Thursday, February 11, 2010

Chocolate Truffles




Chocolate Truffles
from the Barefoot Contessa

1/2 lb. good bittersweet chocolate (recommended, Lindt)
1/2 lb. good semisweet chocolate (recommended, Ghiradelli
NOTE: I use Hershey bars to equal 1 lb. Last year I used the free Lindt chocolate bars I got at Christmas time. I use 3 parts milk chocolate and 1 part semisweet and I like the way it turns out. Not sure how many Hershey bars that would be or the size. I would probably buy 2 half lb. milk chocolate bars and one small dark bar and take out some of the milk choclate to equal a pound of chocolate.
UPDATED NOTE 1/26/11-Half lb. candy bars no longer weigh a 1/2 lb. They are 15 oz. This past Christmas I used 2 large Hershey milk chocolate bars that were 15 oz. each, plus a row pr two of squares from a third bar and a half of a dark chocolate Hershey bar. This made it the right consistency.
1 C. heavy cream
2 T. orange flavored liqueur, optional. NOTE: I never use this
1 T. prepared coffee. NOTE: I never use this
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract. NOTE: I use the cheap kind, it's fine
Confectioner's sugar
cocoa powder

Chop the chocolate finely with a sharp knife. Place them in a heat proof mixing bowl.

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just boils. Turn off the heat and allow the cream to sit for 20 seconds. Pour the cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with chocolate. Whatever, NOTE AGAIN: I never do that step. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in the orange flavored liqueur, if using, coffee, and vanilla. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour. NOTE: Put it in the fridge or you'll be waiting until Dec. for it to firm up.

With 2 teaspoons, spoon round balls of the chocolate mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. NOTE: Use your hands, it will be messy but you can wash them later. I use gloves like restaurant workers use when I do this. Roll each ball of chocolate in your hands to roughly make it round. Roll in confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, or both. These will keep refrigerated for weeks, but serve them at room temperature.

NOTE: The kind rolled in cocoa powder will be bitter, so you may opt for the powdered sugar. My older kids happen to like the cocoa powder kind. The powdered sugar will absorb into the truffle and look kind of wet. I just re coat it before giving it away. Nuts or chocolate jimmies are also good coatings. These really are yummy.

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