How Do You Make TRUFFLES?

Question

I make Christmas candie every year. Every year I try to add 1 more diffrent thing. This year I am trying to find a good - easy truffle recipe that all my friends will love.

Answer 1

EASY CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

INGREDIENTS:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or rum extract

PREPARATION:
Melt chocolate without stirring in top of double boiler. Remove from heat and add condensed milk,salt and flavoring. Stir just until blended. Press into a block one inch high in a wax paper lined pan.

Chill until firm.

Turn out and remove wax paper. Cut into serving pieces. Store in airtight container.

Makes about 1/2 pound.

Answer 2

I have a EASY recipe.

1 16 oz bag of sandwich cookies, like Oreos, Nutter butter. Some store brands have more variety and are alot cheaper. Like strawberry, pineapple,orange etc. These work very well.

1 8z pkg of cream cheese

1 16oz of chocolate or vanilla almond bark

Sit the cream cheese on the counter so that it will be soft.
If you have a food processor use it!!! If not put the cookies in a big freezer bag and pound until they are small crumbs.
Mix the cream cheese and cookies together until it makes a dough. Sometimes I use my hands! Roll the dough into a log and pinch off pieces and roll into balls. Not too big because it is sweet! About 11/2 tsp. Put all the balls on wax paper and place into the fridge while you melt the almond bark. Then dip the balls in the almond bark. Place back on wax paper. You can make them pretty by adding crystal colored sugar or "slinging" the almond bark across the tops with a fork.
Fruit flavors taste good with white/vanilla almond bark and peanut butter or chocolate taste good with chocolate almond bark.

You can store in a sealed container. The secret is not too big...because too big of a bite is too much! A little smaller makes them want to eat another and another! Good luck!!! :)

Answer 3

MILK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

9 oz. chocolate chips
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 c. heavy cream
1 c. unsweetened cocoa

In a double boiler, melt chips and butter. Add cream and stir until smooth and satin like. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 6 hours.
Place cocoa in a bowl and set aside.

To make truffles, scoop a teaspoon of chocolate mixture. Form ball with your hands and then roll in cocoa. Store in airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 20.

Answer 4

Chocolate Chestnut Truffles:

Use only butter for these indulgent sweets.

5 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces*
1 (10-ounce) can chestnuts, drained
1/2 cup superfine sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 to 3 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cocoa

Process chocolate in a food processor until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Add remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Let mixture stand at room temperature 1 hour; shape into 1-inch balls, and roll in cocoa. Place in paper candy cups, if desired. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

*We used Ghirardelli chocolate.

Yield: 3 dozen

Answer 5

I saw some in Kraft Food and family that were made with chocolate chips, with a peanut butter /cool whip filling......

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP or COOL WHIP Extra Creamy Whipped Topping, thawed
1/4 cup powdered sugar



MICROWAVE chocolate in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
STIR in peanut butter until well blended. Cool to room temperature. Gently stir in whipped topping. Refrigerate 1 hour.
SCOOP peanut butter mixture with melon baller or teaspoon, then shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Answer 6

Chocolate muffins: Chocolate muffins are a collection of chocolate confectionery, traditionally made with a chocolate ganache middle lined in chocolate or cocoa powder, in many situations in a round, conical or curved structure. different fillings might want to replace the ganache: cream, melted chocolate, caramel, nuts, almonds, berries or different diverse sweet culmination, nougat, fudge or toffee, mint, chocolate chips, marshmallow and popularly liquor. they're named for his or her resemblance to the truffle fungus. wish this facilitates. savour.

Answer 7

Truffles have a big reputation as being some of the tastiest yet trickiest candies. But they're actually some of the easiest candies to make. Truffles are made from ganache, which is a mixture of chocolate and cream. The proportions of chocolate and cream can be varied to create ganache textures that are soft or firm. Also, the ganache can be flavored in myriad ways with nuts, extracts, and liqueurs to make numerous different truffles. And truffles can have a variety of different coatings, which also makes them unique. But the best feature about truffles is their taste. Only a few ingredients go into making truffles, so it's important that they be the very best quality ingredients you can afford. Eating truffles is pretty close to eating pure chocolate.

