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Easy Truffles
by scoochmaroo on December 12, 2009

Table of Contents

Author: scoochmaroo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Intro: Easy Truffles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1: Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 2: Cardamom! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 3: Orange Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 4: Combine Liquids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 5: Combine with Chocolate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 6: Stir Stir Stir!!!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

step 7: Prepare Toppings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

step 8: Rollin' rollin' rollin'. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

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Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
Author: scoochmaroo

Author: scoochmaroo
Watch this space for my upcoming Blog!! Subscribe now to stay tuned :)

License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa)

Intro: Easy Truffles

This is the fastest and easiest recipe for making delicious, perfectly flavored chocolate truffles. Customize the flavors and toppings to suit your exact tastes. You'll get
hooked on trying to come up with the perfect combinations, and your friends and family will be more than happy to help judge their favorites!

Today I share with you my experience making a recipe from the Martha Stewart website. I offer the original recipe, and suggestions on how to make it even simpler and
faster. I hope you have as much fun making these delightful little treats as I did. I can't wait to experiment with more daring flavor fusions. Hot peppers, here I come. . .

A small box or bag of truffles makes a great gift. With this recipe, you'll be able to whip out a batch in no time that your last-minute recipient will be convinced you spent
hours on. No one needs to know!

step 1: Supplies
The ingredients Martha suggests are as follows:

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Five strips 1-inch-wide orange peel, pith removed
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup sifted cocoa powder
1/2 cup finely chopped assorted nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, and pistachios

To simplify I suggest replacing orange rind with a splash of juice, if you have it around, and cardamom for your favorite seasoning that you also happen to have around.
I found those to be the two ingredients that left me with stuff I had to figure out how to use up. (Yes, in the end, I just ate the orange. But I prefer Satsumas.) In the end
though, I admit, the cardamom added a killer flavor, and I'm excited to find ways to use it up.

Also the heavy cream can be replaced with evaporated milk, giving you the ability to replace some of the fat as well!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
step 2: Cardamom!
Of course you can buy ground cardamom. But if you're like me, someone will convince you that pods will be far more rewarding. So if you've got yourself some pods,
read on. If yours is already ground, then, well, I think you should read on anyway, but it's really up to you.

This is what I learned about cardamom.

It grinds up really well in a coffee grinder. But you have to remember to remove the pods from the seeds before you pulverize it into tiny bits.

So after I found that out, I discovered that one good whirl in the grinder is enough to separate the pods from the seeds. Remove those bad boys and whirl away to your
heart's content!

Image Notes
1. cardamom pods Image Notes
1. one whirl or so is enough to separate the pods from the seeds

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
 Image Notes
Image Notes 1. now they're all ground up
1. this is what the seeds look like!

step 3: Orange Step

Again, this step is fun, but adds more precious minutes to what could otherwise be a super-quick recipe. But if you're the type that has oranges around, get ready to dig
into one, cause you're about to make it naked.

Peel off four or five good strips of rind. Of course, you want to avoid the white flesh underneath, as that's the part that makes it bitter.

If you don't have an orange, but do have orange juice, that is a viable alternative.

step 4: Combine Liquids

Now put your heavy whipping cream (or condensed milk) into a saucepan.

Whisk it together with your freshly ground podless cardamom and your lovely orange peels. Or throw in a dash of your favorite spice and a splash of oj. You know,
whatever's easiest.

Bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat for 15 minutes. While you're waiting, get the next step ready!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
step 5: Combine with Chocolate
Put your chocolate chips in a bowl and place a mesh sieve over them. Or some cheesecloth, or a regular strainer / colander deal. Pretty much, you just want to make
sure you catch all the rogue bits of cardamom and orange peel. If you substituted out those ingredients, you can skip the sieve altogether.

Once you've waited the 15 requisite minutes, Martha tells us to bring the mixture back to a boil, then pouring it through the sieve over the chocolate pieces and stirring to
melt.

