Chocolate Truffles

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Coming fresh from my second go at dark chocolate truffles. My creations are highly imperfect roundish lumps of sick deliciousness. I made them in three variations similar enough to keep things simple but different enough to jazz up the final version. I have not been too enterprising since this is new to me. However, I have been happy to discover that making truffles is delightfully easy!

For me the most frightening moment is pouring the warm heavy whipping cream over the melted chocolate. At this point, disaster might unfold. And both times I made truffles, it did appear that disaster was upon me. However, it is amazing to watch what appears to be ruined chocolate shards floating in a clumpy white liquid gradually transform into a glossy, deep brown cream. What a mystery this is. It surprised me again this time even though I had already experienced it once before.

I followed the proportions of this recipe but picked up a few techniques here and there from the Internets.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bittersweet-Chocolate-Truffles-236800

  • After the combined chocolate and the cream had cooled, I covered the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap and stuck it in the fridge for a few hours. This led to less messiness and complication later.
  • I made the truffles in two batches, keeping one batch in the fridge while working on the other and then vice versa. For instance, I would roll the chocolate into balls and place on a plate covered with wax paper. I would return the plate to the fridge while I rolled the next batch. Similarly, while I was dipping one batch into the melted chocolate, the other plate would be in the fridge.
  • I powdered my hands in cocoa powder. This made the truffle chocolate less likely to stick on my hands.
  • To dip the chocolate, I boldly lobbed the entire ball into the melted chocolate, pushed it around with a fork, and then used the fork to lift it out. When returned to the wax paper to set, this resulted in a build-up of chocolate on the bottom. But while the final truffle was not perfectly round, the coating was thick, delicious, and easy to make. No one complained.
  • A third of the truffles I left as is, with their rich chocolate coats. They look amazing. The second third were merrily pushed around in a bowl containing a small amount of cocoa powder. The final third were sprinkled with sea salt just before the chocolate coat set. I'll let you guess my favorite!
  • With great glee I used the fork method to drizzle the leftover melted chocolate over the happy truffles!
  • Ladies, I then ate these truffles.
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