Chocolate Truffles

I got a marble slab a couple of months ago with the intent of teaching myself to temper chocolate. It did look easy on youtube and in the books, but boy, it turned out to be more difficult, much more difficult than what I expected so I ended up rolling most of the truffles in different flavorings. Regardless, they turned out really yummy!

Check out Mandy of what the fruitcake for more Truffle post.

Basic Ganache Recipe:
9 oz. (250 g) Dark Chocolate, finely chopped
2/3 cup (5 oz. / 165 ml) Double/Heavy Cream
9 oz. (250 g) Milk Chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup (4 oz. / 125 ml) Double/Heavy Cream
9 oz. (250 g) White Chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup (2 oz. / 60 ml) Double/Heavy Cream

Flavorings:
Various Spices (Chilli Powder, Cardamom, Wasabi Powder, Ginger, Cinnamon etc.)
Chocolate powder, Instant Coffee Granules or Espresso, Matcha, Chai and Various Teas
Liqueurs (Amaretto, Chambord, Kahlua, Frangelico, Rum, Brandy, Vodka etc.)
Zests (Orange, Lemon, Lime etc.)
Herbs (Basil, Thyme, Mint, etc.)
Malted Milk Powders
Nut Pastes or Butters

Finely chop or grate the chocolate. Place in a heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, heat cream until just about to boil (it will start bubbling around the edges of the pot). Pour the cream over the chocolate. Gently stir the mixture until all the chocolate has melted and it is smooth. If you end up with pieces of chocolate that won’t melt, put the bowl over simmering water (but not touching the water) and stir gently until it’s all melted. Stir in your desired flavorings.

Allow the ganache to firm up in a container. With gloved hands, using a melon baller, scoop up room temperature ganache, then roll the balls between your palms to round them off.

Roll in various ingredients like cocoa or chopped nuts as desired or dip in tempered chocolate. If dipping in chocolate, it’s best to refrigerate the ganache balls before dipping so that they’re firm and don’t melt from the warm chocolate. For a thicker chocolate shell, dip once in tempered chocolate and allow to set, then do a second dipping or smear a small amount of chocolate over the truffle and roll in desired ingredients.