I don't know why she wants us to boil the liquid and then wait 15 minutes and then boil them again. I really question how much this extra time allows the flavors to all
steep together. Next time I make this, I will skip that part. We want this to be fast and easy, right?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
step 6: Stir Stir Stir!!!!
Stir the hot cream into the chocolate chips with vigor! Your goal is a nice, creamy, shiny, smooth chocolatey blend. Hopefully you won't have to stop in the process to
take pictures, which might result in a slightly lumpy, less-than-perfectly-melted outcome. Delicious nonetheless.

Pour your mixture immediately into a pan to cool.

In fact, let's put that pan in the freezer to get things moving along. Fifteen to 20 minutes will do.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
step 7: Prepare Toppings
While your tasty centers are firming up in the freezer, let's get their delicious dressings ready to go.

I chose pecans (because I had them in the fridge), confectioner's sugar (because I suspected that would be my favorite), unsweetened cocoa (because that's pretty
traditional), and pistachios (because I thought the green color would be cool. It was.)

Get that grinder back out and mash up your nuts. Or go at them with a knife. The grinder made them a little finer than I really wanted. Next time I'll put them in a plastic
bag and smash them into tiny bits with a wine bottle. (Hey, use what you've got, right?)

The cocoa and powdered (confectioner's) sugar should be sifted before use to get rid of their inherent lumpiness.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
 Image Notes
1. this texture good
2. this texture too fine! gets sticky and disappears into the chocolate!

Image Notes
1. preeeetty

Image Notes
1. lumps shall be destroyed!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
 step 8: Rollin' rollin' rollin'. . .
Now is the moment of glory you've been waiting for.

Remove the pan from the freezer when the chocolate is firm but malleable. Use a spoon to scrape chocolate into a ball, about 1" is good, but I won't judge you if you like
them bigger. It's a lot of chocolate to take in all at once though, so use your best judgment.

I had to coax my spoonfuls of chocolate into little balls. They did not magically form for me like Martha tacitly promised. After a little hand rolling (unless you can make
the magic happen - and if you do, I want pictures!), place them in another dish or on a cookie sheet and send them to the fridge for a bit before dressing.

After about ten minutes in the fridge (plenty of time to finish preparing those toppings if you didn't before), it's time to dress them! Roll them in the toppings to cover them,
and place them back on the cookie sheet or dish, grouped by topping. I say this, because I did not do that, and most of my truffles became hybrids of their original
intentions. But cocoa/powdered sugar was still good.

People didn't like the green ones like I thought they would. I should have told them it was pistachio first, and maybe they wouldn't have been so put off by the color.

As I suspected, the powdered sugar ones took the day.

What will your most popular topping be?

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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 68 comments

NetNed says: Dec 16, 2009. 8:52 PM REPLY

I commend you for a fast way to make truffles. Traditionally the truffles are rolled in chocolate before coating which makes them more manageable to get the
coating to stick and easier to handle when eating. Also for flavor alcohol in the form of brandy, amaretto (almond) , cointreau (orange) or cognac is often
used and it imparts flavor in a much easier way. If children are eating, then you might not want to use it, but really you don't use that much.

If you go to hulu and look for a video from Alton Brown's good eats show it might be a little more informative then the Martha Stewart one was. Although his
recipe takes more time he does break down how and why things are done plus has some really good tips to make the whole process go as smooth as
possible. They could be easily incorporated in to yours if you see fit.

HSLINKS says: Dec 17, 2009. 11:23 AM REPLY

first batch I didnt have lime flavoring so I cooked it down till I had what I needed (watch out for water content it makes it grainy) ..

