Cocoa-Dusted Chocolate Truffles

It’s day three of Advent, and I have a completely different type of recipe to share—chocolate truffles!  I have made these truffles over and over again for years since they are relatively simple and absolutely delightful.

Day 3: Cocoa-Dusted Chocolate Truffles

Difficulty Level: Impressive Challenge

Growing up, I was not a hardcore chocolate fan, especially dark chocolate. But, I now appreciate the finesse and simplicity of these sophisticated treats.  Dark chocolate, much like an aged cheese, gives you a mouthful of flavor to savor with each small bite.  One small truffle is enough to satisfy a craving for something sweet, and it has far fewer calories than most other goodies like cookies and cake.  One potent truffle and a cup of green tea is the perfect remedy for the post-lunch slump that plagues me (and many of you also, I’m sure).

These five-ingredient, decadent dark chocolate truffles are inspired from Laduree Bakery in Paris.  They made their way to the “impressive challenge” list because working with chocolate can be difficult for novices. In this recipe, you need the butter to be very soft, but not melted. There are a number of things you can do ensure that your ganache is smooth and use-able, instead of “broken” and un-useable. For example, don’t add too much cream!  Also, make sure you use dark chocolate that is at least 70% cacao solids. If you use milk chocolate or a dark chocolate that is under 70%, there are unaccounted for milks solids, and you risk your ganache not coming together.

But, other than that, this is really a straightforward recipe and relatively simply if you closely follow the directions. Also, dusting them in cocoa is very forgiving for any formation imperfections! A few homemade truffles in a treat bag or box is the perfect way to spread some holiday cheer.

So many truffles!