Cognac Truffles

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 flavoring. 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 colored
jimmies.

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

Chocolate Anise Truffles

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 pulverized 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.

Easy Truffles

(Servings: 64)

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.

White Chocolate Apricot-Hazelnut Truffles

(makes 28 truffles)

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.

Easy Chocolate Truffles Recipe

1 1/2 pk Chocolate;semi sweet; 12 squares
1 8 ounces Pkg Cream Cheese; softened
3 c Powdered Sugar
1 tb Coffee liqueur
1 tb Orange liqueur
1 tb Almond liqueur
Nuts; chopped
Unsweetened cocoa
Flake coconut
Sprinkles; colored

Cook chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through heating time.
Stir until chocolate is melted.
Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until well blended.
Stir in chocolate until blended. divide mixture into thirds, add 1 flavor liqueur to each third; mix well.
Refrigerate about 3 hours or until firm. Shape into 1-inch balls.
Roll in nuts, cocoa, coconut or sprinkles.
Keep in Refrigerator. Makes 5 dozen.

Dark Chocolate Truffles Recipe

8 oz Semisweet chocolate; chopped into 1 1/4 inch pieces
4 oz Unsweetened chocolate; chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
2/3 c Heavy cream
2 tb Unsweetened cocoa; sifted
2 tb Confectioners' sugar; sifted

Place 8 ounces semisweet chocolate and the unsweetened chocolate in a 4-quart bowl.
Heat the heavy cream in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a boil. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate.
Allow to stand for 5 minutes, thin stir until smooth (now you have ganache). Refrigerate the ganache for 1 hour until firm but not hard.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a tablespoon of ganache for each truffle (approximately 3/4 ounce), portion 24 truffles, evenly space onto the parchment lined baking sheet.
Refrigerate the ganache portions for 15 minutes (so the ganache will be firm enough to roll into truffles).
When the ganache is firm enough to handle, remove from the refrigerator and individually roll each portion of ganache in your palms, in a gentle circular motion, using just enough pressure to form smooth rounds.
Roll 16 of the rounds in 2 tablespoons cocoa and separately roll 8 in the confectioners sugar until completely covered.
Store the truffles in a tightly sealed plastic container, in the refrigerator.
Remove about 1 hour before serving.

White Chocolate Truffles Recipe

1/4 C butter
1/2 C confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg yolk
8 oz. white chocolate,
broken into small pieces
1 C chopped blanched almonds,
lightly toasted

Makes about 2 dozen truffles
Melt chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Add sugar, egg yolk and almond extract; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Transfer to a shallow glass casserole dish.
Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Shape mixture into 1 inch balls. Roll in almonds.
Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Place in miniature foil cups at room temperature to serve.
Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Chocolate Truffles Recipe

½ Cup unsalted butter
2 1/3 C confectioner’s sugar
½ C cocoa

1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Centers: pecan, walnuts, whole almonds or after-dinner mints

Coatings: coconut, crushed nuts,confectioners sugar

Makes about 3 dozen truffles
Cream butter in large mixer bowl.
Combine 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar and the cocoa;
add alternately with cream and vanilla to butter.
Blend well.
Chill until firm.
Shape small amount of mixture around desired center; roll into 1 inch balls.
Drop into desired coating and turn until well covered.
Chill until firm.