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You are here: Home / Desserts / Candy / Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Truffles

January 9, 2019 By Sam 16 Comments

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Chocolate truffles on marble surface

How to make rich, decadent, chocolate truffles at home in your own kitchen! This recipe for gourmet chocolates is easier than you might have imagined. Start with a premium variety of chocolate and add just a few simple ingredients for the best homemade truffles!

Unlike some of my other candy recipes (like my toffee or peanut brittle I shared last month), there’s no candy thermometer required today. Be sure to check out the video showing how to make chocolate truffles at the bottom of the recipe!

Chocolate truffles with different toppings

These chocolate truffles have been a work in progress for a while.

I’d hoped to share them last month, mixed in with all my other candy recipes, but the recipe took longer than I’d hoped to perfect. I’m fitting this recipe in before Valentine’s Day, though, so I’m calling that a win, because who wouldn’t love to be gifted a box of homemade gourmet chocolate truffles from their sweetheart? Nobody I’d want to be paired with, that’s for sure 😉

Chocolate truffles are a chocolate lover’s dream, these are dark, decadent, creamy, and so rich. Small as they are, just one or two makes a satisfying after dinner dessert.

I have lots of tips I want to share with today’s recipe, so let’s do this.

silky melted chocolate for ganache

Tips for Making Chocolate Truffles

Melt your chocolate first

Many truffle recipes call for you to finely chop your chocolate and then pour hot cream over-top. Maybe you’ve even used this technique before for ganache.

However, one tip I picked up from Cook’s Illustrated and Alton brown is that melting your chocolate first actually makes the process easier and can yield smoother, creamier truffles. When you start with un-melted chocolate, the whisking process can actually incorporate too much air into your truffle mixture, leaving you with grainy chocolate truffles. By starting with melted chocolate, we minimize our mixing and therefore our air incorporation. Plus it just makes the process easier, and no stress about whether or not the cream will adequately melt your chocolate!

On corn syrup…

My truffle recipe uses 1 1/2 Tablespoons of corn syrup. I know (from the many comments on my sugar cookie icing) that not everyone loves using corn syrup or keeps it handy. If you don’t have it on hand, the good news is I tried this chocolate truffle recipe without any corn syrup and it still works.

The bad news is that the truffles, while still delicious, are not quite as smooth and creamy. For that reason, I do recommend using corn syrup (which is not the same as high fructose corn syrup).

Dust your hands with powdered sugar!

This is a life saver for me when rolling chocolate truffles. Yes your hands will still get chocolatey, but the truffles will not stick to/melt on your hands nearly as much as they would otherwise.

I pour a generous amount of powdered sugar onto a plate and repeatedly coat my palms with sugar between rolling each truffle.

Roll truffles in toppings immediately after rolling

The outsides of the truffles will firm up pretty quickly after being rolled, making your favorite topping less likely to stick. To combat this, immediately after rolling each truffle, roll it through your favorite topping. The surface of the truffle will still be slightly sticky and melted from the heat of your hands at this point, so your toppings will adhere well.

If you accidentally waited to long (maybe you rolled out all your truffles and now you’re trying to roll them through sprinkles, but nothing’s sticking?), just briefly roll each truffle between your hands again to warm up the surface, then immediately roll through your desired topping.

Rolling chocolate truffle in a cocoa sugar powder

The Best Toppings for Chocolate Truffles

You can get creative and use your favorite toppings when making truffles, but here are a few of my favorites:

  • Dutch processed cocoa. You can get away with natural cocoa powder, but the taste of the Dutch processed variety is smoother and less acidic.
  • A 50/50 blend of cocoa powder and powdered sugar. The sugar helps to temper the strong chocolate flavor of the cocoa powder.
  • Finely chopped nuts. I used walnuts in the photos, but pecans would also work nicely.
  • Sprinkles! I used chocolate sprinkles, but colored ones would work just as well (or maybe pink and white ones for Valentine’s Day). I also used standard sprinkles or “jimmies”, but nonpareils would look beautiful and would also provide a fun texture.

Should I Refrigerate Chocolate Truffles?

If your chocolate truffles are going to only last a day or two (or three) they’ll be fine stored at room temperature in an airtight container (granted you don’t live in a very hot, humid environment). However, if you plan to store them longer, I recommend refrigerating after making. Store in a tightly sealed airtight container.

If you do refrigerate, though, keep in mind that your chocolate truffles won’t taste best straight out of the fridge. You want them to be creamy and melt-in-your-mouth, and they’ll be too firm if they’re well-chilled. About an hour before enjoying, pull one (or all that you plan on serving) out of the fridge to give them some time to lose their chill and regain their lush, creamy interiors.

rich chocolatey interior of chocolate truffles

How Long will Chocolate Truffles Last?

These chocolate truffles will keep several days at room temperature or up to two weeks in the fridge. Either way, be sure to store them in a sealed, airtight container.

Enjoy!

