Bittersweet Truffles | Bourbon-Nut Truffles | Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Balls | Chocolate Truffles | Irish-Coffee Truffles | Rocky Road Bars |

 

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Bittersweet Truffles

Prep: 25 minutes | Total: 2 hours

These delectable truffles make great holiday gifts. For pretty packing, look for mini foil or paper candy cups in the baking aisle of supermarkets or at specialty shops. While the truffles are still slightly soft, roll them in the desired coatings. Kids might like to help with this step.

8 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream

Assorted coatings, such as crushed peppermint candies, toasted sweetened shredded coconut, finely chopped pistachios or other nuts, and cocoa powder

  1. Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; pour over chocolate. Let sit 2 to 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Refrigerate (uncovered) until somewhat firm, about 1 hour.
  2. Spoon mounds (2 level teaspoons each) of chocolate mixture onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Return to refrigerator 15 minutes.
  3. With your hands, roll mounds into balls. Place desired coatings in shallow bowls; roll balls in coatings, pressing in and covering completely. Return to baking sheet; chill until set, about 30 minutes. To store, refrigerate in a single layer in airtight containers up to 2 weeks.

Bring to room temperature before serving. Makes 24. Source: Everyday Food, December 2003.

Bourbon-Nut Truffles

Chilling the chocolate mounds for a half hour makes it easier to shape them into balls. The truffles soften quickly, so keep them in the refrigerator until just before serving.

Note: To make sure the chocolate does not melt, work with a few truffles at a time (keeping the rest refrigerated), and roll them in the nuts quickly.

1 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped)
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 cup finely chopped nuts

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring cream to a boil; remove from heat, and add chocolate and bourbon. Let stand 3 minutes; whisk until smooth. Transfer chocolate mixture to a medium bowl, and refrigerate, uncovered, until thick and firm enough to spoon out in mounds, about 2 hours.
  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Drop level tablespoons of chocolate mixture onto baking sheet. Refrigerate chocolate mounds until firm, 30 minutes.
  3. Place pecans in a shallow bowl. Using hands, roll each chocolate mound into a ball; roll balls in pecans, pressing lightly to adhere, and place on baking sheet. Refrigerate truffles until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Makes about 35. Source: Everyday Food.

Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Balls

1-pound confectioners’ sugar
2 cups chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3-1/2 cups Rice Krispies
1 package (12 ounces) chocolate chips, melted

  1. In a large bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, and Rice Krispies. Mix with your hands and roll into walnut-size balls. Refrigerate overnight.
  2. The next day: Dip the balls into melted chocolate and put on wax paper to set. Makes 24. Source: Sleep on it: Prepare Delicious Meals the Night Before, by Carol Gordon.

Chocolate Truffles

Small paper candy cups are available in the baking section of some well-stocked supermarkets and at stores that sell candy-making supplies. The truffles can be rolled (step 3) up to 3 days ahead.

3/4 cup whipping cream
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon cognac or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
About 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

  1. In a 1- to 2-quart pan over high heat, bring cream to a boil. Meanwhile, place chopped chocolate in a bowl. Pour cream over chocolate and stir gently with a flexible spatula until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. (If chocolate does not melt completely, place bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir until melted and smooth.) Stir in cognac. Chill mixture until firm, at least 3 hours; if desired, cover and chill up to 1 week.

  2. Line a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet with a piece of waxed paper. With a spoon, scoop out 1-tablespoon portions of chocolate mixture; place on waxed paper. If mixture is too firm to scoop, let stand at room temperature about 10 minutes.

  3. Place 1/4 cup cocoa on a rimmed plate. Dust hands lightly with cocoa. With your hands, roll each scoop of chocolate mixture into a ball, then roll in cocoa to coat. Place each truffle in a small paper candy cup (see notes). To store, place truffles between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container and chill. Advise recipient to chill as well, then bring to room temperature just before serving.

Nutritional Analysis Per Truffle. Nutrition Per Serving: Calories 95(71% From Fat); Fat 7.4g (Sat 4.1g); Protein 1.3g; Cholesterol 8.3mg; Sodium 2.7mg; Fiber 0.6g; Carbohydrate 8.6g. Yield: Makes About 2 Dozen 1-Inch Truffles. Source: Sunset, February 2002.

Irish-Coffee Truffles

To help cut through the ganache when forming truffles, first dip your scoop into hot water, then dry it with a towel.

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 pound plus 14 ounces bittersweet chocolate, (preferably 61 percent cacao), finely chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed dark-brown sugar
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup Irish whiskey
2 tablespoons coffee extract
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder, for rolling

  1. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; line with plastic wrap, allowing a 2-inch overhang; set aside. Put chocolate and butter into a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until chocolate and butter have melted. Remove from heat.
  2. Bring cream, corn syrup, and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Immediately pour over chocolate mixture; whisk until smooth. Whisk in yolks, whiskey, coffee extract, and salt. Pour into prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll into balls, about 4 hours (up to 1 week).
  3. Using a 1-inch ice cream scoop or a medium melon baller, scoop chocolate into balls, immersing scoop completely, then rotating it; transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
  4. Put cocoa powder into a shallow dish. Remove truffles from refrigerator. Roll each ball in your palms until completely smooth, then roll in cocoa powder to coat (if truffles become too soft to roll, return to refrigerator until firm); transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to 3 days).

Makes about 100. Source: Martha Stewart Weddings, 2006.

 

Rocky Road Bars

We’ve been making these since the mid-80’s as Christmas neighbor gifts.

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups dry-roasted peanuts (without MSG!!)
1 (10-ounce) bag of mini marshmallows (not store brand)
2 T. butter
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk

  1. Place the chocolate, condensed milk and butter in a microwave-proof glass bowl.
  2. Microwave on High for 3 minutes.
  3. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth.
  4. Let this cool for five minutes.
  5. Line a 13 x 9 pan with wax paper or release aluminum foil.
  6. After five minutes, fold the peanuts and marshmallows into the chocolate and press down into the pan.
  7. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  8. Cut and serve!

OR

  1. Line 13×9-inch baking pan with wax paper. In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips and butter with EAGLE BRAND® condensed milk; remove from heat.
  2. In large bowl, combine peanuts and marshmallows; stir in chocolate mixture. Spread in prepared pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm.
  3. Remove candy from pan; peel off paper and cut into squares. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Makes about 36. Source: Eaglebrand.com.

 

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