chocolate and then pour hot cream over-top. Maybe you’ve even used this technique before for ganache. However, one tip I picked up from Cook’s Illustrated and Alton brown is that melting your chocolate first actually makes the process easier and can yield smoother, creamier truffles. When you start with un-melted chocolate, the whisking process can actually incorporate too much air into your truffle mixture, leaving you with grainy chocolate truffles. By starting with melted chocolate, we minimize our mixing and therefore our air incorporation. Plus it just makes the process easier, and no stress about whether or not the cream will adequately melt your chocolate!
On corn syrup…
My truffle recipe uses 1 ½ Tablespoons of corn syrup. I know (from the many comments on my sugar cookie icing) that not everyone loves using corn syrup or keeps it handy. If you don’t have it on hand, the good news is I tried this chocolate truffle recipe without any corn syrup and it still works. The bad news is that the truffles, while still delicious, are not quite as smooth and creamy. For that reason, I do recommend using corn syrup (which is not the same as high fructose corn syrup).
Dust your hands with powdered sugar!
This is a life saver for me when rolling chocolate truffles. Yes your hands will still get chocolatey, but the truffles will not stick to/melt on your hands nearly as much as they would otherwise. I pour a generous amount of powdered sugar onto a plate and repeatedly coat my palms with sugar between rolling each truffle.
Roll truffles in toppings immediately after rolling
The outsides of the truffles will firm up pretty quickly after being rolled, making your favorite topping less likely to stick. To combat this, immediately after rolling each truffle, roll it through your favorite topping. The surface of the truffle will still be slightly sticky and melted from the heat of your hands at this point, so your toppings will adhere well. If you accidentally waited to long (maybe you rolled out all your truffles and now you’re trying to roll them through sprinkles, but nothing’s sticking?), just briefly roll each truffle between your hands again to warm up the surface, then immediately roll through your desired topping.
The Best Toppings for Chocolate Truffles
You can get creative and use your favorite toppings when making truffles, but here are a few of my favorites:
Dutch processed cocoa. You can get away with natural cocoa powder, but the taste of the Dutch processed variety is smoother and less acidic. A 50/50 blend of cocoa powder and powdered sugar. The sugar helps to temper the strong chocolate flavor of the cocoa powder. Finely chopped nuts. I used walnuts in the photos, but pecans would also work nicely. Sprinkles! I used chocolate sprinkles, but colored ones would work just as well (or maybe pink and white ones for Valentine’s Day). I also used standard sprinkles or “jimmies”, but nonpareils would look beautiful and would also provide a fun texture.
Should I Refrigerate Chocolate Truffles?
If your chocolate truffles are going to only last a day or two (or three) they’ll be fine stored at room temperature in an airtight container (granted you don’t live in a very hot, humid environment). However, if you plan to store them longer, I recommend refrigerating after making. Store in a tightly sealed airtight container. If you do refrigerate, though, keep in mind that your chocolate truffles won’t taste best straight out of the fridge. You want them to be creamy and melt-in-your-mouth, and they’ll be too firm if they’re well-chilled. About an hour before enjoying, pull one (or all that you plan on serving) out of the fridge to give them some time to lose their chill and regain their lush, creamy interiors.
How Long will Chocolate Truffles Last?
These chocolate truffles will keep several days at room temperature or up to two weeks in the fridge. Either way, be sure to store them in a sealed, airtight container. Enjoy!
How to Make Chocolate Truffles
