Chocolate fruit truffles three ways

These rich truffles pair chocolate with fruit: milk chocolate with orange, white chocolate with blueberry and dark chocolate and cherry.

Credit: Bake With Anna Olson

• makes

  15

• prep

  45 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

The dark chocolate recipe makes about 20 truffles, the milk chocolate about 16 and the white chocolate about 18. 

Ingredients

Milk chocolate orange truffles

• ⅓ cup (80 ml) whipping cream
• 240 g (8oz) couverture milk chocolate, chopped
• 3 tsp (15 ml) corn syrup
• 3 tsp (15 g) butter, at room temperature
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 cup crushed feuilletine wafer biscuits, or cornflake cereal crumbs

White chocolate blueberry truffles

• ¼ cup (60 ml) whipping cream
• 240 g (8 oz) white chocolate, chopped
• 3 tsp (15 ml) white corn syrup
• 1 tbsp (20 ml) virgin coconut oil
• 40 g dried blueberries
• 1 cup (100 g) sweetened flaked coconut

Dark chocolate cherry truffles

• ½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream
• 240 g (8oz) dark chocolate (less than 70%), chopped
• 3 tsp (15 ml) corn syrup
• 1 tsp (5 g) butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (45 g) finely chopped dried cherries
• 1 cup (250 ml) cacao nibs (or use cocoa powder, see Note)

Setting time: up to 90 minutes. 

The preparation and cooking times are for making all three kinds of truffle. If you are making just one, it will take about a third of the time.

Instructions

1. For the milk chocolate truffles, bring the cream up to a full simmer while you have the chopped chocolate and corn syrup ready in a bowl.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let it sit a minute, and then gently stir with a spatula, starting the motion in the centre and widening the stirring circle outward as the chocolate melts.  If the chocolate does not melt fully, then place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring very gently until smooth. 
2. Stir in the butter and then the orange zest.  Set this aside to cool completely to room temperature - this can take up to 90 minutes.
3. Use a very small scoop or two teaspoons to scoop spoonfuls of truffle onto a plate.  Roll the truffles between your palms to shape into balls and then roll them in the cookie or cornflake crumbs.
4. For the white chocolate truffles, bring the cream up to a full simmer while you have the chopped chocolate, corn syrup and coconut oil together ready in a bowl.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let it sit a minute, and then gently stir with a spatula, starting the motion in the centre and widening the stirring circle outward as the chocolate melts.  If the chocolate does not melt fully, then place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring very gently until smooth. 
5. Stir in the dried blueberries.  Set this aside to cool completely to room temperature - this can take up to 90 minutes.
6. Use a very small scoop or two teaspoons to scoop spoonfuls of truffle onto a plate.  Roll the truffles between your palms to shape into balls and then roll them in the coconut.  
7. For the dark chocolate truffles, bring the cream up to a full simmer while you have the chopped chocolate and corn syrup ready in a bowl.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let it sit a minute, and then gently stir with a spatula, starting the motion in the centre and widening the stirring circle outward as the chocolate melts.  If the chocolate does not melt fully, then place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring very gently until smooth.
8. Stir in the butter and then the dried cherries.  Set this aside to cool completely to room temperature - this can take up to 90 minutes.
9. Use a very small scoop or two teaspoons to scoop spoonfuls of truffle onto a plate.  Roll the truffles between your palms to shape into balls and then roll them in the cocoa nibs.
10. The truffles should be stored refrigerated, but always bring them to room temperature for serving.

Note

•  Cacao nibs (also known as cocoa nibs) are part of the husk of the cocoa bean and add a nice crunch and look to the truffles. They can be found at stores that sell good quality chocolate. If not available, rolling the truffles in cocoa powder works very well.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

The dark chocolate recipe makes about 20 truffles, the milk chocolate about 16 and the white chocolate about 18.