You may think that making truffles is a big deal, but they're really no trouble to prepare. One of the great things about making truffles is that you can do many of the steps in advance of when you want to serve them. Actually, it takes some time between the steps for the truffle cream and the truffles themselves to cool. This cool-down requirement makes spreading the process out over a few days easier — so it fits into busy lives. And truffles keep very well in tightly covered and well-wrapped containers in the refrigerator for up to a month, or they can be frozen for up to two months. This makes them perfect to have on hand for unexpected guests or for when you have a truffle craving.

Truffles go well in many settings. They're the crown jewel of an assortment of candies. They're perfect served with after-dinner coffee and can be the dessert, or they can be an addition to dessert. Truffles go well at picnics, pot-luck gatherings, and as a delightful surprise in a lunch bag.

When you get into making truffles you'll find it hard to stop, because it's so much fun. Truffle making is a perfect way to spend quality family time together. Having extra hands to help roll them is always appreciated. And if a few truffles disappear into someone's mouth along the way, the smiles of appreciation are well worth it!
Use couverture chocolate to achieve a uniform, thin coating on the outside of truffles. This is chocolate that has at least 32 percent cocoa butter, which is a higher percentage than regular eating and baking chocolate. This makes the chocolate the correct consistency to create thin, smooth, and shiny coatings on dipped truffles and candies. Because of its high cocoa butter content, couverture must be tempered before use. It's the chocolate used by professionals for dipping, molding, and decorating and is also used for baking. All types of chocolate — dark, milk, and white — are available as couverture and are sold in cookware shops and through many online and mail-order sources.


Malted Milk Chocolate Truffles

Malted milk powder gives these truffles their distinctive flavor. They may remind you of drinking malted milk.

Preparation time: 2 hours (includes chilling)

Yield: 4-1/2 dozen truffles

8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup malted milk powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1. Melt the milk chocolate and semisweet chocolate together in the top of a double boiler over hot water or in a microwave oven on low power for 30-second intervals. Stir often with a rubber spatula to ensure even melting.

2. In a separate small saucepan, scald (do not boil) the cream over medium heat. Add the malted milk powder and stir to dissolve any lumps. Cover the pan and steep for 15 minutes, then strain the mixture.

3. Remove the top pan of the double boiler and wipe the bottom and sides very dry. Pour the cream into the chocolate and stir to blend until the mixture is smooth. Pour the truffle cream into a bowl or other container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until the consistency of thick pudding, 1 to 2 hours.

4. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Using a 14-inch pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, pipe out 1-inch mounds of the truffle cream. Or use a small ice cream scoop or melon baller to scoop out truffle mounds. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer about an hour, until firm enough to roll into balls.

5. To form the truffle centers dust your hands with cocoa powder and shape the mounds into balls. Line another baking sheet with wax paper. Roll the balls in cocoa powder to coat completely, and then place on the baking sheet. Place each truffle in a paper candy cup and serve at room temperature. Store the truffles between layers of wax paper in an airtight container wrapped with aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to two months. If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator for a day before bringing to room temperature.

Per serving: Calories 63 (From Fat 43); Fat 5g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 7mg; Sodium 10mg; Carbohydrate 6g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 1g.

Answer 8

check out the better homes and garden website. I've seen similar recipes there that don't look too difficult.

www.bhg.com

Answer 9

chocolate melted with heavy cream butter and then u let it harden by its self

Answer 10

½ pound coating chocolate (for molds e.g. Mercken's)
½ pound real chocolate (chocolate chips or Callebaut work fine)
¼ cup butter (not margarine)
¾ cup whipping cream
1 to 2 drops or tsp. desired flavors (depending on which kind you use)
Alcohol may be used providing only adults are going to eat these.