I also cooked down the peppers and made it from scratch .. I did try a cheater batch using powdered chipolte - liked the flavor but it was harder to
taste test for amount

I usually use Ghiredelli (sp) choc but have noticed that it is harder to melt evenly .. I seriously wonder if they changed their formula and are either
using more wax or different type .. I found some from 3 yrs ago and it melts fine so think something else has changed
http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
 use a silicon spatula and work the white choc, I found if I pour off the well melted into a double boiler then work the stuff that doesn't want to melt
right

I picked up new conf sugar will check it later for consistency

Ria

HSLINKS says: Dec 17, 2009. 7:06 AM REPLY

I have been making a truffle for years (I called it fudge the first few years cause they didn't know what I was talking about). I use the small muffin tins and
papers and its easier than even doing the balls with scoop

I get bored and make up various combos and let others come up with some too. The recipients have been more and more adventuresome as time goes by.
My fav is german choc with carmel yummm

Two years ago I had a request for white choc, lime and halenpeno. I thought he was nuts but actually had 5 others that wanted it.

Last year the conf sugar (short cut) had higher than normal amount of corn starch and it ruined the texture - gave a thin coating - sorta like a pastille. So no
white choc last year.

New neighbor plowed me out and loves white choc hopefully the conf sugar is good this year or I will be grinding from scratch

Ria

nycdesigner says: Dec 17, 2009. 11:58 AM REPLY

Only the white or milk chocolate will seize when some watery substance is added. Dark chocolate is fine.

One of my fave recipes for cream cheese frosting uses a few ounces of dark chocolate melted with 3T of strong, brewed coffee. Once melted and whisked, it
then is mixed into the cream cheese/butter/sugar part.

What you're essentially making with the cream/chocolate is ganache. Different ratios produce different "softnesses" of the original chocolate.

You can make white/milk versions of the filling by only using the cream (spice/rind ok) and no watery liquids.

One tip is to have the cream boiling, and then pour over the chips, or coarsely-chopped chocolate, then cover with a plate and rest for 10
minutes. Then when you whisk it together, it forms very well into that chocolatey goodness.

Mumu545 says: Jan 7, 2010. 4:46 PM REPLY

I <3 chocolate!!!!
I also LOVE this instructable, plus about every other Instructable you write. Thanks for helping me get my chocolate fix!!!

LeeranW says: Dec 30, 2009. 1:40 AM REPLY

Thank you for posting up this recipe. Just about everyone in the house loves truffles, but I've always found making them to be a bit daunting. Hopefully with
this, we'll be enjoying one of our favorite treats a little more often! (I also might try using your thin mint coating recipe on these for an added luxury)

LeeranW says: Jan 1, 2010. 7:53 AM REPLY

I decided to do these as a new years treat for the party I was invited to.
With the first bite, my sweet tooth went into critical mass with the powdered sugar ones, I rolled a few in 100% Cacao though, that has an initial kick of
completely unsweetened chocolate, which is then offset by the semisweet.
I'm planning on doing these again soonish, but based off the house commentary, I think we'll be substituting the semisweet with dark chocolate.
It is like you said though, these are very easy to make, and when they're given a coating of powder/nuts, they're an attractive treat. Thank you again for
posting the Instructables!

zoltzerino says: Dec 21, 2009. 4:53 PM REPLY

Permission to post a dummed-down recipe? I have a nice little recipe and shaping technique that I wish to post, I just don't want to detract from this
fantastically elaborate (in comparison) instructable.

JackieOsGlasses says: Dec 30, 2009. 12:33 PM REPLY

If you read this, it isn't scoochmaroos recipe, so she can't really give permission.

scoochmaroo says: Dec 31, 2009. 1:52 PM REPLY

Jackie,

I am sorry if you have a problem with my reposting a recipe. Because I have given credit where due, and have offered my own suggestions for
changes and alterations, I have not impinged on any permission laws.

I am also sorry if there was some confusion earlier over your mother's instructable, which I thought was great enough to feature and to share with my
friends. I hope this will clear the air.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
 scoochmaroo says: Dec 22, 2009. 10:01 AM REPLY
Of course!

