Chocolate truffles and I have had a long history. These decadent bites of intense chocolate, along with chocolate exhibitions, were just beginning to be a fad in the early 1980s. I remember getting my mom to take me to one of the first big extravaganzas in San Francisco somewhere around 1979 or 80. Walking into this colossal exhibit hall and seeing hundreds of vendors, candy makers, and restaurants showing off amazing chocolate confections was an extraordinary event. Of course, chocolate has been around for centuries, originating in Latin America long before Europeans decided to add sugar and make it one of the most popular ingredients the world over. But there was something about this fad of chocolate exhibitions that really started the explosion of “chocolate culture.”
One of my earliest memories of chocolate truffles is finding a recipe for chocolate truffles in the Silver Palate cookbook, published in 1979 and still one of my most treasured cookbooks, The Silver Palate was one of the earliest books that started me on my cooking journey. Making these intense balls of chocolate heaven was a big revelation for me on how something so simple can be an incredible experience. A few friends and I wanted to create a catering company, and chocolate truffles would be a big part of what the company could offer. We even did a few gigs with these decadent treats featured as one of the things we did well. I worked for a year or two for a cheese shop and candy maker in my hometown of Los Altos. They made 20 kinds of truffles flavored with everything from Frangelico to cherries and working at this shop added to my education on truffles. Though I will say that the idea of shaping their truffles in loose cones that ended up looking a bit like dog piles were not the best choice. But, I digress! Later on, I had moved to Los Angeles, where a good friend and I had this idea to make truffles and package them into used film canisters. It was hard to find enough of the canisters to make that idea work, but I still think the idea was brilliant. I even once made a huge box of truffles for a Valentine’s Day gift that got a very appreciative response!
But I somehow got out of making them. Life can get in the way sometimes. Well, I feel it is now time to get back into the truffle game. So here is a basic, yet sophisticated, recipe for chocolate truffles. There are only a few key things to understand about making chocolate truffles. The chocolate is of utmost importance. If you do not use a bar of good chocolate, it will not taste great. Look for the best chocolate you can find. I like to use Belgian, but there are many fine chocolate makers out there that would be fantastic. The cream is essential too. Fresh heavy cream will add to the flavor and texture as well. Adding a tablespoon of butter will keep the truffles very smooth and luscious. And keeping your hands cool will save you from a big mess. I like to wash my hands in cold water after every couple of balls and then dry well before proceeding to keep the mixture from melting. No need to make them perfectly round, they are supposed to look like the fungus they are named for.
We all can see the light at the end of this long tunnel if we look at it hard enough. Keep going. You can do this. As always, please think of others in what you choose to do. Hopefully, bring some joy to those you encounter. We all need a smile now and then.
- 8 oz good bittersweet chocolate preferably Belgian.
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
- ½ cup cocoa powder for finishing
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Finely chop the chocolate. Making sure there are no pieces as big as chocolate chips.
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Place the chopped chocolate and the butter into a small to medium-sized bowl.
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Heat the cream in a small saucepan until just below the boiling point. You will see little bubbles appear around the edges. You can do this in the microwave. However, make sure to keep a very close eye on the cream as it will boil over very quickly. (I like to use 15-second increments)
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Pour the cream over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes.
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Stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
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Cover the bowl and let chill in the fridge for an hour or two until the mixture has completely cooled and firmed up.
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Place the cocoa powder into a shallow dish and have a tray ready to place the finished truffles.
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Using a small spoon, scrape across the surface until you have about a 2 teaspoon sized ball of truffle mixture. Alternately you can try and use a small cookie scoop. But traditionally, the scaping method gives you a better texture.
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very quickly roll the ball in your hands to smooth it out. It doesn't have to be perfectly round they should look rustic.
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Drop the ball into the dish of cocoa powder and roll around to coat. Place the finished truffle on the tray and continue with making more truffles.
These truffles taste the best at room temperature. But need to be kept in the fridge. They will keep for about 2 weeks.
My hands get warm really fast, and I need to keep cooling them down to not melt the truffles. When making them, I wash my hands frequently with cold water and then dry them very well with the towels. If you have cold hands, this will not be a problem.