Place whipping cream in medium bowl into microwave. Scald (depending on your microwave, it should take approx. 2 minutes). Just make sure it boils.

Mix in butter until dissolved. Mix in real chocolate until melted. Whip with electric mixer for about 1 minute until mixture is thick.

Add flavor. If alcohol is used, you will need to beat with the mixer a while longer. It will separate, but keep beating. It becomes creamy after a couple of minutes.

Set this mixture in refrigerator while you prepare your molds. Again to make things easier, pour some into a squeeze bottle. Place in refrigerator. Coat your molds with the coating chocolate making sure you can see no light through them.

Take a small amount of filling and press it in the cavities of the mold or if you use a squeeze bottle squeeze out enough to fill the mold ¾ full.

Refrigerate for a couple of minutes. Then top with your coating chocolate. (This too can be put into a squeeze bottle for easier handling.) Or you may leave the entire mixture in the refrigerator for several hours until it gets hard.

Take a small amount, roll it into a ball and roll it in desiccated coconut, cocoa, nuts or whatever coating you prefer. Place them in candy cups or trays for boxing. These make great gifts or display for parties.

Classic Chocolate Truffles

This recipe makes about 24 truffles
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
8 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate + 6 oz. for dipping
about 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
PREPARATION:
1. Mix the cream, butter and corn syrup together in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a full boil. Turn off heat.

2. Add 8 ounces of the chopped chocolate, and gently swirl the pan.

Chocolate Lava Cake Mix
Rich moist chocolate cake erupts chocolate lava when you cut into it
Do not stir. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

3. After 5 minutes, whisk slowly to combine.

4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. In the meantime, line baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. After 45 minutes, the mixture will start to thicken quickly, keep refrigerated another 11 to 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

6. Using a mini ice cream scoop or two spoons, form the mixture into 1-inch balls and and place on the prepared sheets.

7. Chill until firm, about 10-15 minutes. While the balls are chilling, melt the remaining 6 ounces of chocolate. After it is completely melted, allow to cool slightly before continuing.

8. Place cocoa in small bowl. Remove the balls from the refrigerator. Using one hand, dip the balls into the melted chocolate. Roll it around in your hand, allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the truffle in the cocoa. With your clean hand, cover the truffle with cocoa.

9. Lift it out and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining truffles. Place back in the refrigerator for 5-8 minutes to set.
To store:
May be stored up to one week in an airtight container.

Chocolate Praline Truffles

Makes about 24 truffles

PRALINE POWDER:

oil, for baking sheet

1/2 cup chopped blanched slivered almonds

1/2 cup sugar

TRUFFLES:

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

4 teaspoons powdered instant coffee

To prepare praline powder, coat a baking sheet generously with oil and set aside.

Combine almonds and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves, 1 minute or more. Continue cooking and stirring until sugar caramelizes or turns a rich golden brown and nuts take on a golden color as well, only a few minutes more.

Carefully pour hot mixture onto prepared oiled baking sheet, spreading evenly with metal spatula or knife. Let cool completely. Break into chunks and process in food processor, pulsing, until mixture becomes a coarse powder. (If you don't have a processor, chop the caramelized nuts coarsely with a large sharp knife or use a mortar and pestle to pulverize it. Do not use a blender as the hard caramel pieces could break it.) Transfer powder to airtight container and refrigerate. (Praline powder can be made 1 week ahead.)

To prepare truffles, place chocolate, cream, butter and instant coffee in top of double boiler or in heat-proof mixing bowl set over (but not touching) saucepan of simmering water. Whisk until chocolate and butter have melted and mixture is smooth, 2 to 3 minutes or longer. Remove from heat and transfer to shallow bowl or pie plate. Cool, then refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or longer.

When ready to shape truffles, spread praline powder on dinner plate and have another plate ready. Using a spoon, scoop out tablespoon-size pieces of chocolate and roll into balls. Roll truffle in the praline powder until coated on all sides, then place on the extra dinner plate. Continue until all chocolate has been used. You should get about 24 truffles. Cover plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Then transfer truffles to airtight container. (Truffles will keep well for 5 days in the refrigerator.)

