Last Updated on July 3, 2023 by David Michael
Chocolate Truffles
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Silky smooth chocolate truffles are a luxury that are surprisingly easy to make at home. Rich and decadent, I start with classic chocolate truffles and give you a few recipe variations. Perfect for Valentine’s day, New Year’s, or any celebration you want an indulgence.
When using spirits to flavor the chocolate I add an extra ounce of chocolate to keep the texture correct. Feel free to use any spirits you like – bourbon, cognac, creme de cassis, kirsch, chambord all make excellent truffles. If you like the flavor with chocolate – feel free to use it.
I like to use different finishes to identify truffles of different flavors. I use a dark Dutched cocoa for the classic truffles and a lighter natural cocoa for the spiced rum. A mixture of confectioners sugar with ginger are perfect for the orange zest flavored truffles, and orange sanding sugar for the Grand Marnier flavored ones.
Feel free to use any coatings you like, tiny jimmies and edible glitters are all great on chocolate truffles.
A small amount of corn syrup is included because corn syrup is an invert sugar and helps prevent sugars from crystalizing. This ensures a silky smooth texture to your truffles.
Chocolate Truffles Recipes
Classic Chocolate Truffles
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
8 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate for filling
8 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate for dipping
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted.
Bring the cream, butter, and corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off heat.
Add the 8 ounces chopped chocolate and gently swirl to cover the chocolate – do not stir. Let rest for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes slowly whisk to combine.
Transfer the ganache to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator, stirring every 10-15 minutes for about 45 minutes, until the ganache begins to thicken.
Stir the chilling ganache every 5 minutes now for 15 more minutes, it should be thick enough to scoop.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop ganache into tablespoon sized balls – a small scoop is perfect, or use a spoon and place on parchment.
Chill until the truffle filling is firm – about 15 minutes.
As truffles are chilling melt remaining chocolate in a small double boiler over simmering water. Remove from heat.
Sift cocoa into a small bowl.
Take a chilled truffle and roll between your palms to make them round.
Using a fork, dip the truffle into the melted chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip.
Roll the chocolate coated truffle in the cocoa to coat completely.
Transfer coated truffle back to parchment lined sheet and chill for about 10 minutes to set.
May be stored up to one week in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or 3-4 days at room temperature.
Serve at room temperature.
Chocolate Truffles with Orange and Ginger
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
8 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate
8 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate for dipping
Zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger.
Bring the cream, butter, and corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off heat.
Add the 8 ounces chopped chocolate and gently swirl to cover the chocolate – do not stir. Let rest for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes add the orange zest and slowly whisk to combine.
Transfer the ganache to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator, stirring every 10-15 minutes for about 45 minutes, until the ganache begins to thicken.
Stir the chilling ganache every 5 minutes now for 15 more minutes, it should be thick enough to scoop.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop ganache into tablespoon sized balls – a small scoop is perfect, or use a spoon and place on parchment.
Chill until the truffle filling is firm – about 15 minutes.
As truffles are chilling melt remaining chocolate in a small double boiler over simmering water. Remove from heat.
Sift confectioner’s sugar and ground ginger into a small bowl.
Take a chilled truffle and roll between your palms to make them round.
Using a fork, dip the truffle into the melted chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip.
Roll the chocolate coated truffle in the ginger sugar mixture to coat completely.
Transfer coated truffle back to parchment lined sheet and chill for about 10 minutes to set.
May be stored up to one week in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or 3-4 days at room temperature.
Serve at room temperature.
Chocolate Truffles with Dark Spiced Rum
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
9 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate
3 Tablespoons dark spiced rum (like Kraken or Sailor Jerry)
8 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate for dipping
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder, sifted.
Bring the cream, butter, and corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off heat.
Add the 9 ounces chopped chocolate and gently swirl to cover the chocolate – do not stir. Let rest for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes add the dark spiced rum and slowly whisk to combine.
Transfer the ganache to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator, stirring every 10-15 minutes for about 45 minutes, until the ganache begins to thicken.
Stir the chilling ganache every 5 minutes now for 15 more minutes, it should be thick enough to scoop.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop ganache into tablespoon sized balls – a small scoop is perfect, or use a spoon and place on parchment.
Chill until the truffle filling is firm – about 15 minutes.
As truffles are chilling melt remaining chocolate in a small double boiler over simmering water. Remove from heat.
Sift cocoa powder into a small bowl.
Take a chilled truffle and roll between your palms to make them round.
Using a fork, dip the truffle into the melted chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip.
Roll the chocolate coated truffle in the cocoa powder to coat completely.
Transfer coated truffle back to parchment lined sheet and chill for about 10 minutes to set.
May be stored up to one week in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or 3-4 days at room temperature.
Serve at room temperature.
Chocolate Truffles with Grand Marnier
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
9 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate
3 Tablespoons Grand Marnier
8 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate for dipping
1/2 cup orange sanding sugar.
Bring the cream, butter, and corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off heat.
Add the 9 ounces chopped chocolate and gently swirl to cover the chocolate – do not stir. Let rest for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes add the Grand Marnier and slowly whisk to combine.
Transfer the ganache to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator, stirring every 10-15 minutes for about 45 minutes, until the ganache begins to thicken.
Stir the chilling ganache every 5 minutes now for 15 more minutes, it should be thick enough to scoop.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop ganache into tablespoon sized balls – a small scoop is perfect, or use a spoon and place on parchment.
Chill until the truffle filling is firm – about 15 minutes.
As truffles are chilling melt remaining chocolate in a small double boiler over simmering water. Remove from heat.
Put sanding sugar into a small bowl.
Take a chilled truffle and roll between your palms to make them round.
Using a fork, dip the truffle into the melted chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip.
Roll the chocolate coated truffle in the sanding sugar to coat completely.
Transfer coated truffle back to parchment lined sheet and chill for about 10 minutes to set.
May be stored up to one week in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or 3-4 days at room temperature.
Serve at room temperature.
For some Valentine’s fun be sure to see our post of Valentine’s Ideas.
For more chocolate indulgence have a look at our Chocolate Fondue Recipe, Deeply Fudgy Brownies, Perfect Chocolate Cake, and Chocolate Martini.
Recommended Products
Callebaut Belgian Semisweet Chocolate Blocks
Callebaut is one of my favorite chocolates for making truffles. These blocks make buying enough chocolate a breeze as they come in approximately 1 pound blocks. For extra dark truffles try their bittersweet chocolate too.
Norpro Stainless Steel Scoop 1 Tablespoon
The perfect small sized scoop. Cleanup is simple because its dishwasher safe. Norpro makes great quality tools for your kitchen. This scoop is also great for making cookies.
Double Boiler
This is the perfect double boiler for melting chocolate for dipping your truffles. Its small 2 cup size easily fits over most pans – remember to keep it above boiling water, not in boiling water for best results.
Chocolate Dipping Tool
If you have trouble dipping your truffles into chocolate using a fork, this is the tool for you. It’s also great at getting olives and cocktail onions out of the jar for cocktails!
Dark Cocoa Powder
This is my fave of the dark, dutch processed cocoa powders. It has a higher fat content than others and is deeply chocolatey.
Natural Cocoa Powder
Regular cocoa powder with the familiar lighter brown color. Anthony’s organic is a great choice.
Sanding Sugar
Available in a fantastic range of colors, there’s certainly a color to match your flavor profile of chocolate truffles.
