Chocolate truffles are actually not that hard to make, and are excellent gifts. The key is patience, working slowly, and if trying to temper chocolate, using a thermometer. Good ingredients helps too-- there are only 2 essential ingredients, cream and dark chocolate, so buy high-quality materials. You can also add small amounts of flavorings or liquor.
The reason why chocolate is hard to work with is that it is a crystalline solid that melts right around body temperature. This is also why it's so good... There are a variety of forms of chocolate crystals, which is why care needs to be taken when melting and then re-solidifying chocolate, and which means that chocolate does not like changing temperatures quickly. So work slowly and methodically!
This is a recipe I developed for my underage brother's late June birthday, so it has no alcohol in it and has (I think) a sort of summery flavor, though the ingredients are not seasonal in the least.
Grapefruit-raspberry truffles
Makes: About 2 dozen, depending on size.
For ganache centers:
Ingredients:
8 oz (half pound) dark chocolate
1/2 c cream
1 T finely chopped grapefruit zest
1 t raspberry jam, with or without seeds
Materials:
2 microwave-safe containers
Fork
Microwave
Sharp knife & cutting board
Plastic wrap
Copious quantities of aluminum foil or waxed paper.
Pastry bag or ziploc bag with the end cut off
Protocol:
1. Chop chocolate VERY finely.
2. Heat cream in until bubbles start to form. Watch it doesn't foam because that will be a huge mess to clean up. Doing this in the microwave is the easiest because it's such a small amount. Use a large container-- I like to use at least a pint-sized mason jar for the task.
3. Add hot cream to chocolate a splash at a time. Do this slowly as chocolate is susceptible to heat shock and will seize. Stir to combine until all incorporated.
3a. If chocolate starts to seize (look grainy) STOP. Add a small amount of cold cream, and then stop. The texture will be less nice but it will still taste good.
3b. If there are still unmelted chunks of chocolate in the mixture, but it has not seized, you can spoon off a small amount of it and heat it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. Stir this into the larger bowl a half-spoonful at a time to avoid heat-shock.
4. Add zest and jam, mix.
5. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rest on counter for between 2 and 4 hours, or until about "toothpaste consistency." I use hippie toothpaste and find that "toms of maine" consistency is about right but "trader joes baking soda natural toothpaste of doom" consistency is too hard.
Several hours later:
6. After ganache has set, transfer chocolate to pastry bag or ziploc bag, and pipe out little blobs onto wax paper or foil-- about an inch across is about right.
6a. If your chocolate got too hard to pipe or you're feeling lazy, you can sort of spoon blobs onto your foil or wax paper, which will be just as tasty but less pretty.
7. Let harden for an hour or so. This timing is not critical, and if your kitchen is too hot, you can transfer the truffle centers to the fridge.
To coat centers:
You can now go one of two routes: Coat truffle centers with more chocolate (difficult!) or, roll them in cocoa powder or powdered sugar (easy!)
The easy method:
Ingredients:
Approx. 1/4 c of cocoa powder or powdered sugar.
Materials:
Large plate.
Protocol:
1. Pour cocoa powder or sugar onto plate.
2. Roll the truffle centers in this until they are coated.
The difficult method:
I'm putting this in a separate document because it is a process unto itself.
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