The Daily Tiffin: Easy Basic Chocolate Truffle recipe

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and if you are not done with your fair share of Holiday treats, then here's another occasion to celebrate love by enjoying these delicious Chocolate Truffles with your loved one! Everyone loves truffles, and what I love the most is the fact that you can virtually make numerous truffle recipes, as long as you nail the basic Ganache recipe. Plus, you can easily preserve these candies for almost 2 weeks when refrigerated. So here's the easiest recipe to make Basic Chocolate Truffles - go ahead and find your variation by selecting any one of the suggested truffle ideas below!

Basic Chocolate Truffles
Makes about 1.5 pounds chocolate

Ingredients
1 cup Crème Fraîche (or heavy cream)
14 oz. Dark Chocolate (use very high quality, 70% cocoa, chocolate - or very high quality unsweetened baking chocolate.)
8 oz. Additional Dark Chocolate
11/2 cups Cocoa Powder (the highest quality you can find)
3 tbsp. Butter (optional)

Method

Making the Ganache:
1. Break chocolate into small pieces and put in a large bowl.
2. Bring cream slowly to a light boil.
3. Pour boiling cream over chocolate and keep stirring until all the chocolate has melted and the batter is uniform.
4. If you want to add butter, do so now, before the batter cools, and thickens.

When the ganache is warm it is very creamy. You can thicken it by whisking it for a few minutes, or by putting it in the freezer for 30 minutes or until set (it should have the consistency of fudge). You want the ganache to be just thick enough to easily form the truffle balls.

Making the Truffles
Using a melon baller or a small spoon, form rounds of the ganache and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Let the truffles harden in the freezer for about 15 minutes. After removing truffles from the freezer, roll them between your hands into marble-size spheres, squeezing gently (try to do this quickly, otherwise they'll become too soft).

While you form the Truffles, Melt the rest of the chocolate in a double-boiler or in the microwave. Then Dip each ball in the melted chocolate and then roll it in the cocoa powder.

Variations:

1. Roll the truffles into ground pistachios to make Pistachio Truffles.
2. Soak some orange rinds in some Grand mariner or other sweet liqueur and add to the Ganache to make a special version.
3. Add hazelnut or Coffee flavor to the ganache then roll the truffles in ground hazelnut powder to make nutty truffles.

There, enjoy Valentine's Day with these delicious truffle recipes. If you are looking for more fun, try these Chocolate Truffle Cookies instead; they will leave an impression, guaranteed! And for a more memorable holiday, start your morning with breakfast in bed, serving these hot and healthy Strawberry Pancakes, follow with a delicious yet stress-free recipe for Baked Macaroni in Cream Sauce and end your evening with a glass of chilled Raspberry Ice Cream Float for dessert!

This post was written by Mansi

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