Chocolate Espresso Sambuca Truffles Recipe Epicuriouscom

MILK CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Stir first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler set over simmering water until smooth. Remove from over water. Whisk in Kahlúa. Cool 15 minutes. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
• Line baking sheet with foil. Place cocoa powder on plate. Scoop chocolate mixture by very generously mounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared sheet, forming 1-inch mounds. Dust hands with cocoa powder; roll mounds between palms, forming smooth balls, then roll in cocoa powder to coat lightly. Return to sheet. Cover with foil; chill truffles until firm, at least 2 hours. (Can be made ahead. Chill in covered container up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.) Let stand at room temperature until slightly softened before serving.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Heat the heavy cream in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. Make sure that you have chopped the chocolate as finely as possible to allow it to melt quickly and easily. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl. Make a ganache by pouring about half of the hot cream over the chocolate and letting it sit for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate. Then slowly whisk until smooth and homogenous. Do not add all of the hot cream to the cold chocolate at once; the shock of the temperature extremes would cause the fat in the chocolate to separate. As the chocolate melts, you will see some elasticity if there is no fat separation. This means the chocolate still has an emulsion; the fat molecules are still holding together. If the ganache separates, it loses its elasticity, collapses, and becomes very liquid. I use a hand-held immersion blender to ensure a smooth ganache and to keep the emulsion of the chocolate. Add the remaining cream gradually and mix until all of the hot cream is incorporated and the ganache is smooth and homogenous.
• If the ganache separates, it is very easy to fix. Simply add a small amount of cold cream and whisk well. This will bring the ganache back together. The ganache should be thick, shiny, and smooth. Add the desired flavoring and mix until fully incorporated. Pour the ganache onto a plastic wrap-covered baking sheet and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for at least 4 hours at room temperature. I usually make the ganache at the end of the day and let it cool overnight. As it cools, it will thicken and set.
• When the ganache has cooled to the consistency of toothpaste, scrape it into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Do not stir the ganache when you do this. Incorporating air by stirring will cause the ganache to harden. Pipe 1-inch-diameter mounds spaced 1 inch apart on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. To pipe the mounds, hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment as you begin to pipe. Once you have formed the mound, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the top of each mound. You can also use a spoon and drop small mounds of ganache onto the baking sheet. Let the truffles harden at room temperature for a couple of hours (or in the refrigerator for 15 minutes), until they are hard enough to roll with your hands.
• When I roll the truffles, I usually wear surgical gloves. The gloves are not mandatory but if you do not use them, be sure your hands are very clean. To roll the mound into a ball, place a truffle between both palms, squeeze slightly, and roll between your hands. The truffles will look nicer if they are as round as possible. When all the truffles are rolled into balls, they are ready to be coated. If they have become too soft, place them in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours until they are firm enough to dip.
• You can use either a dipping fork or your hands to dip the truffles in chocolate. To use the fork, drop the truffle into the bowl of tempered chocolate and then retrieve it with the dipping fork. Hold the fork over the bowl for several seconds to allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Gently scrape the bottom of the fork against the side of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate and roll the dipped truffle in the desired garnish. Place on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. If you use your hands, dab some chocolate in the palm of one hand. Roll the truffle in that palm to completely coat it with chocolate. Place the enrobed truffle on the baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining truffles. This method is very quick but it can also be extremely messy.
• When all of the truffles have been coated once, repeat the enrobing procedure. This is necessary only when you enrobe the truffles by hand rather than with a fork. The truffles are usually more evenly coated when dipped with a fork. As soon as each truffle gets a second coating, immediately roll it in the desired garnish. You need to do this before the chocolate sets or the topping will not adhere. At this stage, it is good to have a friend help because it is hard to dip and roll at the same time. Place the truffles on a clean parchment paper-covered baking sheet and allow them to set, about 5 minutes.
• The truffles will keep for up to 2 weeks at room temperature, when stored in an airtight container.
• To toast coconut: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to keep the sugar in the coconut from burning. Return to the oven and toast until golden brown, about 3 more minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
• To toast nuts: Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C). Spread the nuts evenly on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Toast for about 30 minutes, until they are golden brown. You will be able to smell the nuts when they are ready. A good test is to break a nut in half and check to see if it is light brown on the inside. Toasting nuts brings out their natural flavor. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Finely chop the chocolate by hand or in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and place in a medium bowl. Pour the cream into a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate. With a wooden spoon, gently stir to melt the chocolate. Don't whisk or stir too strongly or you will incorporate air. Cover. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. With a small melon baller or ice-cream scoop, drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared sheet. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Place the cocoa, confectioner's sugar, and chopped nuts into 3 separate shallow bowls.
• Roll 1/3 of the balls into the cocoa mixture, 1/3 into the confectioner's sugar, and 1/3 into the chopped nuts. Quickly roll between your palms to form them into a perfect round shape. You may need to re-roll in the nuts or sugar if too much falls off. Return to parchment-lined baking sheet or other parchment-lined container, in a single layer. Cover with plastic and chill until ready to serve. Can be made 10 days ahead; keep refrigerated.