CHOCOLAT-ANISE TRUFFLES

From: [e-mail] (Cameron Kelly Brown)
Ingredients:
------------
1/4 cup Anise liquor
1/2 cup butter
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups pulverized anisette cookies

Instructions:
-------------
In a double boiler melt the chocolate, constantly stirring with a wooden
spoon. When the chocolate has melted, add the butter and slowly stir it
into the chocolate as it melts. Continue to stir for another minute
until it is well mixed and smooth. Add in the Rum and stir until well
mixed, then sprinkle in the pulvarized anisette cookies (a little at a
time, as sometimes it takes less) until the mixture is slightly
thickened but still smooth. You want the mixture to remain as a thick
sauce at this point.

When you have thoroughly mixed in the anisettes, rest the top of your
double boiler in a bucket of ice and WHISK the truffle mixture slowly
until it has cooled (about 15 minutes). Do not stop whicking or the
butter and rum will separate out of the chocolate-anisette. When the
sauce is completely cooled it should have a soft but solid consistency
which you can then spoon out and form into truffles and coat with
chocolate powder or confectioners sugar.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

From: [e-mail]

Source: Eagle Brand milk can.
(makes about 6 dozen)

Ingredients:
------------
3 pkg (175 g each) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp (15 mL) vanilla

Coatings:
---------
Finely chopped nuts, flaked coconut, chocolate sprinkles, coloured
sprinkles, unsweetened cocoa powder, icing sugar

Instructions:
-------------
In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips with sweetened
condensed milk. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Chill 2 hours or
until firm. Shape into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls; roll in any of the
above coatings. Chill 1 hour or until firm. Store covered at room
temperature.

COGNAC TRUFFLES

From: [e-mail] (Mary Jane Kelly)
Ingredients:
------------
3 1 oz square of unsweetened chocolate
1 1/4 c confectioners' sugar
1/3 c butter
3 egg yolks (I use the whites to make macaroons or meringue cookies)
1 tsp vanilla or 2 TBSP of cognac

Instructions:
-------------
Melt chocolate. Combine sugar and butter in bowl. Cream together. Add
egg yolks, 1 at a time. Stir in melted chocolate and flavouring. Chill
mixture. Break off pieces and form into balls. Roll in coating.
Air-dry 1 hour. Store in air-tight container in very cool place. Makes
about fifty truffles.

Suggested coatings: ground almonds or other nuts, cocoa, more melted
chocolate, confectioners' sugar, coconut, chocolate or coloured
jimmies.

Note that this uses raw egg yolks. I find a melon baller to be very
handy in forming the truffles.

DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
From: [e-mail] (Marc Rumminger)

Source: "Cocolat", by Alice Medrich

I use little wax paper cones for the piping bags, then filled them with
the appropriately colored chocolate.

An attempt to describe how to make the cones :
(for a real description, see "Cocolat", by Alice Medrich)

Take a 8" by 12" (or smaller) sheet of waxed paper or parchment
paper. Cut it into two equal triangles.

B --------- Lightly hold the triangle at
\ | point C. This will be the pivot
\ | point. Start to make a cone by
\ | rolling B towards A. The tip of
C \ | the cone should be at C. Try to
\ | keep B far away from C, that is,
\ | close to the unlabeled corner.
\ | When you have a cone, fold in the
A \| straggling edges to keep it from
unrolling. The tip should be closed.

To use, melt some chocolate (Alice Medrich says "Chocolate chips
do NOT make good piping chocolate."). Then put a spoon full or
two into the cone, fold the open end over til it is sealed, cut
off the tip, and pipe away.

You can do some fabulous decoration with these little piping cones!

