Natalie of Good Girl Style is here today, and she’s brought truffles. Yes, we already celebrated Valentine’s Day (with fondue, with baked pasta, with steak), but that doesn’t mean we can’t go overboard with more chocolate, this time in the form of homemade chocolate truffles for gifting. Natalie joins us each month to share incredible desserts with Big Girls, Small Kitchen readers–desserts that are entirely gluten-free, but not like obviously gluten-free. That means no specialty flours or hard-to-find ingredients, just good old-fashioned butter, sugar, chocolate, and cream.
There’s nothing better than something handmade to show someone you love them. Scratch that. There is: something handmade and chocolate. These truffles are as easy as can be, and sure to impress any lucky recipient, should you choose to share. We all know chocolate is heart-healthy, right? So this is one heartfelt indulgence you can feel good about. Not to mention they are incredibly rich and creamy.
One batch can be rolled into a few different toppings to switch up the texture and create a pretty box should these be gifted to someone you’re sweet on. We’re not going to get into this tempered chocolate business (which makes the truffles shelf-stable), so these truffles will need to stay cool or refrigerated to hold their shape well. They should last up to 2 weeks if kept refrigerated, though I highly doubt any will last that long!
**Recipe**
Chocolate Truffles
Makes 18 to 24 truffles, depending on size
Ingredients
8 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate
4 ounces heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Toppings (optional):
½ cup sifted cocoa powder
½ cup coarse or pearl sugar
Chocolate dip (optional):
¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil or shortening
Shredded coconut, for topping
Chop the chocolate well by hand or in a food processor. If you’re using chocolate chips, chop these as well. The smaller the pieces of chocolate, the smoother and creamier the finished product will be. Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl.
Heat the cream carefully over the stove, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t scald, until the surface bubbles gently. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, and add the vanilla. Stir gently so the cream covers all of the chocolate. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then stir together until smooth and silky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set and firm, but still malleable. Meanwhile, put your toppings in shallow bowls.
When the truffle mixture is firm, use a teaspoon or melon scoop to scoop the truffle mixture into small balls. Roll between your hands if necessary to get a nice round shape. Roll into the cocoa or sugar until well coated, shaking off excess. Place on a waxed-paper lined baking sheet. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
To dip in chocolate: In a shallow bowl, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together gently in the microwave. Stir after each 30-second interval, until melted, about 1 minutes, 30 seconds in total. Scoop and roll truffles as above but instead of rolling them in cocoa or sugar, dip them in chocolate. A spoon is handy to coat them fully. Transfer to the waxed-paper lined baking sheet and top with a bit of coconut if desired. Place in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens fully.
