Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate truffles are small, elegant confections named for their resemblance to the prized truffle mushroom. Truffles were once extremely rare and expensive, which is where the association with luxury and sophistication comes from. According to one popular legend, chocolate truffles originated in France as the result of a pastry chef’s mistake. The chef accidentally poured hot cream into a bowl of chocolate. Once the mixture set, the chef came up with the idea of shaping it into small balls and rolling them in cocoa powder. And that’s how this simple recipe became such an elegant treat

The taste of these truffles depends almost entirely on the quality of the chocolate, so choose a good-quality chocolate that you truly love. After that, the rest is surprisingly simple.

Ingredients

• 230 g semi-sweet chocolate

• 1/2 cup heavy cream, 35% (120 ml)

• 2 tbsp butter (30 g)

• 1 tbsp of your favourite liqueur (I used Baileys)

• Cocoa powder for coating

Steps

1. Break the chocolate into small pieces

2. Bring the cream and butter to a boil and remove from the heat

3. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate, add the liqueur, and stir until smooth

4. Refrigerate the mixture (ganache) for several hours, preferably overnight. The ganache will thicken as it chills

5. Scoop out a small amount of ganache with a spoon and quickly shape it into small balls with your hands, as the chocolate will melt from the warmth of your hands

6. Roll each truffle in cocoa powder

7. Refrigerate before serving

Store the truffles in the refrigerator