Chocolate Truffles
The first (and maybe only?) candy I ever learned how to make was this chocolate truffles recipe. Chocolate truffles are probably the EASIEST CANDY EVER. Seriously there are three ingredients and you don’t need a thermometer or even very good fine motor skills. I guess you do need a refrigerator and a few hours, but hey, I never said they were fast. Just easy.
You can’t have it both ways, guys.
BUTT … (hehee I said “butt” in the Valentine’s Day post! I’m so naughty!) but, the thing that I think is superkewl about these is how they are named after the truffle fungus, the things that piggies dig up? In France? Know what I mean? That’s probably a stupid thing to latch on to, but I do think it’s neat, especially since it means you don’t have to mess with tempering chocolate and all that mess (I’ve said before, I am not a wizard) and instead you can just roll them in cocoa and it’s SYMBOLIC, you guys.
Symbolic of dirt, but who cares?! Symbolism is dope.
Chocolate Truffles Video How-To
Chocolate Truffles Recipe
PrintChocolate Truffles
- Prep Time: 4 mins
- Total Time: 4 minutes
- Yield: 28 1x
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (2 cups) chocolate chips
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- Optional flavorings for truffle centers:
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1–2 drops peppermint, cinnamon, or rose oil
- 1/2 cup minced glacé or dried fruit (cherries, citron, ginger)
- 1 teaspoon rum or bourbon
- Optional flavorings for coating:
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 powdered sugar instead of cocoa
- 1 cup minced nuts instead of cocoa (pistachios, almonds)
- 1 cup shredded coconut instead of cocoa
Instructions
- Place the chocolate in a large bowl. Use a larger bowl than you think you need.
- Heat the cream in a small pot over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until steaming and just almost simmering.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit 30 seconds. Then stir gently with a rubber spatula.
- Continue to mix until the chocolate is fully melted and incorporated. This may take several minutes. If for some reason you are interrupted, you can reheat the mix gently by putting over a double boiler briefly.
- Once smooth, add any optional flavorings you are using and allow the chocolate to come to room temperature. Stir occasionally (every 5 minutes or so) until the bowl no longer feels warm.
- Refrigerate until solid, 3-4 hours.
- Scoop tablespoons of the chocolate out and roll between palms to form rough balls. Place on wax-paper-lined plate and refrigerate again to firm up, about an hour.
- Get your coatings arranged in small plates and roll the ganache balls in flavored cocoa or whatever you’re using. Once coated, it will be easier to roll them into more perfect balls if you like them like that.
- Store up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator, covered. Allow to come to room temperature before serving for best flavor.
You can also watch the chocolate truffles recipe video on YouTube!
More Valentine’s Day Ideas
Vegetarian Valentine’s Day Meal (one of our VERY early episodes. It’s weird.)
Strawberry Shortcake!
Sexy Surf and Turf (steak with fried oysters)
How to Steam a Lobster (And how to shell it!)
Flourless Chocolate Cakes (gluten-free mini fudge cakes. yum!)
28 Comments
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I can’t wait to make these! But I also had a question on an earlier recipe (Fried Apple Pies): can you use cherry filling in those? And if so what would you suggest using? Would just canned cherry pie filling work or maybe something else? Thanks Hilah!
Hi Katlin!
Yes you could use cherry pie filling or do the same method as the apple filling but with pitted cherries. You can get them frozen already pitted which would definitely be easier than pitting them yourself. 🙂
I am SUCH a chocolate fiend. I can’t wait to make these!
Me too! I made a double batch and we’ve eaten half of them already. 🙂
Thank you Hilah for making chocolate recipe. Your a genie!
I make it up but it’s not done yet.
Thanks a lot!
Hope you like them, Yana! Have fun and get creative with it! 🙂
Can you please make a vegetarian recipe Hilah. For my body because its out of balance 🙂
Thank you so much for the recipe! I’m going to make them tonight for my work friends, but I was wondering abut how many truffles that this recipe makes? Thanks!
