Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

Stephen Ceideburg
1 lb Bittersweet chocolate,
-finely chopped
1 1/2 c Whipping cream
3 tb To 4 tb cocoa powder
1 1/2 lb Bittersweet chocolate *

* to be tempered (see directions below)

These truffles are as close as you can get to eating pure chocolate.
When you bite through the outer coating, you are treated to a creamy
rich chocolate center. They will make you feel like royalty.

Melt the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not
simmering, water, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula to ensure
even melting. In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream
to a boil. Remove both pans from the heat, remove the top pan, from
the double boiler and wipe it dry (see Editor's Note), pour the cream
into the melted chocolate, and stir together until thoroughly
blended. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, let cool to room
temperature, and chill in the refrigerator until thick but not stiff
(2 to 3 hours).

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Fit a 12- inch
pastry bag with a #5 large, plain round tip and fill partway with the
truffle cream. Holding the pastry. bag 1 inch above the paper, pipe
out mounds about 1 inch in diameter. Cover the mounds with plastic
wrap and chill in the freezer for 2 hours or in the refrigerator for
6 hours. Dust your hands with cocoa powder and roll the mounds into
balls. These will be the truffle centers. Cover and chill the centers
for another 2 hours in the freezer.

Melt and temper the 1 1/2 pounds bittersweet chocolate. Line 2 more
baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Remove the truffle
centers from the freezer 1 sheet at a time. Place a truffle center
into the tempered chocolate, coating it completely. With a dipper or
fork remove the center from the chocolate, carefully shake off the
excess chocolate, and turn the truffle out onto the paper. Then dip a
fork into the chocolate and form lines across the tops of the
truffles by moving the fork from one side of the baking sheet to the
other, letting the chocolate drop off. Repeat with the remaining
sheet of truffle centers.

Let the truffles set at room temperature or chill them in the
refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. When the truffles are set, place
them in paper candy cups. In a tightly covered container wrapped in
several layers of aluminum foil, the truffles will keep for 1 month
in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. The truffles are best
served at room temperature.

Variations

Instead of dipping the truffle centers into tempered cho- colate,
roll them in cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar, or finely chopped
nuts as soon as they are rolled into balls.

Classic White Chocolate Truffles

Substitute 1 pound white chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate in
the centers, and use 3/4 cup whipping cream. Dip the centers and line
the tops of the truffles with tempered white chocolate, or roll the
centers in confectioners' sugar as soon as they are rolled into balls.

Classic Milk Chocolate Truffles

Substitute milk chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate in the
centers and for the coating, and 1 cup whipping cream.

Quick tempering method

Chop 1 1/2 pounds of chocolate into very small pieces and set aside
1/2 pound. Melt the remaining 1 pound in the top of a double boiler
over hot, not simmering, water, stirring frequently with a rubber
spatula to ensure even melting. The chocolate should not exceed 120
degrees F (110 degrees F for white cho- colate) or it will burn.
Remove the double boiler from the heat, then remove the top pan of
the double boiler and wipe it dry. Stir in the remaining chocolate in
three to four batches, making sure that each batch is completely
melted before adding the next. When all the chocolate has been added,
the chocolate will be tempered.

Editor's note: It's important to follow this step. Carole Bloom says
water is the enemy of chocolate and that even a few drops can cause a
pan of chocolate to "seize up" and resemble mud. If this happens, she
says you cannot salvage it. Make sure all utensils are completely dry
when working with chocolate.

Yield: 60 1-inch round truffles.

From "Truffles, Candies and Confections" by Carole Bloom. The
Oregonian FOODday, 2/9/93.

Posted by Stephen Ceideburg

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