Friday, March 11, 2011

A Postponed Valentine's Day

Pistachio and Date Truffles



I postponed Valentine's day this year for the following week, which is when I was on break and could actually celebrate. I started off my break in typical fashion by taking on a cooking/baking project. I made 4 different types of truffles to created an assorted box of chocolates to gift to my sweetheart (ha! pun intended!)

Unfortunately I was too wrapped up in gifting that I forgot to photograph any of my efforts. You'll have to trust my word that they turned out beautifully.

All of the following recipes I found from other food bloggies so I wanted to say thanks to The Food Addicts, Chocolate and Carrots, Confections of a Foodie Bride, and Anja's Food 4 Thought!

Oreo truffle (http://thefoodaddicts.com/oreo-truffles-dusted-in-cocoa-powder/)

cream cheese
crushed oreos
cocoa powder

Mix crushed oreos and cream cheese. Add a bit of water if needed to form small cookie dough balls. Then roll in cocoa powder and allow to chill in the fridge.

Cookie Dough Truffles (http://chocolateandcarrots.com/2010/12/cookie-dough-truffles)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 (14 ounce) can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used a heaping 1/2 cup full.)

Beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
Add in the vanilla and beat.
Alternating, add the flour followed by the condensed milk, beating well between.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Scoop out 1 tablespoon balls, place on parchment paper and refrigerate for about an hour until they are firm.
Roll into balls. Dip into chocolate and chill.

I actually forgot to dip them into chocolate. I started this the night before I was about to leave on a 12 hour bus ride bound for the states, at this point it had to have been around 1am or 2am when I got to the cookie dough truffle. I did try rolling a few in cocoa powder and I do not recommend it.

Grand Marnier Dark Truffle (http://www.jasonandshawnda.com/foodiebride/?p=3612)
Taken directly from the Confections of a Foodie Bride blog.

Chocolate Truffles
5 oz of your favorite dark chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp Grand Marnier (or other flavored liqueur, optional)
Cocoa powder or chopped nuts for rolling (I used three types of cocoa for color variation: unsweetened, Special Dark, and dutch process)

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place into a small bowl. Heat cream, salt, and liqueur (if using) over medium heat until bubbles began to form along the edges. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit for a couple of minutes. Stir chocolate until smooth. If there are still unmelted pieces, microwave in 10-15 second bursts, stirring in between until all pieces have melted.

Scrap down the sides of the bowl and place in the fridge for 45 minutes to an hour. Once completely cooled, use a buttered melon baller, spoon, or small dough scoop to portion the chocolate in ~1 Tablespoon balls. (I cleaned up the shape by placing the ball of chocolate into my buttered palm and lightly rolling with the spoon.) If you have problems with the chocolate becoming too soft while you work, place the bowl in the freezer for ~10 minutes and then continue.

Place the truffle into cocoa powder (or chopped nuts) and roll to coat. Store in the fridge in an airtight container (I actually keep mine in the freezer and cover the bottom of the container with a dusting of cocoa powder).

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, May 2000
Yields ~15 truffles

Pistachio and Date Truffle (This was the most popular and it's a vegan recipe!)
http://www.anjasfood4thought.com/2010/08/coconut-pistachio-truffles.html

Taken directly from Anja's Food 4 Thought. I omitted the coconut oil and no one seemed to mind. I didn't have it on hand and I find that it's really expensive.

1/2 cup dried dates, or Medjool dates
1/4 cup pistachio kernels
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coating
desiccated coconut
chopped or ground pistachios

Yields ca. 20-25

If the dried dates are too dry and hard, soften them by pouring boiling water over them and soak for 10-15 minutes. Drain excess water.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Blend until ingredients stick together. Add more coconut oil if the batter doesn't hold together. Form balls of the size of a cherry or walnut. Roll each one in your preferred coating. Keep in mini paper muffin liners. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Truffles are so easy to make! I suggest you give them a try! Here are some other recipes that I'd like to try out!

Dark chocolate pistachio or hazelnut truffles
http://www.caketree.sg/Dark-Chocolate-Pistachio-Truffles-8196791

Hazelnut and chocolate is my all time favorite combination.

