Chocolate Truffles

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Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup half-and-half or whole milk
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 pound imported bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces

coatings:

  • 1/2 cup (about 2 oz) grated semisweet or white chocolate
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup chopped, toasted nuts
  • 1/2 cup turkish coffee grounds
  • variation: add a little cayenne pepper to the cocoa powder

for dipped truffles:

  • 12 oz chopped chocolate


In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the milk and heavy cream and heat until boiling. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the chopped chocolate and butter until melted. Stir until completely smooth with a wooden spoon, but don't let the mixture form bubbles. Pour onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Refrigerate overnight, until the chocolate is completely firm.

To make the truffles, take the chilled pan out of the refrigerator and shape the truffles with a melon baller into rough balls about 3/4-inch in diameter. Place the balls on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper and freeze for 30 minutes.

Place the coatings in separate saucers. Roll the chocolate balls in one or more of these coatings. Return them to the waxed paper and refrigerate. They will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or in the freezer for a month. To serve, bring them back to room temperature.

For dipped truffles, melt 12 oz of chopped chocolate in a double boiler. Remove the top saucepan from the double boiler and let the chocolate cool to just about body temperature. Carefully drop the chilled truffle balls into the chocolate, one at a time, and roll to cover completely. Lift the truffle out carefully with a fork, scraping the excess chocolate off the truffle's bottom on the edge of the pan. Place on a paper-lined baking sheet by carefully pushing each truffle off the tines of the fork with a paring knife. Refrigerate.

VARIATIONS: - Add 1 ounce of liqueur to the milk mixture when you add the chocolate and butter - Whisk in 2-3 tbsp turkish coffee powder to milk mixture when you add the chocolate and butter - Whisk in 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or ground red chilis to milk mixture when you add the chocolate and butter

Editor's note: the past several times that I've made these, I've had problems with the chocolate separating in the initial melting, to create a marbling effect. Any suggestions on how to avoid this problem would be greatly appreciated.


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