Chocolate Truffles to Get You Through the Dog (or Cat) Days of Summer

[vc_row inner_container=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”1/1″][text_output][/text_output][columnize][dropcap] I [/dropcap] hadn’t ever really considered what the transition would be like when I started my own family. And then one day it just hit me that it had already happened. There really wasn’t a transition at all. Just this fluid movement of blending my family and my husbands family and then all of a sudden we were our own family. One day I was on my way home from a trip with my husband and I thought to myself, “I can’t wait to get home and see the cats and snuggle with them. I can’t wait to just be home with all four of us.” And it just hit me. We are a new family. He and I and our two cats. We are “The Hoffmans.”

Now I know that some of you are probably rolling your eyes at the mere thought of me considering our cats as our children in a way. But really, I think they are one of the biggest pieces that made us start feeling like a real family. They are something that we take care of together. Sure, I take care of my husband and he takes care of me, but our cats are ours together. And there is just something about that process of caring for another being together that feels like the last piece of the puzzle. And yes, I’m sure that having kids would feel like that times a billion, but for now our cats complete our little Hoffman family.

Plus, look at how pretty they are! How could you not have 1000 pictures of them on your phone and fill up your instagram feed with their cuteness?! Yes, beware. If you follow me on instagram be warned that I will torture you with food porn and cat pictures. I fully embrace my cat lady status.[/columnize][text_output][/text_output][line][text_output]Now that we are well into the dog days (or in my case, cat days) of summer, I have been trying to keep the oven off more. “Trying” being the key word here. I have such a pull toward that oven and heating it up to transform batters and doughs into amazing baked goods. But I’m working on it. Not only because the air conditioner works overtime every time I crank that oven up, but also because I’m trying to spend more time with my family and less time in the kitchen this summer!

You see, the past year was spent being way too busy and not spending enough time with my family. I was in culinary school and my husband and I were on completely opposite schedules. But I finished school and those days are behind us. I’m trying to savor every moment of these endless summer days before it turns cold and dark and I feel like I need to be in bed at 6pm…(see my old cat lady personality coming through?!)

Last weekend I decided to make chocolate truffles. I was trying to think of a decadent treat I could make to give my husband his sweet fix but not spend all day in the kitchen baking. Truffles are the perfect “feels fancy but in actuality are stupidly easy to make” treat. If you haven’t ever had a chocolate truffle (I’m sorry!) then you should know that they are intensely rich and decadent with a velvety smooth texture. And you should also know that making truffles is an incredibly easy process and it doesn’t even require you to turn on your oven! There is just a quick heating of some cream and that’s it!

[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” padding_top=”10px” padding_bottom=”20px” border=”all” no_margin=”true”][vc_column width=”1/1″][text_output]

TO MAKE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

The base of a chocolate truffle is chilled ganache. If you aren’t familiar with ganache it is a mixture of chocolate and cream. That’s it. Two ingredients. Ganache is an incredibly versatile mixture that can be used for all kinds of baking and pastry needs. To learn all the baking science of ganache and it’s numerous uses, check out my Ganache 101 post on my blog.

STEP 1: MAKE A THICK GANACHE 

A thick ganache calls for a 2:1 ratio of chocolate to cream, meaning you will use double the amount of chocolate as you will cream. You can use semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or cut up a chocolate bar into small pieces. Place the pieces of chocolate in a bowl and pour hot cream over them. Allow the hot cream and chocolate to sit for about 2 minutes. Place a whisk right in the center of the bowl and whisk in small circles slowly moving outward. This process creates an emulsion between the fats and the liquid and results in a smooth and silky mixture.

STEP 2: CHILL THE GANACHE

After you have a smooth ganache mixture, chill it in the refrigerator uncovered until solid. It will still be soft and scoopable. This should take about 1 hour to chill.

STEP 3: SCOOP AND ROLL GANACHE INTO TRUFFLES

Use a small scoop or a spoon to portion out truffles. I use my small cookie scoop for this. It is about a 1 oz scoop. This is the biggest I would go with a truffle. They are so rich you don’t need any bigger. I think smaller would actually be a little better.

STEP 4: ROLL TRUFFLES IN TOPPINGS

Roll the truffles in between your palms. This will warm them slightly and allow the toppings to stick more easily. Classic truffles are rolled in cocoa powder. That’s actually why they are called truffles. Because when rolled in cocoa powder chocolate truffles look like mushroom truffles. But you can roll them in any kind of toppings you like. I used a variety including: cocoa powder spiced with cayenne pepper, shredded coconut, pulverized pecans and pistachios, and chocolate and rainbow sprinkles.

Store the truffles in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

(Wyatt is such a good quality control supervisor)

[/text_output][line][text_output]

OTHER WAYS TO FLAVOR TRUFFLES

If you want to change up the flavor of your truffles more than just in the toppings, you can flavor your ganache too. Here are a few ways to flavor your ganache:

• INFUSE FLAVOR IN YOUR CREAM: Steep fresh herbs (basil, mint, rosemary, thyme), citrus zests, or coffee beans in the cream while heating it. Strain the cream before adding it to the chocolate.
• ADD FLAVOR DIRECTLY INTO THE CHOCOLATE MIXTURE: Add extracts (vanilla, almond, anise), spices (cinnamon, cayenne, nutmeg, cardamom), finely grated citrus zests (orange, lemon), or instant espresso powder right into the chocolate cream mixture.
• ADD TEXTURE TO THE GANACHE: Add finely chopped nuts, cocoa nibs, shredded coconut, etc… right into the chocolate cream mixture.

[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”1/1″][text_output]

[line]

BASIC CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE RECIPE

Yield: Makes about 2 dozen truffles[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”20px” border=”bottom” no_margin=”true”][vc_column width=”1/3″][text_output]Ingredients: 

• 8 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
• 4 oz (1/2 cup) heavy cream (also known as double cream)
• large pinch of salt (optional but recommended)
• cocoa powder for rolling or any other toppings you desire

[/text_output][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][text_output]Method: 

1. Chop your chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl.
2. Put your cream in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Allow cream to heat until simmering and almost boiling.
3. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let stand for about 3 minutes. Add your salt into the bowl at this point if using.
4. Put your whisking to the center of the chocolate cream mixture and begin whisking in small circles going in one direction and slowly moving outward until the mixture is smooth.
5. Place the ganache in the refrigerator uncovered until the mixture becomes solid, about 1 hour, before scooping and shaping.
6. Scoop small amounts of ganache, about 2 TBSP or less, roll between your palms, and roll in toppings. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][text_output][callout type=”left” title=”Like this article?” message=”Receive updates about our issues right to your inbox!” button_text=”Subscribe to VRAI Magazine!” href=”http://eepurl.com/OiHkH” target=”blank”][/text_output][author title=”About the Author”][/vc_column][/vc_row]