Celebratory Chocolate: New Year's Truffles

Chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt has ensured an elegant start to my new year. He recently shared his Classic Truffle recipe with me. The following instructions are easy to follow, but anyone who would like a more hands-on lesson could register for Clay Gordon's (quickly-filling-up) Chocolate-Making Workshop with Fritz Knipschildt at Fritz's Connecticut cafe, Chocopologie.

Recipe:
The Chocopologie Classic Truffle

Set up for rolling chocolate:
   Bowl of melted chocolate
   Deep hotel pan of cocoa powder or toasted coconut
   Sheet pan with parchment paper
Needed utensils:
   Steel bowls
   Rubber spatulas
   Towels
   Gloves
   Sheet pans
   Deep hotel pans
   Small stock pot
Ingredients:
   2 lbs 70% dark chocolate
   1 qt heavy cream
   250 gr sugar
   1/4 lb butter

The Classic Truffle:
Boil heavy cream and sugar. In a separate bowl, add your finely chopped chocolate. Once cream has been brought up to a boil, pour it slowly over the chocolate while whisking, then add the butter once the mixture has reached body temperature. Once combined, set aside in a cool place, but not in the refrigerator. When the ganache has set (approximately 6 hours), then you can refrigerate the ganache, however cover tightly with plastic wrap before refrigeration. Leave refrigerated for 1 hour before rolling the ganache in small balls. Place the small ganache balls in the refrigerator for approximately 20 minutes. In the meantime, melt 250 grams of dark chocolate and cool it down until it is body temperature. You will be using this for dipping the chocolate ganache balls.

Wear a plastic glove and dip your finger tips in the melted chocolate. Thereafter take a ganache ball and smother the ganache ball in chocolate. Then roll in cocoa powder. Allow the truffles to set for 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

The Coconut Truffle:
Same procedure as above, but add toasted coconut to the mixture.

For dipping truffles, have some chocolate melting over a double boiler. The water should be simmering and not boiling or you will burn the chocolate. The ganache can be piped onto a sheet of parchment paper in small dollops and chilled slightly or it can be scoop out with a small teaspoon and rolled by hand, or use our Me a Chocolatier kit small hollow chocolate shells.