Learn the simple steps to make these easy homemade chocolate truffles with only 3 basic ingredients. EVERYONE who tried them was thrilled especially the chocolate lovers.
These homemade chocolate truffles are VERY easy to make and everyone who will taste them will certainly ask you for the recipe (so make sure to bookmark this page 😉 ). I like to make them large enough (meaning Jumbo-sized balls) because I usually offer them for dessert on occasions like name-days, Valentine’s or every other occasion that asks for chocolate and also because most of my friends are very good eaters!
I mean, 90 grams of chocolate fudge are about the weight of a slice of cake, so nobody can complain. If you want, you can form them into a smaller size something that will give you many more truffles (ideal if you want to serve a lot of people).
Oh, and don’t be afraid of the alcohol in the recipe – it’s not too much and you can also omit it completely if you don’t want it.
What are the basic ingredients for chocolate truffles
Just as in this easy 2-ingredient chocolate mousse, the basic ingredients for making chocolate truffles are just two: good quality dark chocolate and heavy cream. The quantity of the chocolate is usually twice as much as the cream but you can experiment by adding just a bit more cream if you want your truffles to be extra soft and decadent. Also, the percentage of cocoa solids in your chocolate plays a role in the final outcome, but more on this later.
In my recipe I like to use equal parts of cream and chocolate and add crushed cookies to the mixture. I’ve found that this gives them some body and makes it easier to eat more than one without being overwhelmed by the chocolate. Don’t get me wrong, these are extra chocolatey, but the cookies help to give body and make it more of a complete dessert.
How to make chocolate truffles
The basic steps are these:
- Chop the chocolate
- Heat the cream
- Add the hot cream to the chocolate and stir until melted
- Add the crashed cookies and any other flavoring
- Chill in the fridge until firm
- Scoop the mixture and form into balls
What else can you add in a truffle recipe?
- Sweetener: honey, sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, stevia, artificial sweeteners. The sweetener should be in moderation because it can change the consistency of the truffles. Also, the dark chocolate already contains some sugar, so you may not need it at all.
- Alcohol: brandy, liqueur, whiskey according to your preference. 1 tablespoon per 200 grams of chocolate are enough to give a delicious flavor.
- Herbs and spices: black pepper, cinnamon, mint, lemon zest, orange zest.
- Extracts: vanilla, almond extract, instant coffee.
- Dried fruit (chopped): sultana raisins, apricots, cranberries, prunes, cherries.
- Roasted nuts: hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts work amazing with chocolate.
However, I wouldn’t suggest adding all of the above extras in the recipe. Try combinations of two, like rum and raisins, or honey and black pepper.
What is a good quality chocolate
A good quality chocolate is best recognized by tasting. The way cocoa powder is processed from seed to the final product plays significant part in the final taste and texture of the chocolate. Also, when reading the ingredients you should not find any other fat other than cocoa butter because it will mean that the chocolate is not considered to be real chocolate but probably something like candy melts.
Avoid chocolates that have too many ingredients listed in the packaging. The basic ingredients should be cocoa solids (cocoa beans), sugar, cocoa butter, something for flavor (like vanilla extract) and maybe an emulsifier (probably lecithin).
You can find more information in this article about how to select chocolate
Why chopped chocolate and not chocolate chips?
Usually, the chocolate chips I find are lower quality than a good chocolate bar. I’ve also read that some chocolate chips are designed not to melt easily so they can keep their shape when they’re baked inside cookies and cakes. If it’s not too much of trouble for you, please choose a good quality chocolate bar and take the additional two minutes to chop it by yourself.
The percentage of cocoa solids in chocolate
A usual semi-sweet dark chocolate will range between 45%-55% cocoa. More bitter chocolates can reach 70% cocoa. I find anything higher too bitter for my taste and for the taste of most people.
The percentage of cocoa in the chocolate will also affect the texture of the final product (mostly in ganache, mousses and creams). If we’re talking about a chocolate ganache (like this Greek halva cake with whipped ganache recipe), then a lower percentage of cocoa in the chocolate will result in a thinner ganache. For example, if your ganache recipe calls for chocolate with 60% cocoa and you want to use a 45% chocolate you will have to use less cream if you want to achieve the same consistency.
Can I use milk chocolate to make truffles?
In this recipe you’re basically adding a lot of milk cream in your dark chocolate something that almost makes it a milk chocolate. If you use milk chocolate for the truffles they will probably come out too soft, or they won’t harden at all, and the chocolate flavor will be too faint.
- 8.8 oz (250 grams) chocolate 55% cocoa, chopped
- 1 cup (250 grams) heavy cream 35% fat
- 1 cup (100 grams) cookie crumbs (process them in a food processor)
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
- 1 tablespoon brandy or cognac
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup chocolate sprinkles or 0.5 cup cocoa powder for coating
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Transfer the chocolate to a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream until just before boiling and add it to the chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute.
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Stir well with a spatula until the chocolate is melted and everything is smooth and homogenized. Add the honey, the brandy, and the salt and mix well. Add the cookie crumbs and mix well. Chill in the fridge until firm (about 4-6 hours or overnight).
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Scoop the mixture, form into balls and roll them in chocolate sprinkles or cocoa powder. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Video
If you make these truffles only with the basic ingredients they’ll come out awesome, but if you also add the extras they’ll be even better 🙂
Since there aren’t a lot of ingredients, the quality of the chocolate is very important. Some of the best chocolates for these truffles are:
- Lindt Swiss Bittersweet Chocolate Bar
- Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Chocolate Chips
- Belgian Dark Couverture Chocolate Semisweet Callets, 54.5%
The recipe makes 8 Jumbo truffles of 90 grams each or 12 large truffles of 60 grams each.
The truffles are best made the previous day.
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This is chocolate heaven…so easy n yum, And are so perfect for Valentines Day!!!
Thanks! I always make these truffles on certain occasions like namedays and everyone loves them!
this is the only way I’ve made truffles – with cookie or cake crumbs. I can temper chocolate, but beyond that chocolate scares me! Sometimes I’ve dusted mine in lightly sweetened cocoa, but I love the chocolate sprinkles!
In Greece, chocolate sprinkles are almost mandatory when it comes to truffles, but there have been time when I have also dusted them with cocoa too. The cocoa gives them a nice bittersweet taste 🙂