Chocolate Truffles
This Chocolate Truffles recipe turns dark chocolate, cream and butter into small, soft-centred treats with a lightly bitter cocoa coating. There is no oven to heat up the kitchen, which makes them particularly welcome at a hot South African Christmas. Put a few beside the coffee cups after lunch, or pack them into little boxes for gifts that can stay refrigerated.
The mixture needs time in the fridge before you can roll it, so start several hours ahead or the day before. Choose a dark chocolate you enjoy eating, and chop it finely so it melts evenly. Slightly uneven shapes are perfectly fine; keep the portions small and work in batches if your kitchen is warm.
Ingredients
For the truffles
For coating
Instructions
- 1Place the finely chopped chocolate in a clean, completely dry heatproof bowl.
- 2Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low to medium heat until steaming, with small bubbles appearing around the edge, about 3–5 minutes. Remove it from the heat before it boils vigorously.
- 3Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, making sure the chocolate is covered. Leave undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir gently from the centre outwards until smooth. If small pieces remain, set the bowl over barely simmering water, without letting its base touch the water, and stir briefly until melted.
- 4Add the softened butter and stir until fully incorporated and glossy. Transfer the ganache to a shallow container.
- 5Leave to cool for about 20 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 2–3 hours, or until firm enough to scoop and roll. If chilled overnight and very hard, let it stand for 10–15 minutes before shaping.
- 6Line a tray with baking paper and put the cocoa powder in a shallow bowl. Scoop the ganache into 24 roughly equal portions, about 19 g each.
- 7With cool, clean, dry hands, quickly roll each portion into a ball, then roll lightly in cocoa. Set on the lined tray. If the mixture becomes sticky or soft, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes before continuing.
- 8Refrigerate the finished truffles for at least 30 minutes before serving. For a hot Christmas day, serve a small batch on a chilled plate and keep the rest in the fridge until needed.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 208 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Protein
- 2.5 g
- Fat
- 16.8 g
- Saturated fat
- 10.1 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 8 mg
- Cholesterol
- 18 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- Make these a day or two before Christmas and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The listed preparation and cooking times exclude cooling and chilling; allow about 4 hours from starting to serving.
- In summer heat, keep the truffles refrigerated until shortly before serving. Put out small batches rather than leaving the whole plate on the table.
- For gifts, place the truffles in mini paper cases inside a food-safe box. Transport in a cooler bag with ice packs and include a note to keep refrigerated.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge with the container closed to limit condensation, then refresh the cocoa coating if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use milk chocolate instead?
Not as a straight swap: milk chocolate makes a softer ganache and needs a different cream ratio. Use dark chocolate with 60–70% cocoa for the quantities and chilling times given here.
Why is my ganache too soft to roll?
It may need longer in the fridge, especially if it was chilled in a deep bowl. Transfer it to a shallow container and chill until firm. Accurate quantities matter, so weigh the chocolate and measure the cream carefully.
Can I make these without heating a saucepan?
Yes. Heat the cream in a microwave-safe jug in short bursts until steaming, watching carefully so it does not boil over. Pour it over the chopped chocolate and continue with the recipe. You still need to heat the cream, but no oven is required.
