Easy Homemade Flavored Truffle Recipes

These recipes for rich homemade truffles are simple and easy to follow. Preparing the flavored centers one day in advance and refrigerating overnight limits the actual cooking the day of consumption, making these the perfect recipes for busy holidays or romantic dinners, such as Valentine's Day. Choose your own flavors for filling, or separate chocolate into four batches and flavor each differently. Recipe makes about 4 dozen truffles total.

Possible combinations include:

• Orange marmalade and Grand Marnier
• Orange marmalade and Cointreau
• Raspberry preserves and Framboise
• Raspberry preserves and Chambord
• Strawberry preserves and brandy
• Apricot preserves and dark rum
• Apricot preserves and Amaretto
• Cherry preserves and Kirshwasser
• Instant coffee and Kahlua
• Instant coffee and Bailey's Irish Cream
• Ground almonds and Amaretto
• Ground hazelnuts and Frangelico
• Mint chips and Creme de Menthe

Ingredients

• 1 pound bittersweet chocolate
• 4 Tbsp butter
• ½ cup low-sugar preserves, strained (eg raspberry, orange marmalade)
• OR 1/4 cup finely ground nuts or instant coffee (eg almonds, hazelnuts)
• OR ½ cup flavored baking chips (eg peanut butter, mint)
• 1/4 cup liquor or liqueur

Instructions

In a double boiler or in a heat-safe bowl over a medium saucepan of hot water, melt butter. Add chocolate in pieces, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. If using flavored baking chips, add and continue stirring until completely melted and combined. Otherwise, remove from heat and whisk together with strained preserves or nuts and liqueur. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours until chilled and firm.

Ingredients

• prepared center mixture
• 12 oz bittersweet chocolate
• OR 1 ½ cups finely chopped nuts
• OR ½ cup cocoa powder or powdered sugar

Instructions

Line one or two baking sheets with aluminum foil. With melon baller, scoop prepared center mixture and roll between palms to shape a smooth ball. (If you find the chocolate too hard to work with, let sit at room temperature until soft enough to scoop.) Roll balls in cocoa powder or nuts, if that is your desired coating, and refrigerate on cookie sheets until 10 minutes before serving. If you prefer a chocolate shell, scoop and shape balls, then return to refrigerator for about 10 minutes on baking sheets. Meanwhile, heat 12 oz bittersweet chocolate in double boiler or in heat-safe bowl over medium saucepan of hot water. Stir constantly until completely melted and smooth, and an instant-read thermometer reads 115 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit when inserted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until chocolate cools to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat truffle centers in melted chocolate by placing center on a fork and dipping in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until hard and easily separated from foil, about half an hour, then roll in cocoa if desired. Store in airtight containers.