EASY TRUFFLES
(Servings: 64)
From: [e-mail] (Mary Jane Kelly)
Ingredients:
------------
8 oz Semi-sweet chocolate
1/3 c Milk
1/3 c Unsalted butter
2 ea Egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/4 t Vanilla extract
1 x Unsweetened cocoa

Instructions:
-------------
In saucepan, melt chocolate with milk and butter over low heat, stirring
until smooth. Remove from heat.
Stir 1/4 cup hot mixture into egg yolks, the whisk yolks into chocolate
mixture in saucepan. Add vanilla; beat well. Pour into small bowl; cover
and refrigerate until firm. (You can store in refrigerator for up to 2
days at this point.)

Form teaspoonfuls into balls; roll in cocoa and shake off excess.
Makes 1 pound (about 2 dozen). About 75 calories each.

For gift-giving: use a glass jar with lid or candy dish covered with
plastic wrap. Store covered in refrigerator for 3 weeks and in freezer for
up to 2 months.

GENERIC CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE RECIPE

From: [e-mail] (Stephanie da Silva)
Ingredients:
------------
8 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream (32% milk fat)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla OR 4 tsp favourite liquer

Instructions:
-------------
Place whipping cream and chocolate in a heavy saucepan over low heat and
stir occasionally until chocolate melts. Add butter and continue
stirring until butter is melted. Remove from heat and let cool to room
temperature. Add liquer or vanilla (or nothing! Works this way also).
Let sit in refrigerator until hard (about eight hours or so). Dig out
by the teaspoon and form into balls, then roll in finely chopped nuts
(ground almonds are heavenly), cocoa, icing sugar, or coconut or dip in
chocolate. Makes 36-48.

This year I'm experimenting with Frangelico-Espresso truffles and
raspberry truffles dipped in white chocolate along with my usual
batches.

RUM BALLS

(makes approx. 75 small balls)
From: [e-mail] (Stephanie da Silva)
Ingredients:
------------
1 12 oz. box vanilla wafers
1 cup walnuts (or pecans)
1 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbsp cocoa
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1/2-2/3 cup rum (or bourbon)
powdered sugar for rolling balls, sifted

Instructions:
-------------
Place vanilla wafers in bowl of food processor and process to texture
similar to cornmeal. Put in a large bowl. Process the walnuts until
well ground (but not walnut butter!). Add to wafer crumbs. Add
remaining dry ingredients and mix well. Add corn syrup and rum and mix
well.

Roll into balls (loosely small bite size) and roll in powdered sugar.
Store in airtight container. It is best to try to wait 24 hours before
eating. The flavor improves greatly.

RUM TRUFFLES

From: Colette Goodyear, [e-mail]
Ingredients:
------------
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 stick of butter
2 1/3 cup sifted powder sugar
2 tsp or more if you like of RUM
chocolate sprinkles

Instructions:
-------------
Slowly melt chocolate in saucepan, add butter, stir constantly until
blended. Remove from heat stir in powder sugar and add rum. Make into
1" balls and roll in chocolate sprinkles. Let cool for 5 hours.

RUM TRUFFLES

From: [e-mail] (Stephanie da Silva)
Ingredients:
------------
3.5 ozs cooking chocolate
2 egg yolks
coconut
1 oz ground almonds
2 ozs butter
7 ozs icing sugar (powdered sugar)
2 Tbsp dark rum
1 oz plain biscuit crumbs

Instructions:
-------------
Put broken choc. & butter in bowl & soften in microwave or double
boiler. Mix in egg yolks then remaining ingredients, except coconut.
Chill until firm then form into small balls & roll in coconut. Keep in
refrigerator.

Variations:
-----------
Replace Rum with tipple of your choice ie Brandy, Sherry, Orange or
Coffee liqueur. The mixture may be rolled around a glace cherry or
ginger. Try choc. hail instead of coconut. For a real luxury, soak a
few glace cherries in the same liqueur overnight (or longer) then make
the balls. Superb with coffee liqueur...I'm trying them with Grand
Marnier this year..cheers

TRUFFLES

From: [e-mail] (Stephanie da Silva)
Ingredients:
------------
150 gm very good quality desert chocolate
150 ml double cream
25 gm butter

Instructions:
-------------
Grind up the chocolate in a food processor until granular.