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How to Make Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate truffles on marble surface

Chocolate Truffles

How to make homemade Chocolate Truffles. Just a few ingredients required!
Be sure to check out the how-to video at the bottom of the recipe!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Candy
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate, homemade candy, truffles, valentine's day candy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Chilling Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 20 truffles
Calories: 123kcal
Author: Sam Merritt

Ingredients

  • 12 oz premium dark chocolate bars finely chopped* (340g)
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream 160ml
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons corn syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • Powdered sugar for dusting your hands

Toppings (can be one or all of the following)

  • Dutch processed cocoa powder
  • Sprinkles
  • Finely chopped nuts
  • A 50/50 blend of Dutch cocoa and powdered sugar that's been sifted together

Instructions

  • Place chopped chocolate in a medium-sized, heatproof bowl and microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring well in-between, until chocolate is melted. Set aside.
  • In a small saucepan, combine cream, corn syrup, and salt bring to a simmer.
  • Remove from heat and add vanilla extract, stir briefly.
  • Pour cream mixture over melted chocolate (do not stir yet).
  • Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and let sit undisturbed for 4 minutes.
  • Remove plastic wrap and use a spoon to stir gently until mixture is combined and smooth (it will look lumpy and resistant to coming together at first, but it will!).
  • Add butter and stir until melted.
  • Use a piece of plastic wrap to cover the truffle mixture, touching the plastic directly againt the surface of the chocolate. Allow to cool at room temperature or one hour, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool and firm (at least 2 more hours).
  • Once you are ready to roll your truffles, first prepare your toppings by setting them out in small dishes you can roll your truffles through.
  • Remove truffle mixture from the fridge and use a 2-teaspoon size scoop to portion out truffles**
  • Lightly dust your hands with powdered sugar (this will help keep the truffles from sticking too much) and roll mixture into smooth 2-teaspoon sized ball. Immediately roll through desired toppings and place on a wax paper lined baking sheet.
  • Repeat until all truffles have been rolled. I like to return them to the refrigerator for several minutes to help them firm up a bit again, but chocolate truffles will keep several days at room temperature or up to two weeks in the fridge. Either way, be sure to store them in a sealed, airtight container.

Notes

*I like to use Ghirardelli 60%
**If the mixture has been chilling for longer than 2 hours, it may be very firm and difficult to scoop, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for several minutes to soften enough to be easier to roll. However, keep in mind that one of the things that's great about this recipe is that the mixture is a little firm, making it possible to roll the truffles without them completely melting in your hands.
Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Nutrition

Serving: 1truffle | Calories: 123kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

an assortment of chocolate truffles on a white plate

Filed Under: Candy, Desserts

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Comments

  1. Becky says

    November 7, 2020 at 8:09 am

    Helpful tips…make recipes SO much easier and “yummier”
    You videos are pleasant to watch and very easy to follow. GREAT JOB 🤩

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      November 7, 2020 at 8:50 pm

      Thank you so much, Becky! I am so glad that you enjoyed the tips and videos as well. 🙂

      Reply
  2. RobF says

    October 13, 2020 at 10:55 am

    I want to make flavored truffles using a smoked cherry whiskey and some also with a hazelnut liqueur. Any thoughts on amounts I should add? Any other recipe changes I should make?

    Reply
    • Sam says

      October 13, 2020 at 4:32 pm

      Hi Rob! That’s a tricky question. You would have to cook the whiskey and liquer to reduce it then you’d have to reduce some of the liquid in the truffles. You could add a splash (like you do with vanilla extract), but that probably won’t bring the flavor our like you intend. Honestly without having tried it I wouldn’t be able to give a very good recommendation. 🙁

      Reply
  3. Alice Carroll says

    May 12, 2020 at 9:50 pm

    Thanks for the heads up that refrigerating chocolate truffles would alter their taste for the worse. I’m planning to but a box of truffles for a friend of mine who will be passing by my town in two days. I will probably just have to make sure that if I’m going to store them at room temperature, they wouldn’t melt to the afternoon heat.

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      May 12, 2020 at 10:00 pm

      I hope that your friend enjoys the truffles. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Ellie Haine says

    February 10, 2020 at 11:45 am

    Could this be done with glucose syrup as corn syrup isn’t available in the UK?

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      February 10, 2020 at 12:55 pm

      Hello, Ellie! According to my research, golden syrup is the closest substitute that can be found in the UK. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Corrin says

    January 9, 2020 at 4:31 pm

    These look absolutely amazing!

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      January 9, 2020 at 7:16 pm

      Thank you so much, Corrin! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Cathy J Ballinger says

    December 15, 2019 at 10:58 pm

    Can’t wait to make this.

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      December 16, 2019 at 8:59 am

      I hope that you enjoy them, Cathy! Let me know how they turn out. 🙂

      Reply
  7. B.E. Kelly says

    February 19, 2019 at 8:12 am

    5 stars
    I made a batch of these for my wife as a Valentine’s Day gift.

    She loves them and posted pictures on Facebook. That got me in trouble with other husbands who accused me of “raising the bar” and making their wives jealous (all in fun of course).

    Reply
    • Sam says

      February 19, 2019 at 11:45 am

      😂 I am so glad she enjoyed the truffles! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Melody says

    January 10, 2019 at 12:26 am

    5 stars
    I love love all your videos and recipes, Thank you so much fir sharing all of your lovely recipes 🥰

    Reply
    • Sam says

      January 10, 2019 at 10:19 am

      Thank you so much for your kind comment, Melody! I really appreciate you following along with the videos and the blog <3

      Reply

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The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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