Chocolate Truffles
Rich, creamy, decadent homemade chocolate truffles made with high-quality chocolate, heavy cream, and a touch of butter rolled into your favorite toppings.
Where are my chocolate lovers? I have a confession -- I pretty much eat chocolate every single day of my life and I am happy about it. By the time it hits 3:00, I am wondering where my chocolate is for the day.
Whenever we travel to another place, I always search for bakeries and chocolate shops. It is so much fun to discover hidden gems. When we visited Seattle, we even took a chocolate tour at Theo Chocolates to see how it is made and it was the epitome of a perfect day for me. Oh, and did I tell you about the unlimited samples?
It is almost Valentine's Day so I want to share how easy it is to make homemade chocolate truffles at home! It is actually shocking how easy it is and they are so decadent.
What ingredients do I need to make homemade truffles?
You only need 3 ingredients to make homemade chocolate truffles -- high-quality chocolate, heavy cream, and butter. You may want to add extracts to give extra flavor such as vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, orange, coconut, mint, etc. You can roll them into toppings after they chill in the refrigerator.
Do not substitute anything for the heavy cream. The chocolate truffles will not set up properly without the heavy cream.
What type of chocolate should I use when making Chocolate Truffles?
I suggest using the highest-quality chocolate you can get your hands on. I suggest buying Ghirardelli or Guittard baking bars or Lindt chocolate bars. There are other brands such as Theo Chocolate, Private Selection, and other fine chocolatiers. You can also find Swiss chocolate bars imported from Switzerland. If you want extra luxurious and decadent truffles, reach for semi-sweet or dark chocolate. If you want sweeter truffles, reach for milk chocolate. I prefer to do a mix of the two of them.
Do NOT use chocolate chips as they will not melt smooth enough.
DO NOT use the chocolate melting wafers. This chocolate has added oils to it to add it melting so it will not be firm enough for scooping and rolling chocolate truffles. The chocolate melting wafers are perfect for dipping your chocolate truffles in.
What are some Chocolate Truffle Toppings?
- Nuts (Chopped Pecans, Pistachios, Hazelnuts, Almonds, or Walnuts)
- Chocolate Jimmies (sprinkles)
- Mini Chocolate Chips
- Sparkling Sugar (of different colors)
- Sprinkles
- Dip in melted Dark or Milk Chocolate
- Dip in melted White Chocolate
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut
- Matcha Powder
- Cocoa Powder (for spice add a touch of chili or cayenne powder)
What are some chocolate ganache truffle rolling tips?
- The most important thing is to ensure that your chocolate truffle mixture has had sufficient time to set up and solidify. I suggest at least 3-4 hours in the refrigerator. You can even put it in the freezer if you need to expedite the process.
- The chocolate ganache consistency needs to be firm enough to roll into balls, but soft enough to scoop.
- Wear gloves or keep your hands from becoming too warm. As you roll the ganache mixture, your warm hands can melt the chocolate. I suggest placing the chocolate ganache bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice to keep it cold or running an ice cube along your hands or using an icepack on your hands to keep your hands cold.
What are the tools I use for chocolate making?
Homemade Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients
- 8 ounces High-Quality Chocolate Bars * (two 4-ounce bars)
- ½ cup + 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Butter (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract ** (optional)
Topping Ideas:
- Nuts (Chopped Pecans, Pistachios, Hazelnuts, Almonds, or Walnuts)
- Chocolate Jimmies (sprinkles)
- Mini Chocolate Chips
- Sparkling Sugar (of different colors)
- Dip in melted Dark or Milk Chocolate (such as Ghirardelli Melting Wafers)
- Dip in melted White Chocolate (such as Ghirardelli Melting Wafers)
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut
- Matcha Powder
- Cocoa Powder (for spice add a touch of chili or cayenne powder)
Instructions
- Place the chopped chocolate and heavy cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each cooking interval. It will take about 2 to 2 ½ minutes to completely melt the chocolate. Stir until smooth and glossy.
- Add in room-temperature butter and flavored extract. Stir until butter is completely melted and the chocolate is smooth.
- Cover with plastic wrap or foil and place in the refrigerator to chill for 3-4 hours.
- Once the chocolate ganache has solidified, use a cookie scoop or two small spoons to scoop out balls. These balls can be 2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon depending on preference. Roll and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Read rolling tips below for tips and tricks.
Rolling Tips:
- The most important thing is to ensure that your chocolate truffle mixture has had sufficient time to set up and solidify. I suggest at least 3-4 hours in the refrigerator. You can even put it in the freezer if you need to expedite the process. The chocolate ganache consistency needs to be firm enough to roll into balls, but soft enough to scoop. Wear gloves or keep your hands from becoming too warm. As you roll the ganache mixture, your warm hands can melt the chocolate. I suggest placing the chocolate ganache bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice to keep it cold or running an ice cube along your hands or using an icepack on your hands to keep your hands cold.
- Roll into toppings of your choice. Place back in the refrigerator and let set up. I would suggest chilling until ready to serve.
Kara
This is a dangerous recipe for me! These truffles are addicting!!
Party Girl
These were easier to make than I thought and my company couldn't believe I actually made them. They were not only yummy, but beautiful. I will make these again when I want to impress!
Ryan
I didn't really know what a truffle was until I stumbled across your pictures. Your pictures looked stunning and so I had to try them. The recipe was really easy to make and I loved your truffles. Thank you!
Donna
Melissa, you know darn well I can eat my weight in these delicious little morsels. And girl, that's a lot of weight....I love these candies. They are so rich and creamy, my favorite ones are The White Chocolate ones. I have made these so many times it's scary. If you ever make the White Chocolate ones, put in some freeze dried strawberries, OMG, they are so good.
Thank you
Donna