How to Make Homemade Truffles

How to Make Homemade Truffles

Truffles are another thing that I’d put off making because I thought they were difficult. NOT SO! And the great thing is that if you use the quantities laid out in this recipe you’ll have truffles coming out of your ears. These truffles not only taste scrumptious but make really delicious homemade Christmas gifts.

I have friends that are great  lovers of both milk and dark chocolate so I decided to make a batch of milk chocolate truffles and a batch of dark chocolate truffles. This way everyone is happy!

Each batch makes 36 truffles

For the dark chocolate batch-

• Break the 400g of dark chocolate up into smallish pieces and place into a large mixing bowl
• Heat 300ml of double cream and three tablespoons of Cointreau in a saucepan on a medium heat until it bubbles slightly and is clearly hot but not boiling!
• Remove the pan from the heat and pour the contents over the broken chocolate pieces in the mixing bowl
• Allow the chocolate pieces to melt into the hot cream mixture for a couple of minutes
• Gently whisk together the cream and melted chocolate until smooth and shiny
• Allow to cool completely
• Cover the bowl with cling-film and chill the ganache (the correct term for the chocolate mixture) in the fridge overnight

Use exactly the same process for the milk chocolate truffles but add 3 tablespoons of Amaretto to the cream instead of  Cointreau

The next day or when the ganache is totally chilled…

• Ground your hazelnuts into very small pieces and transfer into a small bowl
• You can chop them using a sharp knife but I used a pestle and mortar as I found it quicker
• Then sift your cocoa into a small bowl
• Take the ganache from the fridge and remove the cling film covering
• Using a melon scoop or teaspoon take a small amount of the ganache from the bowl and roll onto a small ball in the palm of your hands

Note: The ganache will slowly start to melt once removed from the fridge so you will need to roll the truffle balls as quickly as possible

• Take the truffle ball and roll it around in the chopped hazelnuts
• When the truffle is totally coved in the hazelnuts place into a petite four case
• Repeat this until until all the ganache is used up, remembering to alternate between dipping the truffle balls in the hazelnuts and in the cocoa
• When all the truffles balls are rolled and covered and placed into their petite four cases, place onto a large tray and chill in the fridge for two hours

After two hours the truffles are ready to eat. Yum!

If you are giving your truffles as gifts think about placing them in some pretty boxes decorated with a big bow. Any chocolate loving friend will love to receive these as a gift this Christmas and the boxes are easy to find at Sugar Shack , Hobbycraft or online.

Tip: These truffles are also a great homemade gift if you want to give something a little more personal this year to your child’s teacher or to your postman!

All of these Christmassy ideas are added to the site early to give you as much of a choice as possible when it comes to choosing which projects you’ll opt for. 

Pick and choose. That’s what it’s all here for.

lots of love

Cherry xox