With Valentine’s Day approaching, I wanted a quick and easy treat for the holiday. My mind immediately went to truffles.

Everyone on Pinterest makes them look so easy,  I figured this has to be the way to go.

Well there is a whole bunch of information left out of those supposedly easy recipes. After a few weeks of trial and error, I will share with you what I learned.

First though a little background. I live one block from Maison du Chocolat and two blocks from Leonidas, so while homemade gifts show love more than a bought one, these needed to taste damn good. Otherwise, I should just shell out the cash and buy some from the masters.

Second, many of the recipes for homemade truffles require refrigeration at all times. Well how can you give a gift if you can’t take it out of the fridge?

So here is the ugly truth, if the truffle is not dipped in chocolate, it needs to stay in the fridge. All those beautiful photos may be enticing but the reality is not so great.

Now don’t panic, dipping in chocolate does not have to be difficult. For starters, I had no intention of tempering chocolate. While tempering does create the shiniest chocolate with the perfect snap, it seemed like a recipe for disaster if you are not skilled in it.

I am not and I’m guessing most of you aren’t either. If you are, great. Temper away. But the rest of us need an easier solution.

In comes melting chocolate wafers or candy melts to the rescue. You can get them online at Amazon or a craft store. They take the place of tempering. You simply melt them and you are ready to go.

However, the northeast was covered in an epic snowstorm and I had no desire to throw on my boots and trudge out to the craft store. Plus the melts at the craft store are not made with the best chocolate and as I said, I live right near some of the world best chocolatiers. So I melted some chips and used a little coconut oil to add a bit of shine.

Now I am not naive enough to think that I could make chocolate truffles as well as someone who has spent decades mastering the craft. However if you start with a good quality chocolate and chocolate chips, I guarantee it will taste much better than a Whitman’s sampler from the drugstore.

Easy Chocolate Ganache Truffles

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Elle Kirschenbaum

Adapted from Serious Eats’ Chocolate Ganache Truffles Inspired by Party Bluprints’ Chocolate Truffles

15 minPrep Time

4 hr, 15 Cook Time

4 hr, 30 Total Time

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Ingredients

For truffles:

4 ounces of semisweet, bittersweet, milk or white chocolate

1/4 cup of cream (for chocolate with 70% or more cacao, increase the cream by about a tablespoon)

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons grand marnier, kahlua, amaretto, or other liquor

For chocolate coating:

6 ounces (1 cup) semisweet, bittersweet, milk or white chocolate chocolate chips

3/4 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)

or

6 ounces melting chocolate wafers (candy melts)

Instructions

For truffles:
1. Place the chocolate, cream and butter in a heat-proof bowl and melt either with a microwave or double boiler. Stir until smooth. i]Tip: See [Melting Chocolate for guidance.[/i]
2. Stir in the alcohol. Allow to cool slightly before covering with plastic wrap. Freeze for 1 12 to 2 hours or until firm enough to handle. Note: The darker the chocolate, the faster it freezes.
3. With a melon baller or spoon, scoop out mixture and roll into 1 inch balls. Place on a lined cookie sheet and freeze for 1 to 2 hours.
For chocolate coating:
4. Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil or melting chocolate wafers in heat-proof bowl and melt either with a microwave or double boiler. Stir until smooth. i]Tip: See [Melting Chocolate for guidance.[/i]
5. Remove the chocolate balls from the freezer and drop one into the still hot melted chocolate. When completely covered, return it to the lined cookie sheet. Repeat until all are covered. Tip: I scooped out the chocolate-dipped ball with a fork.
   

To decorate:
6. Spoon any remaining chocolate into a sealable plastic bag, seal and snip off just the very end of a bottom corner. Pipe chocolate decoratively over truffles or purchase heart-shaped sprinkles and place one on top of each truffle.
7. Return truffles to the freezer until completely set (about 15 minutes).
Variations:
8. Purchase colored chocolate melting wafers, melt and pipe on top of truffles instead of extra chocolate.
9. Instead of dipping the truffles in chocolate, you can roll them in a 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder or chopped nuts.
Storage:

Store chocolate-dipped truffles covered in cool, dry place or undipped truffles covered in the refrigerator for up to one week. Serve at room temperature. Freeze for longer storage.

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