Dark chocolate is my jam. You may have noticed a trend when it comes to chocolate on this page. I don't do milk chocolate. I don't do white chocolate, or at least not very often. I'm a DARK chocolate girl. Seeing as I haven't shared a single truffle recipe on the blog yet (how can that be??), it was time! You could always take my recipes and change the type of chocolate used, but you NEED to do the dark chocolate for these: Chocolate Champagne Truffles.
The dark chocolate and champagne complement each other so well. You're also basically eating a giant gob of chocolate. Okay, "gob" sounds like a bad thing, but you get me, right? Dark chocolate is bittersweet, so you're not knocked over by the sweetness when you bite in. These truffles are just sweet enough, letting the flavors of both the chocolate and the champagne shine through.
Making the truffles takes some time because the chocolate needs to set, but the hands-on time is pretty minimal. The filling comes together in a flash. And, a secret: if you don't want to, there's no requirement to dip the truffle filling in chocolate. You can leave them as-is and skip that step altogether if you like. I prefer the finished look and the slight crunch of the chocolate coating.
I use a small cookie scoop to portion out my truffles, like this one [here]. A scoop isn't a necessity, but the process is MUCH cleaner and you end up with truffles that are more uniform in size. Fear not--the scoop only keeps your hands clean for the first part of shaping the truffles. After you initially portion them, you get to dust your hands in cocoa powder and make a real mess. Just try to look at your kitchen with a sense of accomplishment instead of dread when you see the result. 😉
I can't believe this is the first truffle recipe that I've shared on the blog! I'll get some more in the works...and chances are, dark chocolate will be involved. 😀
Other posts you may like:
Champagne and Chocolate Strawberries Cake
Dark Chocolate Champagne Truffles
Ingredients
Champagne Reduction:
- 6 tablespoon champagne
Dark Chocolate Champagne Truffle Filling:
- ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream
- 8 oz dark chocolate (I used 60% cacao)
- 3 tablespoon champage reduction
- unsweetened cocoa powder (to dust hands)
Dark Chocolate Truffle Coating:
- 8 oz dark chocolate (I used 60% cacao)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
Instructions
For Champagne Reduction:
- Pour champagne into a small saucepan. Over medium heat, simmer champagne until it has reduced by half (to 3 Tablespoons). Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. If making in advance, store in the refrigerator. (Allow champagne reduction to warm back to room temperature before using.)
For Truffle Filling:
- Combine cream and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth. Stir in champagne reduction.
- Allow truffle filling to set at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight at room temperature on your counter.
- Once the truffle filling has set, scoop out truffles, about 1.5" each (see note). Place truffles on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Once chilled, dust hands with cocoa powder (to keep the truffles from sticking) and roll each truffle into a ball. Return to the refrigerator.
For Truffle Coating:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small heatproof bowl, combine chocolate and vegetable shortening. Microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth.
- Dip each truffle in melted chocolate, coating each completely, then set on the prepared baking sheet. Allow chocolate to set either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. (If you want to add sprinkles, make sure to do so before the chocolate sets.)Enjoy!
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