Friday, February 11, 2011

FWC VALENTINE'S DAY: chocolate truffles



I wish I could open this post with something creative but really, I got nothing. I don't get excited over this holiday. Is it even considered an official holiday? (Can you tell I'm bitter from being Valentine-less, It's a word)

What I do love about Valentine's day is, yes, the chocolate and candies and sweets. I have been wanting to make homemade truffles for a while now and who better to trust if not Martha. I always end up using her recipes for "first time" experiences.


These truffles were rich, creamy and simple to make. Real basic pantry ingredients, chocolate and cream. The only thing I would have done differently is rolling the truffles in other ingredients rather than unsweetened cocoa. Maybe sweetened toasted coconuts, chopped pecans, almonds or pistachios. I think they would have given a deeper depth of flavor, compared to the usual chocolate on chocolate.

I know I make a lot of desserts with chocolates but I'm not exactly a HUGE fan of it. If I were to choose, I'd go for Vanilla or fruit flavored desserts. Having said that, I still crave the occasional cakes or brownies or cookies.


Nothing says "Will you be my Valentine?" better than these chocolate truffles. Alright maybe there is but just make these ok?

P.S- These are very messy to make. If you don't mind getting your hands (or counter top or clothes) dirty with chocolate and having loads of dishes to wash afterwards, then go ahead. If you are worried about that, have someone help you and still make these.


Chocolate Truffles
by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp liqueur, such as triple sec or framboise (optional)
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for rolling

Directions:
Put finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour over chocolate and stir in liqueur, if desired. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir until smooth and let stand until thick for another 15 minutes.

Pour mixture into an 8 inch pie plate or a shallow baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mixture is very cold and set but still workable, about 30 minutes.

Using a teaspoon, scoop out balls of chocolate mixture transferring them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate truffles for 10 minutes.

Lightly dust hands with cocoa powder and roll each truffle in the cocoa until well coated. Quickly shape them into rough rounds. Refrigerate in an airtight container, until ready to serve. These can be kept for up to 2 weeks. Reshape truffles into rounds and roll in cocoa powder before serving, if desired.  

1 comment:

  1. Looks very delicious although I am a once a while chocolate person.

    ReplyDelete