Chocolate Ganache Truffles and Treats for Valentines Day

Total Time: 40 minutes

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With Valentines Day quickly approaching my thoughts turn to chocolate! Well that’s not really a surprise, my thoughts turn to chocolate quite often, and not just because I like chocolate.

I haven’t gotten to be this old to know that there’s a special relationship between women and chocolate. I’ve also learned that “Chocolate has charms that soothe a savage breast”  ( and no I didn’t make that phrase up, that’s actually how it was written by William Congreve in 1697….except I switched Music for Chocolate)

Anyway lets get back to Valentine’s Day and Chocolate, and more importantly Chocolate Ganache Truffles!

Truffles can be made flavored with your favorite liqueur and even stuffed with another flavored chocolate, fruit or nut. You can roll them in cocoa, or as I have ground salted pistachios for a salty sweet experience. But a classic truffle will simply be dipped in chocolate so the outside is crisp shell and the inside a melt in your mouth satiny smooth bite of chocolate heaven.

Since I was melting chocolate I thought I’d have some fun with the fruit I had in the house.

Lisa’s favorite is chocolate dipped pineapple, so I did a few of those and coated one with pistachios and the other with coconut. I also dipped some orange segments and of course you can’t go wrong with Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, and in Florida the berries are plentiful, fresh, super sweet and juicy as we come into our strawberry  season.

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5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Ganache Truffles adapted form Alice Medrich's Bittersweet

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

• 11 ounces of semisweet Chocolate roughly chopped into small pieces
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons Kahlua or your favorite liquor
• 4 ounces chocolate of your choice for dipping truffles some of the truffles optional
• 1 ounce cocoa powder optional
• 2 ounces chopped salted pistachios optional
• 2 ounces coconut optional

Instructions

• line a 8 inch square baking pan (or similar size pan) with film going across both ways leaving overhangs, then set aside
• make a double boiler using a small pot and metal or glass bowl that fits on top of the pot (not touching the bottom of the pan or water)
• place an inch of water in the pan and bring to a boil and reduce to simmer
• Place chocolate in small bowl and place over simmering water
• stir chocolate frequently as it melts
• When chocolate is almost completely melted remove from heat and continue stirring until all of chocolate is melted and smooth, set aside to cool slightly
• place heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, remove from heat and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes
• add cream and Kahlua to chocolate and using a whisk, gently mix the ingredients.
• keep the whisk touching the bottom of the bowl, alternating from sides to center mixing slowly so that air does not get into the chocolate.
• Only mix the chocolate until the cream is fully incorporated. It should look glossy, velvety and slightly thickened, resembling pudding.
• Using a rubber spatula pour mixture into prepared pan and allow to sit to cool for 15 minutes
• cover the mixture with the overhanging plastic wrap and place on the counter undisturbed overnight.
• Do not place this mixture into the refrigerator until it has set up. This will keep the chocolate satiny smooth.
• When chocolate has set, it can be placed in the refrigerator.
• Using a small cookie scoop, or melon baller form balls of the chocolate truffle mix, rounding them as good as possible. (if you use your hands the chocolate will melt, I have found that chilling it helps keep it more workable)
• after you have made all of the truffles, place them into the fridge to chill.
• Dip your Truffles in your choice of toppings, Cocoa, ground pistachio's, coconut, or dipped in melted chocolate.
• serve at room temperature and they will melt in your mouth!