Melt the butter and cream (also yoghurt if you want) in a saucepan until
simmering. Then pour the cream mixture into the processor whilst
working. When the mixture is welll and truly mixed (making sure to get
the cream that has splattered onto the underside of the lid) separate in
to four bowls. Allow to cool completely and then place in a fridge
overnight.

In the morning using a cold spoon form the chocolate mixture into little
truffle shaped balls. This is best done if your hands have been rinsed
in cold water for a while. You now have about 20-30 chocolate truffles.

First if you want rum truffles mix a good quantity of rum (or a few
drops of rum flavouring) into the cream mixture as you melt the butter.

Once you have spooned out the truffles you can roll them in cocoa,
chopped nuts or whatever you want.

TRUFFLES

From: [e-mail] (Stephanie da Silva
Ingredients:
------------
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of butter (softened)
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate.

Instructions:
-------------
Boil the cream until it thickens. Add the chocolate (broken so it melts
faster) and heat until melted. Add butter and stir till melted and
mixed. Then whisk in 3 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur, pour into
a bowl and chill. Stir several times during the chilling process, and
when the stuff is firm, shape it into balls and roll in cocoa, or
whatever strikes your fancy. I made:

-- Kahlua dipped in chocolate
-- Drambuie rolled in cocoa
-- mint/Baileys rolled in powdered sugar
-- Frangelico rolled in chopped nuts,
-- Rum rolled in granulated sugar with cinnamon.

Notes:
------
Store them in the fridge, and bring them out shortly before serving to
soften up some.

WHISKY TRUFFLES

From: [e-mail] (Mark Whidby)

I don't know much about ingredient quantities but I should point out
that the ingredients are in British measures.

Ingredients:
------------
1.5 lbs good quality plain chocolate
10 fl.oz. double cream
1 "small" glass whisky (original recipe says use malt whisky but I just
cannot bring myself to do this; I use 'Famous Grouse')

Instructions:
-------------
Bring cream to the boil. Remove from heat and add half the chocolate
(broken up). Stir gently until chocolate melted and thouroughly mixed.
Add the whisky and stir until well mixed in.

Transfer mixture to a metal bowl (I don't bother with this and just keep
it all in the original saucepan) and place in a bowl of iced water.
Beat with a wooden spoon until cool and thick.

Transfer mixture into piping bag and pipe into 2.5 cm rounds on sheet of
greasproof paper. Place in fridge to firm up.

Remove from fridge and roll into balls (original recipe suggests dusting
hands with icing sugar to prevent sticking but it doesn't seem to work).
This is incredibly messy. Make sure you have a bowlful of hot water to
plunge your hands into afterwards or else you'll end up with chocolate
covered taps.

Keep balls on greaseproof paper and chill in fridge again until firm. I
actually put mine in freezer section for about 1/2 hour.

Melt the remaining chocolate. Try to do this with as little heat as
possible or else the balls will rapidly disintegrate with the heat.
Using small forks dip each ball into melted chocolate and cover
thouroughly. Do each ball as fast as possible. The original recipe
suggested rolling each ball in cocoa while the chocolate is still molten
but I reckon this will cause ball breakdown due to the extra handling
involved.

Eating and storage:
-------------------
It is suggested that they improve if you keep them for a few days before
eating. It is extremely difficult to verify this. In any case, keep in
an airtight container in the fridge with a padlock on.

WHITE CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT-APRICOT TRUFFLES

(makes 28 truffles)

From: [e-mail] (Darin Wilkins)

Source: Natalie Haughton's 365 Great Chocolate Desserts (Harper/Collins:
$16.95), but I got it from the LA Times food section.

