Chocolate Truffles combine chocolate, cream, and a few flavor enhancers to deliver a velvety smooth, rich, indulgent confection. These fancy treats can be quite expensive to purchase, but couldn't be easier to make at home! They make an impressive treat to serve to guests or gift to friends.
MICROWAVE: Add the entire bag of chocolate wafers, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup cream, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a large, shallow, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in bursts of 30 seconds, stirring between each burst for 20 seconds, until mostly melted (about 90 seconds total). It's ok if it's not totally melted. Stir and then cover the bowl with a large plate or pot lid and let stand for 5 minutes without disturbing.
CHILL: After 5 minutes, remove the plate and stir until smooth. Once totally smooth, add in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix through. Cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface of the chocolate and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours up to 6 hours before rolling into balls. Don't freeze -- it will ruin it! (Want to chill longer? See Note 4)
SCOOP OUT PORTIONS: Set out a tray and line it with parchment paper. Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop out the chocolate and then use a spoon to coax the chocolate out of the measuring spoon and onto the lined tray in small blobs (we aren't rolling yet!)
CHILLAGAIN: Place the tray of chocolate blobs in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, preferably 30 minutes, uncovered. This will dry out the chocolate slightly so it will be easier to roll.
ROLL: After 30 minutes, remove the tray from the fridge and, working quickly, roll them into balls. Place the tray back in the fridge at any time if the balls are getting too hard to roll because your hands are too warm or the temperature of the kitchen is too warm. Once rolled, return each ball to the sheet pan. When all the balls are rolled, place the pan in the fridge again for 10 minutes.
COAT: While the balls are firming for 10 minutes, set out your preferred coatings in small shallow bowls. We like rolling some in finely shredded coconut, some in cocoa powder, and some in powdered sugar. Roll balls into toppings and serve truffles at room temperature. (If truffles are chilled, pull them out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature before enjoying -- this is where they have the melt-in-your-mouth consistency.)
STORAGE: Store Chocolate Truffles in an airtight container in the fridge for weeks! When you're ready to enjoy one (or more) allow them to come to room temperature first. They're best eaten at room temperature because this is where they are velvety smooth and melt perfectly in your mouth.
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Notes
Note 1: Dark chocolate: These melting wafers make truffles so much easier to prepare -- no chopping chocolate! Plus, they make for delicious results. While it would make sense that semi-sweet or milk chocolate could stand in place of dark, they aren't the same. There is more milk, sugar, and cocoa butter in semi-sweet and milk chocolate than in dark chocolate-- the resulting mixture will be too soft and won't roll nicely into balls. The same applies to white chocolate-- it has far too much milk to work with this recipe's ratios. Note 2: Heavy cream: Be sure to use heavy whipping cream. Regular milk or half-and-half will not set up to the proper consistency.Note 3: Vanilla: Feel free to change up the flavoring here by using a different extract. Try peppermint, coconut, almond, orange, raspberry, or hazelnut extracts or emulsions.Note 4: Chilling time: It's totally fine to chill longer, but if the mixture is too firm to scoop out, you'll need to leave it at room temperature to soften a bit -- 30 mins or so.