Truffle Kerfuffle.

Truffles. The caviar of the chocolate world. Expensive little things that leave a pleasantly rich taste in your mouth. Usually made of 65% cocoa solids, they may not be to everyone's taste, but they certainly leave many urging for more.

I love truffles. A chocoholic is pretty obviously going to make that statement, however I say this not because it's good ole chocolate, but because they're different. Chocolate is something I eat quite often and sometimes the crave lasts for a while. Nonetheless, I get bored. There are so many to choose from and it's the same old stuff. If I'm in the mood for something biscuity, Kit Kat or Twix, creamy: Kinder Bueno or Crispello, caramel: Galaxy or Cadbury's - you get the picture. Sometimes you don't know which you want. You want chocolate. You NEED chocolate, but none that's on your store shelf.

And that's why I like truffles. These smooth chocolate diamonds really satiate my chocolate fix and you can get soooo many different weird and wonderful flavours, you will never get bored of them!

The Chocolate truffles I made

Anyway I was in the mood of making some homemade, 'vintage'/sparkly truffles. Something to display on the dining table or even at a party. In fact, I made these at christmas time and packed some in a box for my bum chums.

Boxed up for friends.

Recipe for Dark Chocolate Truffles:

Ingredients

• 300ml double cream
• 300g dark chocolate, chopped (minimum of 65% cocoa solids). I used dark chocolate chips for convenience.
• 1 tsp salt
• 50g butter
• Cocoa powder

That is really about it! 

METHOD

1. Place the cream and butter into a pan over a medium heat and bring up to a simmer and until the butter melts.
2. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a large bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
3. When the cream is simmering, remove the pan from the heat and add the salt.
4. Add the cream to the melted chocolate a third at a time, making sure that the cream is thoroughly incorporated after each addition and then allow to cool.
5. At this point you can add any extra flavouring if you wish. I divided the mixture into three separate bowls. One was left plain, in another I added a few drops of peppermint extract and in the last one I added strawberry flavouring.
6. Leave the mixture to cool and then chill for 4 hours and then place it in the fridge after for 5-6 hours or until set.
7. Using a small melon baller, scoop balls of the chocolate out of the ganache then roll in cocoa powder before serving.

If you find using a melon baller difficult, which I did, I scooped small amounts with a teaspoon and rolled them with my hands (make sure you've washed them). This is the messy or kerfuffly bit. You have to do it quite quickly or the truffles will end up melting and stick to your hands. 

To decorate use your imagination! I rolled some in cocoa powder, but you can also coat them in melted milk or white chocolate. I also used strawberry and orange powder (I smashed flavoured rocks) and glitter. As sparkly as glitter is, I wouldn't recommend coating the whole truffle in it. I found that it tasted a bit gritty when you ate them, looked very pretty however!

I then popped them in mini truffle cases. And bada-bing-bada-boom! These diamonds were born and immediately gobbled up by all. I'm even being asked to make some more!

The end result.

It actually is really simple.

Let me know how you guys get on with this recipe!


The Dainty Cook x