It makes about 28 truffles, an inch diameter. Your work friends are lucky, Kira! 🙂
Quick question! If I leave the melted chocolate in the fridge for longer than 3-4 hours will it ruin the whole recipe?
Not at all! Just cover it for longer keeping. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Cool! I actually finished the truffles this morning and they were the bomb.com. My boyfriend love them. You’re awesome!! 😀
Yay! Thank you! A couple people have had problems with it setting up so it’s good to hear your worked. Happy V-day!
Hi Hilah! I have a question for you. I tried making these and I used the ratio you suggested, but the chocolate never set up. It stayed liquid even after several hours in the fridge. I even put the bowl in the freezer over night, and of course it set up then but as soon as I started to roll them into balls they melted into chocolate puddles in my hand. The only difference is I used milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet. Do you think that could be the reason? Would milk chocolate require a different cream ratio? It still tastes delicious, even if its a bowl of liquid chocolate 😉
I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips. I’m guessing it really it depends on the chocolate because mine turned out perfect!
Hi Kendra,
I don’t think the milk vs semi chocolate should make a difference. I responded above to another person with the same issue. I’ve never had this happen when I make them, but some things that can cause it not to set (according to the internet) are not using heavy cream, putting it in the fridge too soon (that is, before it’s cooled to room temp) and having the ratio off.
You can try to fix it by slowly remelting and adding some new chocolate and a tablespoon of butter. Otherwise, it does make a great cake frosting!
I’m sorry!
You know, it must have been the temperature. I know it wasn’t hot when I put it in the fridge, but it might not have been completely cool. Darn, I guess I’ll have to try it again! 😛 Thanks, Hilah!
I just tried to make these as well, and the same thing happened to me, it didn’t harden in the frig and I left it for 4 hours. I just put it back on the stove with butter and more chips as you suggested. It is now cooling and I am going to leave it out on the counter for 2 hours to see if that will help and then put it in the frig overnight. If not, I guess this is not the dessert for me to make 🙁 sad because it sounded so good and so easy.
Hey Hilah,
so im really confused and upset i made the chocolate truffle mix and then put it in the fridge to harden and after 4 hours i checked it and it wasnt hardened yet so i left it over night and checked it in the morning and still it wasnt hardened. its 12:52 and the mix still isnt hardened what did i do wrong. 🙁 i followed your instructions to a “T” and i dont get it, it did thicken quite a bit but i can tilt the bowl and it will still move around. I dont know what to do please help me!!!!
Hi Jade,
I’m sorry this happened to you! I don’t know why this happens occasionally. It could be that the mixture wasn’t cooled all the way to room temperature before you put it in the fridge. If you have any extra chocolate (even just a tablespoon of chips) you can try remelting the mix in a double boiler, then add the new chips, remove from the heat, and stir until melted. A tablespoon of cold butter added in at that point too, can help it set up. Adding the new chocolate helps the chocolate “crystals” set up again the right way and the extra fat from the butter may help, too.
The soft ganache, though, also makes a great frosting for cakes if you’re over it and too frustrated to try and fix it at this point.
well i made some more for so brownies and it set and hardened….of course and the other never did so yeah i got it backwards. but thank you for the tips and i’ll try and see if it works. Hopefully it does this time, thanks again!!!
Thanks for this recipe. I had no idea what to get my mom for Mother’s Day, so I’m gonna make her some of these.
Great, Becky! Some people have had some issues with it not setting up firm, but as long as you make sure to let the chocolate mix cool to room temperature (about 70ºF) before refrigerating, it should be fine. Happy mother’s day to your mama!
thanks for this recipe!! 🙂
i’m gonna make this for my mom. 🙂 thanks again!
Have fun, Anne! There are more tips in the comments section if you run into problems.
Great recipe!!I tried it and it turned out perfect!
I think this would make a great Christmas gift too!!;)
Indeed it would, Kate!