These classic French Chocolate Truffles are a truly decadent, intense and fudgy treat. Made with 4 simple ingredients only, these Cocoa Dusted Truffles are perfect for the Holidays, to enjoy with a coffee or as an edible gift!
Finely chop the Dark Chocolate bar and place it in a large heat-proof bowl. If using Chocolate Callets or Pistols, place them straight in the bowl.
350 gr (12 oz) Dark Cooking Chocolate Bar
Place the Cream and Butter in a small saucepan and turn on on medium low heat. Cook until the butter has melted and the liquid reaches a simmer (see note 1).
250 ml (1 cup) Heavy / Thickened Cream, 50 gr (3 1/2 tablespoons) Unsalted Butter
Pour about half of the Cream/Butter mixture over the Chocolate. Let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes then using a spatula, gently stir in small circular movements to combine. You will still see chunks of unmelted chocolate - that's normal.
Pour the rest of the hot cream over the chocolate (see note 2) then continue to stir until all the chocolate has melted and you get a smooth, shiny ganache (see note 3).
Pour the dark chocolate ganache in a small shallow pan, cover with plastic wrap touching its surface and place in the fridge to set for 1 to 2 hours (see note 4).
Place the Cocoa Powder in a small shallow dish.
50 gr (5 tablespoons) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, pick up a little bit of the set chocolate ganache mixture and roll it between yours hands to shape it into a ball (see note 5).
Directly place each chocolate ball in the dish with the Cocoa Powder and gently toss it around to cover it completely. Put the finished French Chocolate Truffles in a clean dish or air-tight container and place in the fridge to set again for at least 30 minutes. Store int he fridge for up to a week.
Video
Notes
Ingredients Notes:
Chocolate: use either Couverture Chocolate Callets or a Dark Cooking Chocolate Bar, very finely chopped. Note that chocolate callets are not chocolate chips - they are designed to be melted and tempered which is not the case for chocolate chips.
Cocoa: Unsweetened, natural Cocoa Powder (but dutch processed cocoa will work too). Can be sweetened if preferred for a sweeter treat.
Instruction Notes:
Make sure the cream does not start boiling or it might burn the chocolate when you pour it over.
If the cream has gone colder, re-heat it up slightly first.
If you still have bits of unmelted chocolate at this point, you can continue to melt it over a double boiler. Note that the chocolate could continue to melt thanks to the residual heat, so make sure not to apply too much heat on the chocolate afterwards.
The exact chilling time will depend on how large / shallow the pan you use is. The chocolate ganache should be hard enough to be scooped out, but soft enough to be rolled and molded. If too hard, take it out of the fridge and let it come back to room temperature for a few minutes. If too soft, let it chill for a little bit longer.
It will start to melt quickly, so don't work it for too long; it does not need to be a perfect ball! If the chocolate is too hard to roll, let it come back to room temperature for a few minutes. If it is too soft and melts straight away when you try to roll it, place it back in the fridge for a few minutes.