Decadent Chocolate Truffles
Recipe by Anna Olson from Sugar
As much as I may attribute my success as a pastry chef to my abilities, some of it may come the fact that I have naturally cold hands, even in summer. I can handle buttery pastries easily, and my hands are sometimes so chilly, that chocolate will set on my fingers as I’m making truffles.
Even with cold hands, making truffles is a messy, though exceptionally satisfying task. Remember to wear an apron! Makes about 24 truffles.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whipping cream
- 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tsp brandy
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For coating
- 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped and melted (or white chocolate or milk chocolate)
- cocoa powder and icing sugar for dusting
Method
- Heat the cream to just below a simmer and pour over chocolate. Stir gently to blend, stir in extract of your choice and brandy and cool to room temperature. Beat with a whisk to make a little fluffy, then let cool in the fridge for about 1 hour before making truffles.
- Cold hands are good for this task (run your hands under cold water for a minute, if needed). Spoon small teaspoonfuls of chocolate filling and roll into balls. Place on a baking tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Dip truffles in melted chocolate (using a toothpick) and place on a clean tray. Once the coating is set, dust with icing sugar or cocoa powder.
Notes & Tips
Variation: Instead of 1 tsp vanilla extract, you can add one of the following for a different flavour:
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp orange extract
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp rum extract