JackieOsGlasses says: Dec 30, 2009. 12:32 PM REPLY

Why use someone else's recipe? That doesn't seem quite right. My mom makes incredible truffles, but she doesn't use Martha Stewart's recipe for them.
I think that these contest should not steal recipes from other sties, especially ones that had professional chef's make them. Not that martha stewart is a
professional chef, but she has the money to hire one.

scoochmaroo says: Dec 30, 2009. 1:18 PM REPLY

I used her recipe so I could test it out and share my results!
As you see, I've offered some alternate suggestions here as well.
Just intended to be a fun and informative read. Also, since I'm staff, I'm not eligible to win any contests, but I do appreciate when others share recipes
they've found with the rest of us and give us their opinions on them!

whiteoakart says: Dec 17, 2009. 7:13 AM REPLY

Great recipe, Scooch. I know it is Martha's, but I have no access to Martha and your comments improve the process. So, Thanks.

I did, however, cringe when you suggested, "Get that grinder back out and mash up your nuts". Yeh, I know it's a guy thing.

Zaphod Beeblebrox says: Dec 18, 2009. 4:50 PM REPLY

..........or go at them with a knife !!!

Lee Wilkerson says: Dec 27, 2009. 5:54 PM REPLY

ROTFL. Glad I know how to build a locking 'cup.

scoochmaroo says: Dec 17, 2009. 10:11 AM REPLY

Yeah, I did that on purpose :D

whiteoakart says: Dec 17, 2009. 11:24 AM REPLY

thought so... You are a cruel woman, scooch. ;D

kingalexl says: Dec 18, 2009. 8:37 PM REPLY

It was physically painful to read.

jenessmay says: Dec 24, 2009. 4:02 PM REPLY

cardamom is great in your coffee to cut out the acidity. i drink it in coffee every single morning...

applesaucemodifier says: Dec 24, 2009. 12:09 AM REPLY

These were terrific! made them with my friend, but he ate most of them. :)

Juananz says: Dec 23, 2009. 8:17 PM REPLY

This is a great recipe!

applesaucemodifier says: Dec 22, 2009. 11:58 PM

(removed by author or community request)

Toastalicious says: Dec 23, 2009. 12:29 PM REPLY

hate or ate?

RavingMadStudios says: Dec 21, 2009. 11:46 AM REPLY

Excellent! These look fantastic. Ganache is one of the greater achievements of human civilization. Thanks for sharing. Just curious, how do you think these
would work with a bit of Triple Sec or Kahlua added?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
 kontrastas says: Dec 21, 2009. 5:05 AM REPLY
Just made a doubled (2x of all the ingredients) batch, turned out very very well.

Thanks!

jhoughtaling says: Dec 19, 2009. 10:12 PM REPLY

A friend makes truffles in the easiest way I've seen. He lines a shallow pan with parchment paper, then scoops the hot chocolate mixture (ganache) into it
and smooths it out. It goes into the freezer to solidify. Then, instead of rolling the solidified ganache into balls, he cuts it into squares. The parchment lets him
get the square truffles out of the pan.

Easy-peasy.

justjimAZ says: Dec 19, 2009. 8:00 PM REPLY

I used cocoa, powdered sugar, Ovaltine malt, and pistachio coatings.
My wife and I liked the pistachio best. The kids loved the Ovaltine. Really!
Using a mini melon baller I got 15 truffles, but I'm pretty sure I could have gotten 16 if I had made them all the same size.

limpport says: Dec 19, 2009. 4:57 PM REPLY

With this step, I would keep some cold water and a towel handy. You don't want to handle the truffles too long with warm hands, or they start to melt. But
you don't want your hands wet while you handle them either, so make sure you dry them completely!

gk1651 says: Dec 19, 2009. 4:11 PM REPLY

I'm on my second batch. made some 2 nites ago after seeing this post. Used OJ and cardomoms. This time i tweaked it by putting the orange rind and a
few coffee beans I had. The last ones are almost gone between the two of us and i hope to share this batch for the holidays along with the mexican wedding
cookies. Please excuse the typos cuz I'm doing all this amongst my festive cheers y'all.