TRIO OF CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Bring cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Pour into medium bowl. Cover; chill until firm, about 3 hours.
• Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
• Place cocoa, coconut and nuts in separate bowls. Roll truffles between hands into rounds. Roll 1/3 of truffles in cocoa, 1/3 in coconut and 1/3 in nuts. Cover with plastic; chill until ready to serve. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Keep chilled.)

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CUPS

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a medium pot over high heat until hot, but not boiling. Reduce the heat to very low and add the espresso, chocolate, sugar, and vanilla. Using a whisk, stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted. Continue to whisk the chocolate mixture until frothy every few minutes for about 8 minutes, until the chocolate has completely dissolved into the milk. Pour into mugs and serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO SAMBUCA TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a double boiler or in a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt chocolate and butter with cream and espresso, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and stir in liqueur. Cool mixture and chill, covered, at least 3 hours, or until firm.
• Form rounded teaspoons of mixture into balls and roll balls in cocoa powder, coating them. Truffles keep, layered between sheets of wax paper and chilled, in airtight containers 2 weeks.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO SOUFFLéS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Line 2 espresso cups or 2 small ramekins with softened butter followed by cocoa powder. Ensure all sides are coated with the cocoa as this will stabilise the sides of the soufflé when it rises.
• In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and melted chocolate until fully combined and smooth.
• Stir in the espresso powder, followed by the water.
• Stir in the egg yolk.
• Add in icing sugar. Stir until combined and smooth.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add the caster sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form and they become glossy.
• Fold 2 tablespoons of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture and fold until fully incorporated. Gradually fold in the remaining whipped egg whites. Be careful not to over stir, as this will knock the air out, which will stop the soufflé from rising to its full potential!
• Quickly pour the mixture into the prepared espresso cups or ramekins.
• Using a knife, carefully pull across the top of each soufflé so that the top is completely flat.
• Neaten the edges of the cups by running your thumb around the rim of the cup. This will help the soufflé to rise straight.
• Chill the soufflés in the fridge for 30 minutes (optional) and then preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Dust with a little cocoa powder and serve immediately.
• Enjoy!

MOCHA TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place chocolate in 4-cup glass measuring cup. Place in microwave oven and cook on medium or 50 percent power until chocolate melts and is smooth, stirring every 30 seconds, about 3 minutes total.
• Line small strainer with double thickness of damp cheesecloth; place strainer over measuring cup with melted chocolate. Pour cream into 2-cup glass measuring cup. Place in microwave oven and bring to boil on high. Stir ground espresso beans into hot cream; let steep 5 minutes. Pour cream mixture into prepared strainer set over chocolate; discard solids in strainer. Stir until cream-chocolate mixture is well blended and smooth.
• Place butter on plate. Microwave 10 seconds on high to soften. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, to chocolate mixture, stirring until melted. Cover ganache with plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 2 hours.
• Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Place cocoa powder in medium bowl. Using 1 rounded teaspoon for each truffle, quickly roll chocolate ganache between palms into balls (chill remaining chocolate mixture briefly if mixture softens). Drop each truffle into cocoa powder to coat; shake off excess. Place on prepared baking sheet. Chill truffles until firm, at least 2 hours. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Dust truffles with cocoa powder before serving.)