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I lost my favorite teddy bear in a hotel room when I was 6. I was still crying about Jenny-Bear when we walked in to Teuscher Chocolates. The shopkeeper must have felt sorry for me (or simply did not want a blubbering child disrupting her clientele) and offered me an entire truffle to sample. A nod from my mother and the dark chocolate coating made an audible snap as my teeth sunk down into the creamy ganache.
I stared at the half-bitten truffle in my hand. This was not the chocolate I knew, and certainly not what I had been expecting. Until that moment I had believed my grandmother’s brownies to be the height of sweet indulgence. She made a fine brownie, but it didn’t hold a candle to Swiss chocolate. Suddenly happily distracted from my misery, I gobbled the rest of the truffle.
Earlier this week, when I sat down to deal with my taxes, I did so with a little plate of dark chocolate orange truffles. Chocolate, really fabulous chocolate, is more comforting than a pair of fuzzy slippers. And nothing beats the luxurious smoothness of a truffle.
I adore the combination of orange and chocolate, and so have used orange liqueur here, but there are endless possible combinations. One of my favorites involves coffee liqueur and a chocolate-covered espresso bean as a garnish. Feel free to experiment, and don’t be intimidated. I promise that even ‘mistakes’ will be gobbled up by happy friends and family. Be sure to use the best chocolate you can find, it really is worth it.
Orange Chocolate Truffles
- 12 ounces good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped, divided
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced candied orange peel (optional, recipe below)
Melt half of the chocolate with the butter in a mixing bowl set atop a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and orange liqueur. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Using a melon baler, scoop the ganache onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll each scoop into a ball with your hands and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Place the remaining chocolate in a mixing bowl and melt very slowly over a pan of simmering water. Do not allow the temperature of the chocolate to rise above 94 degrees Fahrenheit or the chocolate will not have a nice sheen and snap to it. Keep the chocolate at 90 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit (by holding it over the pan of simmering water and removing as needed or by placing the bowl on a heating pad covered with a towel). Dip each truffle in the chocolate, shaking off the excess, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Garnish with a slice of candied orange peel. Allow truffles to set in a cool place.
Candied Orange Peel
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups sugar, divided
- Peel of one mandarin orange, thinly sliced
Bring the water and 1 cup of sugar to a simmer in a saucepan. Add the peel and cook 30 minutes. Strain the peels and toss in the remaining sugar. Spread on a baking sheet and allow to dry 8 to10 hours.
Check out Dedham resident Katie Pelczar's blog at www.cozydelicious.com for more fun and nostalgic recipes.
I lost my favorite teddy bear in a hotel room when I was 6. I was still crying about Jenny-Bear when we walked in to Teuscher Chocolates. The shopkeeper must have felt sorry for me (or simply did not want a blubbering child disrupting her clientele) and offered me an entire truffle to sample. A nod from my mother and the dark chocolate coating made an audible snap as my teeth sunk down into the creamy ganache.
I stared at the half-bitten truffle in my hand. This was not the chocolate I knew, and certainly not what I had been expecting. Until that moment I had believed my grandmother’s brownies to be the height of sweet indulgence. She made a fine brownie, but it didn’t hold a candle to Swiss chocolate. Suddenly happily distracted from my misery, I gobbled the rest of the truffle.
Earlier this week, when I sat down to deal with my taxes, I did so with a little plate of dark chocolate orange truffles. Chocolate, really fabulous chocolate, is more comforting than a pair of fuzzy slippers. And nothing beats the luxurious smoothness of a truffle.
I adore the combination of orange and chocolate, and so have used orange liqueur here, but there are endless possible combinations. One of my favorites involves coffee liqueur and a chocolate-covered espresso bean as a garnish. Feel free to experiment, and don’t be intimidated. I promise that even ‘mistakes’ will be gobbled up by happy friends and family. Be sure to use the best chocolate you can find, it really is worth it.
Orange Chocolate Truffles
- 12 ounces good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped, divided
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced candied orange peel (optional, recipe below)
Melt half of the chocolate with the butter in a mixing bowl set atop a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and orange liqueur. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Using a melon baler, scoop the ganache onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll each scoop into a ball with your hands and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Place the remaining chocolate in a mixing bowl and melt very slowly over a pan of simmering water. Do not allow the temperature of the chocolate to rise above 94 degrees Fahrenheit or the chocolate will not have a nice sheen and snap to it. Keep the chocolate at 90 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit (by holding it over the pan of simmering water and removing as needed or by placing the bowl on a heating pad covered with a towel). Dip each truffle in the chocolate, shaking off the excess, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Garnish with a slice of candied orange peel. Allow truffles to set in a cool place.
Candied Orange Peel
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups sugar, divided
- Peel of one mandarin orange, thinly sliced
Bring the water and 1 cup of sugar to a simmer in a saucepan. Add the peel and cook 30 minutes. Strain the peels and toss in the remaining sugar. Spread on a baking sheet and allow to dry 8 to10 hours.
Check out Dedham resident Katie Pelczar's blog at www.cozydelicious.com for more fun and nostalgic recipes.