SANA M says: Dec 19, 2009. 6:13 AM REPLY

LOOK TASTY THANK YOU

imshanedulong says: Dec 18, 2009. 4:50 AM REPLY

Mmmmmmmmm.....

The Pfeff says: Dec 17, 2009. 7:42 PM REPLY

I love your photo guides - "lumps will be destroyed" :)

batgerl says: Dec 15, 2009. 1:26 PM REPLY

I use this SCOOP to make my truffle balls more "magically" round! :)

scoochmaroo says: Dec 15, 2009. 2:59 PM REPLY

Yeah, I need a scoop.

MysteriousDragon says: Dec 15, 2009. 4:19 PM REPLY

Hehe. A little Alliteration there. Scooch needz a Scoop.

scoochmaroo says: Dec 17, 2009. 10:18 AM REPLY

I got one! I went out yesterday and got me a scoop. Now I just have to find a way to justify how expensive it was. . .
I will label it Scooch's Scoop in every I'ble I use it for, in honor of you!

MysteriousDragon says: Dec 17, 2009. 5:01 PM REPLY

That -----Is----- Awesome-----. :]

man ray says: Dec 17, 2009. 1:14 PM REPLY

im thinking of making this and a thought of maybe putting chili powder? eh maybe ave have chili chocolate and is was different and good but i wouldnt know
how much chili to use

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/
 man ray says: Dec 17, 2009. 1:19 PM REPLY
sorry mistake meant to say ive had chili chocolate ...

piaferre says: Dec 17, 2009. 12:05 PM REPLY

I'm sooooooo hungryyyyy

scoochmaroo says: Dec 17, 2009. 10:12 AM REPLY

Those sound awesome.
So you melted white chocolate with cream that was infused with lime + jalapeno?

I too have been having bad luck with 'off' batches of white chocolate. I'm switching back to Merkens brand.

scoochmaroo says: Dec 17, 2009. 10:16 AM REPLY

Great suggestion! I <3 AB so will definitely have to check it out!

Jayefuu says: Dec 17, 2009. 2:13 AM REPLY

Do you know how long these will keep for Scooch? 1 week? 2 weeks?

And how is best to store them?

scoochmaroo says: Dec 17, 2009. 10:15 AM REPLY

I would say one week in tupperware or some similarly sealed container.
Mine have never lasted more than a day, so it's just a guess :D

redstarsrbija says: Dec 16, 2009. 9:14 PM REPLY

If your'e Serbian these are called bombice!
We make these every new years and they're bloody delicious!
But obviously the recipe is quite different.

scoochmaroo says: Dec 17, 2009. 10:14 AM REPLY

Sounds like you need to share that recipe!

HollyHarken says: Dec 17, 2009. 7:17 AM REPLY

Another coating option is colored sugars. Orange for orange flavored truffles, Red for raspberry, cinnamon or hot pepper, Yellow for lemon, you get the
idea. Hey I bet lemon or lime peels would also work! Gonna have to try it when I get the time. I need another month!!!

Any idea how many truffles this recipe makes?

scoochmaroo says: Dec 17, 2009. 10:09 AM REPLY

I made exactly as many as are in that picture, so let me see if I can count them. . .
Looks like 24? It'll depend on how big you make them. When I did the 5-min chocolate balls, I felt like I made them too big, so I scaled them back a bit
this time.

Stavro says: Dec 17, 2009. 9:49 AM REPLY

I have a recipe that uses frozen truffles (molten chocolate cakes) and I use a pair of food-grade gloves to roll the truffles. Just that extra layer between your
warm skin and the cold chocolate provides me with enough time to roll it into a proper ball.

view all 68 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Truffles/