Ingredients:
------------
1 1/4 C hazelnuts (aka filberts)
1/4 C finely chopped dried apricots
24 ounces imported white chocolate
6 Tbl heavy cream

Instructions:
-------------
On a baking sheet, spread out 1 1/4 C hazelnuts. Bake at 350 F for 10
minutes, or until nuts are light brown and the dark skins are cracked.
Remove as much of the skins as possible by rubbing nuts in a terry-cloth
towel. Finely chop nuts in a food processor.

In a 1-quart glass container, combine 12 ounces imported white chocolate,
cut up and 6 Tbl heavy cream.

[Note: I used the Nestle white chocolate chips that are available in
my local supermarket. It worked well, but I am sure it would be better
if you use a good import instead.]

Microwave mixture on MEDIUM (70% power), 3 to 4 minutes, stirring twice,
until chocolate is melted and smooth. [You can do this step in a
double-boiler if you don't have a microwave.]

Stir into melted chocolate 3/4 C of the chopped nuts and 1/4 C finely
chopped dried apricots.

Cover the mixture and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or until mixture is firm
enough to hold its shape. (If mixture gets too hard, let stand at room
temperature for 30 minutes or so, until firm but soft enough to shape.)

Form 28 smooth 1 1/4-inch diameter balls, either by using a 1 1/4-inch
automatic-release ice cream scoop, or by rolling 1 Tbl of the mixture
between your (clean!) hands.

Place on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm, 1
hour or longer.

In a small glass dish, place another 12 ounces imported white chocolate,
cut up.

[Variation: use 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate. Or use 2 separate
6-ounce portions of each and dip 14 of the truffles in the white
chocolate and the other 14 in the semisweet.]

Microwave on MEDIUM (70% power), 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until
chocolate is melted, smooth, and warm.

Work quickly so the dipping chocolate does not harden before you are
through. If it does, pop it back into the microwave for a few seconds.

Using a fork to 'hold' the truffle (do not 'spear' the truffle. I
found 2 forks worked better for me. Maybe you are not as clumsy as I
am), dip the truffles, 1 at a time, into the melted chocolate. Tap on
edge of dish to remove any excess. Place on a wax paper-lined cookie
sheet and, before the dipped layer can harden, sprinkle with the
remaining chopped nuts.

Store in airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks, or in
freezer 1 month. Serve in paper candy cups.

Nutrient Analysis Per Truffle:
------------------------------
Calories 183 kcal
Protein 2 g
Carbohydrates 15 g
Fat 13 g
Cholesterol 10 mg
Sodium 27 mg
Fiber 0.2 g
64% calories from fat (ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!)

WHITE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

(Servings: 24)

From: [e-mail] (Mary Jane Kelly)

Source: "Madam Chocolate's Book of Divine Indulgences" by Elaine Sherman

Ingredients:
------------
8 oz white chocolate
48 ea good walnut / pecan halves
6 T unsalted butter, room temp.
1 1/2 T water
1 ea large egg yolk

Instructions:
-------------
Preheat oven to 300F. Set aside a wax paper-lined baking sheet.
Chop the white chocolate into small pieces and set aside.
Toast the nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer for 5 to 8 minutes.
Set them aside.

In the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling water, melt the white
chocolate and the butter in the water. Stir until smooth.

A NOTE on Melting White Chocolate: Since the fats in white chocolates
melt at different temperatures, and since the milk proteins tend to
clump if overheated, melting white chocolate can be very frustrating.
I've found that the easiest method is to chop the chocolate into small
pieces and melt them in the microwave. Microwave at high power for 1
minute, then stir. If necessary, continue the process for additional
30-second intervals until completely melted. Microwave only until
smooth; DO NOT OVERHEAT!!!

Pour into a bowl and add the yolk. Continue beating until the mixture
is fluffy and cooled to room temperature. Chill until firm (about 4
hours). Remove from refrigerator and form into 24 1-inch balls.
Sandwich between 2 nut halves. Chill until ready to serve.

I hope you like these.