Harold Mcgees Chocolate Cheese Truffles Recipes

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Begin by beating the cream cheese in a large bowl, then slowly add the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
• Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler over the stove, or the microwave, then add to the cream cheese mixture and mix until smooth.
• If you want different flavours, you can add a teaspoon or two of extract. Or divide the batter and make several flavours.
• Place the bowl in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to allow the filling to firm up so you can roll it.
• Remove the truffle filling from the fridge and roll into balls between 1/2 and 1 inch in size and place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. I like to use a melon baller as it is the perfect size.
• Melt the chocolate candy melts in the microwave or double boiler and then dip the truffle balls in the melted chocolate. You can lower the truffle into the chocolate with a fork or use a chocolate dipping tool.
• Move back to the silicone baking sheet to allow the chocolate shell to harden. If you want to decorate with sprinkles, do so before the chocolate sets.
• Once the shell has hardened, move the truffles to an air tight container and store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Melt the 1 pound of chocolate slowly in a double boiler. Cool slightly, then combine with the heavy cream. Stir in the butter and rum and refrigerate until firm but still pliable, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large straight tip and pipe into teaspoon size mounds on a sheet of waxed paper, or, alternately, spoon out the teaspoon size mounds. Refrigerate until firm. Working quickly to prevent melting, roll the chocolate into balls, then chill again until firm. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the toasted coconut briefly to make it a finer to help it adhere better to the truffles. When firm, roll each truffle in the coconut, pressing firmly to make sure the coconut sticks. At this point you can refrigerate the truffles for as much as a day, until you are ready to dip them.
• Melt the dipping chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not boiling water. Using a wire dipping spoon, or a regular teaspoon and your fingers, dip each truffle briefly into the melted chocolate. Remove to a cake rack set over a cookie sheet until dry, and refrigerate until firm. You may scrape up any chocolate that has dripped to be returned to the dipping pot. The truffles will keep for several weeks if refrigerated in a covered container.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED STRAWBERRY TRUFFLES

Steps:

• For the chocolate coating: Heat the dark chocolate and butter in a double boiler until completely melted and smooth. Pour into a small ramekin.
• Press a skewer or toothpick into the top end of each strawberry. Dip one strawberry into the chocolate, swirling it around until coated. Gently shake off the excess. Place the skewer on the edge of a table and weigh down the end of the skewer with a heavy object. Allow the excess chocolate to drip off onto the floor (place some parchment paper on the floor to catch the drips!). Repeat with the remaining strawberries. They should take about 15 minutes to set at room temperature. If it is a hot day, set up a little drip station in the fridge and allow them to cool in there!
• For the decorations: Once the chocolate has set, put the strawberries on a wire cooling rack. Melt the milk chocolate and white chocolate in separate bowls in the microwave until smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate to 2 separate piping bags and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
• Drizzle the melted chocolate over the strawberries to decorate. Spray a few with the gold luster dust spray to coat, if using. Place the strawberries in the fridge until the coating has set (about 5 minutes), then serve.

CHOCOLATE GOAT CHEESE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In the top of a double boiler, or in a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water (make sure the water does not touch the bowl), melt the chocolate, stirring until it is smooth. Set the melted chocolate aside to cool for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• In a bowl whisk together the goat cheese, sugar, and vanilla until it is light and fluffy. Whisk in the melted chocolate until it is well combined. Chill, covered, until it is firm, at least 1 hour.
• To form the truffles, take a heaping teaspoon of the chocolate/cheese mixture and lightly roll it into a ball with your hands. Roll the finished truffles in the sifted cocoa powder, set them onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper, and chill until they are firm, about 30 minutes. The truffles can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

EASY CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Chop the chocolate and tip into a large bowl. Put the cream and butter into a saucepan and heat gently until the butter melts and the cream reaches simmering point. Remove from heat, then pour over the chocolate. Stir the chocolate and cream together until you have a smooth mixture. Add any flavourings to the truffle mix at this stage (divide the mixture between bowls and mix in liqueurs or other flavourings, a tsp at a time, to taste. Try bourbon, Grand Marnier, coconut rum or the zest and juice of an orange), or leave plain. Cool and chill for at least 4 hrs.
• To shape the truffles, dip a melon baller in hot water and scoop up balls of the mixture, then drop the truffles onto greaseproof paper. Or lightly coat your hands in flavourless oil (such as sunflower) and roll the truffles between your palms. You could also use a piping bag to pipe rounds onto baking parchment.
• Coat your truffles immediately after shaping. Tip toppings into a bowl and gently roll the truffles until evenly coated, then chill on baking parchment. Try: crushed, shelled pistachio nuts; lightly toasted desiccated coconut; or roll a truffle flavoured with orange zest and juice in cocoa powder. To coat in chocolate, line a baking tray with baking parchment. Melt 100g milk, dark or white chocolate for 10 truffles. Allow chocolate to cool slightly. With a fork, pick up one truffle at a time and hold over the bowl of melted chocolate. Spoon the chocolate over the truffle until well-coated. Place on the baking tray, then chill.
• To give as presents, place 8-10 truffles in individual foil or paper cases inside small, lined boxes tied with ribbon. Keep in the fridge until you're ready to give them. Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for three days, or frozen for up to a month. Defrost in the fridge overnight.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Melt 1 pound of chocolate, slowly stirring, in a double boiler. Warm the cream in a large saucepan but do not scorch. Remove the chocolate from the heat, cool slightly, then combine with the heavy cream. Stir the butter into the chocolate cream mixture and refrigerate until firm but still pliable, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chocolate to a pastry bag fitted with a large straight tip and pipe into teaspoonsize mounds onto a waxed paper covered cookie sheet, or use a spoon to dole out teaspoonsize mounds. Refrigerate the entire pan until the chocolate is hard to the touch.
• When the chocolate is sufficiently firm (this can be done a day or 2 ahead) remove the chocolate from the refrigerator and, working quickly to prevent melting, roll the chocolate mounds into balls, then chill the balls again until firm.
• In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the coconut briefly to make it a little finer so that it will adhere better to the truffles. When firm, roll each truffle in the coconut, pressing firmly to make sure the coconut sticks. At this point you can refrigerate the truffles for as much as a day, until you are ready to dip them.
• Melt the remaining chocolate in the double boiler. Remove the double boiler from the heat and using a wire dipping spoon, or a regular teaspoon and your hands in latex gloves, dip each coconut covered truffle briefly into the melted chocolate. Place on a cake rack set over a cookie sheet until dry, and refrigerate until firm. You may scrape up any chocolate that has dripped on the cookie sheet and return it to the dipping pot for more dipping. The truffles will keep for several weeks if refrigerated in a covered container.