WHITE-CHOCOLATE CHAI TRUFFLES
http://judicialpeach.com/2011/03/06/white-chocolate-chai-truffles/

Thanks to Judicial Peach who also got inspired by Valentine's day.

Caitlin’s Recipe!
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
DOWN TIME: 75 minutes for cooling
COOK TIME: 5 minutes
YIELD: 15 to 20 Truffles

WHAT TO GRAB:
6 ounces high-quality, white-chocolate, chopped (Caitlin likes Ghirardelli)
4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or caviar from 1 vanilla bean)
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

HOW YOU DO IT:

1. Pour the cream into a small heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the water does not come into direct contact with the bowl. Stir the cream with a wire whisk until heated through (i.e. warm to the touch).

2. Combine the spices in a small mixing bowl; set aside.

3. Stir the white chocolate into the cream until it is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the double-boiler, and stir in the vanilla and about one-half of the spice mixture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator to cool for approximately 1 hour. When ready, the ganache should be firm but pliable enough to scoop.

4. Using either a teaspoon or a small ice cream scoop, place mounds of the ganache onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate again, for 15 minutes.

5. Remove the sheet from refrigerator and roll the ganache mounds in the palms of your hands to create rounded truffles. Try to work quickly; the truffles become stickier as they warm to room temperature. Depending on size, this recipe yields about 15-20 truffles.

6. Dust truffles with the remaining spices, cinnamon, or powdered sugar. If you plan to ship the truffles or give them away as gifts, as I did, you can purchase candy cups and boxes from a craft store like Michael’s.

7. Store the finished truffles in the refrigerator, but allow them to come to room temperature before eating.

Dark Chocolate and Dark Beer Truffles
http://bite-my-cake.blogspot.com/2011/03/cokoladni-tartufi-s-pivom-chocolate.html

(makes about 28 truffles)
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
3 tbsp dark beer
9 oz (255 g) dark chocolate
1/2 vanilla bean
1 1/2 oz (40 g) cocoa powder
if you wish: 1/4 tsp chili powder

1. Combine heavy cream with vanilla seeds (scrape them from vanilla bean) and put on low heat. When it almost boils, remove from heat, add chopped chocolate and stir well until it combines. Leave to cool on room temperature.
2. Slowly add beer to the previous mixture and pour it into a square baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to cool for 3 hours in the fridge. The mixture should be firm enough to shape truffles.
3. Take 1 tsp of the mixture and shape uneven balls (truffles). Coat them with cocoa powder and serve. You can mix cocoa powder with a bit of chili powder.

Thanks to Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy Bloggie for these Chocolat inspired recipes!

http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2009/02/28/dinner-and-a-movie-chocolat/

Spicy Chocolate Chili Truffles (Les Truffes pour Vianne)
8 oz good quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, 62% cacao or higher.
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tbsp softened butter
Good quality cocoa powder for coating
Chop chocolate in a bowl.
Heat cream to simmer. Add chili flakes and steep for 15-20 minutes. Reheat cream to simmer. Add chipotle powder and stir.
Pour cream mixture over the chocolate through a strainer. Let sit a few minutes and gently stir until well combined.
Drop small bits of butter into ganache and continue stirring until smooth and homogeneous.
Let ganache sit until cooled. Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours until firm and “scoopable”.
Remove, and with a teaspoon or melon baller, scoop out balls of the ganache. Roll in your hands quickly to avoid melting, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator overnight.
Roll truffles in cocoa powder and serve.


Chocolate-Espresso Truffles (Les Truffes pour Roux)
8 oz good quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, 62% cacao or higher. (I used a mix of each)
1/2 cup cream
2 tsps espresso powder
1 tbsp softened butter
3 ounces white chocolate, chopped for coating
Roasted espresso beans for garnish
Heat cream to simmer. Add espresso powder and stir until dissolved.
Pour cream over chocolate and let sit a few minutes. Then, gently stir until well combined.
Drop small bits of butter into ganache and continue stirring until smooth and homogeneous.
Let ganache sit until cooled. Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours until firm and “scoopable”.
Remove and with a teaspoon or melon baller, scoop out balls of the ganache. Roll in your hands quickly to avoid melting, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator overnight.
Melt white chocolate in a small bowl. Carefully dip truffles in and set on parchment paper. Top with an espresso bean and let sit until coating hardens.

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