Double Chocolate Truffles: Tips and Tricks

The mere mention of double chocolate truffles is enough to make anyone drool. Although the rich, flavorful taste may be prohibited to some, it may not hurt you to have an occasional taste. Chocolate truffles of any kind are perfect for special occasions enjoyed with a loved one. They can also make great gifts for someone close to your heart.

There are many different online and book recipes for these sweet temptations. You can therefore easily find a recipe that you can follow on your own in your kitchen. You need to know though that there are some tips and tricks you can follow to make the best truffles.

Dark chocolate is always best for traditional chocolate truffles. Be wary though, not every dark chocolate brand is a good buy. Some have so much sugar that using them will make your truffles lose their smooth texture and taste. Buy dark chocolate that has a bitter taste to it.

You don’t need to stick to dark chocolate. For an entirely different taste experience, you can go for milk chocolate or white chocolate.

Ganache, which is a mixture of chocolate and cream, is an essential part of your recipe. Different experts prepare ganache differently. You can add the cream right after the chocolate melts or you can heat the chocolate pieces and the cream together, letting the mixture cool and then reheating it with butter. Some would use pre-heated cream to mix with the chocolate pieces in the initial melting phase. The proper ratio of chocolate to cream is always 2:1.

Double chocolate truffles don’t need to contain just chocolate and cream. You can add more taste to your chocolate by using liqueur, Irish cream flavor, vanilla drops or pure orange juice. You add the flavor after the ganache is done and before it is placed in the refrigerator. Do not add too much flavor. You could either destroy the mixture or make your truffles inedible.

Traditionally, chocolate truffles are rolled in cocoa powder. Do not limit yourself though, you can also coat them with nuts, candy bits, cinnamon, confectioner’s sugar, coffee and coconut. For a true double chocolate delight, you can roll them in chocolate that has been tempered. This creates a solid chocolate exterior.

You need to work fast when you are in the process of making your chocolate balls. If you are too slow, the ganache will start to stick and become a mess. Work only on the amount of ganache that you are able to handle in a short period of time.

You can use cold water to wash your hands in between the rolling of chocolate pieces. This will limit sticking. Do make sure though to dry your hands.

Double boilers are almost always a must. This kind of boiler protects your chocolate from direct heat that could ruin the chocolate by making it clump. If you do not have a double boiler, you can use a pot and glass bowl that will not break when heated.

Whether you are using a double boiler or a makeshift boiler, you should never let the base of the top pot or bowl touch the water in the bottom pot. It is the heat from the water below that should go up to heat the top pot or bowl.

Seizing is a major problem when it comes to making chocolate truffles. This is when the chocolate turns into an unmanageable mess. You can avoid seizing by not using water to melt the chocolate and not covering the top pan.

Double chocolate truffles are indeed a very rich kind of indulgence. They truly are great treats though if you only have them once in a while.