EASY Chocolate Truffles

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces high-quality semi-sweet chocolate bars
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Cocoa powder, chopped toasted nuts, sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

1. Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a large heat-proof bowl. Add the cream.
2. Fill a small pot with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low.
3. Place the bowl on top of the pot making sure the bowl isn’t touching the water. Stir frequently until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth, fully combined, and glossy. Remove from the pot and stir in the vanilla. Pour the ganache into a loaf or small baking pan.
4. Chill for about 1 hour or until the ganache is firm to the touch but your finger can press into it without much force. (It should feel like playdough.)
5. Line a plate or small baking sheet with wax or parchment paper.
6. Scoop the chilled ganache into 1 to 2 teaspoon-sized portions. Roll between your palms to create a ball and place on the paper. (If your hands are naturally warm, it may help to wear nitrile or latex gloves when shaping the ganache.) Roll each ball into the coating of your choice and return to the fridge to chill until firm, at least 30 minutes. Truffles can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months.

NOTES

• Wearing rubber gloves or coating your hands in some cocoa powder will make rolling the truffles less messy.
• Chopping chocolate into finer pieces adds surface area and lets the hot cream melt it on a lower heat setting, and decreases the chance of burning. I use a sharp chef’s knife, but a serrated knife is great if you have one as it prevents the chocolate bar from breaking into tiny shredded shards.
• As you don’t bake the chocolate truffles, use real vanilla extract as you’ll be able to taste the difference.
• Use a cookie scoop to make perfectly uniformed truffles.
• If your hands run warm, your kitchen is hot, or your ganache is too soft, scoop the chocolate ganache onto a lined sheet pan and freeze for a bit before rolling.
• If the ganache is still too soft, you will have to gently reheat the mixture and add more chopped chocolate to it.
• If your ganache is too firm to roll, let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes and try again.