Rich Scottish Truffles Recipes

CHOCOLATE COCONUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Melt the butter gently in a pan, and when completely melted, remove from heat.
• Stir in the condensed milk until completely mixed, and stir in chocolate and coconut, again until completely mixed.
• Stir in the crushed biscuits, about a quarter at a time. This makes it easier. Also, keep an eye on the mixture. If it is too stiff, don't add all of the biscuits, if it's too loose, add a couple more. You should be able to roll it into balls.
• Roll into balls, makes around 24 bitesize balls but you can make them any size you like. Roll in the extra coconut and leave to set.

TRADITIONAL FRENCH DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is hot and starting to bubble but not fully boiling. Remove the cream from the heat immediately.
• Add the finely chopped chocolate and vanilla extract and stir with a wooden spoon until the ganache is completely smooth.
• Pop the pan into the fridge and chill the ganache until it is hard enough to roll into balls. Do not use the freezer, as this will make the ganache unworkable.
• Measure out each truffle by the heaping teaspoonful and use your hands to quickly roll the ganache into a ball.
• If the ganache gets too warm, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up. Work quickly so that your hands don't melt the chocolate too much. Chill the balls, a few at a time, as you go.
• Put the cocoa powder into a shallow dish. Take each chilled chocolate ball and quickly roll in the cocoa powder for an even coating. Pop the truffle onto a plate and place back into the fridge to chill down again 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.

EASY DECADENT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls.

RICH CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In saucepan, combine whipping cream & butter.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until mixture boils; remove from heat. Stir in chocolates until melted; continue stirring until mixture cools & thickens slightly.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Pour into shallow glass dish.
• Cover; chill until firm.
• With spoon scoop mixture into 1 inch balls.
• Coating Melt chocolate & shortening over low heat; stirring constantly.
• (use 1 Tbsp of shortening for every 6 oz. of chocolate).
• When mixture is smooth remove from heat. Dip each truffle into coating.
• (I found dr opping them in the chocolate & then fishing them out with a spoon worked best. But work quickly or they will melt) Then either place them on foil or in foil candy papers & allow to harden.
• Mix powdered sugar & milk.
• Drizzle over truffles in various designs.

RICH SCOTTISH TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan on low heat, melt chocolates, cream, and butter, stirring occasionally.
• After the mixture has melted, stir in the Drambuie.
• Pour into a small bowl; cool.
• Refrigerate 2 hours, until mixture hardens.
• Using a melon baller, quickly form chocolate mixture into ¾“ balls.
• Refrigerate until cold and then roll balls in cocoa powder.
• Store in an airtight container.

JACQUELINE MELDRUM

Steps:

• Bash and sieve the digestive biscuits in a bowl until you have a fine crumble. For a finer consistency you can sieve the biscuit crumbs.
• Melt the margarine.
• In a large bowl mix together the melted margarine, condensed milk, crushed biscuits, coconut, chocolate powder and rum.
• Once the mixture is well combined, place in the fridge for half an hour, to firm up.
• Remove the mixture from the fridge and roll into balls.
• Roll in your choice of topping.
• Chill until ready to serve.