Dark Chocolate Wine Truffles
There is nothing better than chocolate and wine together. The two pair so well together so I thought why not combine them into a treat that is so creamy and decadent and literally melts in your mouth. This combo is definitely not new to the blog. This chocolate wine cake is one of my favorite snack cakes to make. It was time to add a new recipe to the blog with this same combo and these truffles were the best way to do that.
Truffles are so decadent and sinful and make the perfect finish to any meal. You guys know I’m not big into dessert but I will almost always have a piece or two of dark chocolate or a few chocolate covered almonds (who am I kidding - usually a small bowl full) after dinner and I’m good. Truffles will also always do the trick. Not too sweet but you still get that mouthful of decadence and the chocolate fix you need.
I am not a fan of the BonBon that are filled with liqueur but if the chocolate itself is infused with a bit of booze that is another story. These have just enough. Not as boozy as rum chocolates but boozy enough to enhance the flavour of the chocolate. They are just sweet enough and fruity with a complex red wine flavor that is not too overpowering.
Because there are so few ingredients in this recipe try and use good equality ones especially when it comes to the chocolate and the wine. It will makes a difference in the quality of your truffles. When it comes to a wine choose a full bodied one. I always choose a good Cabernet Sauvignon - one that I would enjoy drinking. One reason for this is because it will reflect in your truffles and second you are only using a ¼ cup of it so make sure you like it enough to finish the whole bottle. That won’t be a problem as these truffles are the most perfect accompaniment to a glass of wine.
A few tips to make sure your truffles are delicious and a complete success to make. Make sure you use heavy whipping cream - this is important as it has the perfect amount of fat content making for a creamy and luscious truffle. Allow enough time for the chocolate ganache to set. Be patient even though it’s hard and you just want to scoop them out and enjoy ASAP. These are super creamy and therefore can be a bit sticky when working with them. Work quickly and if you think that you aren’t able to roll them fast enough before they soften that is ok. Scoop them out onto you baking sheet unrolled and allow them to cool again for ½ hour to an hour to stiffen or dry out a bit and enough to roll. Make sure you always use pure chocolate. Do not use any chocolate chips as you will not get them to set as well, and avoid using milk chocolate as this will also have an effect on the setting ability. You will have to reduce the cream by at least half if you choose to use milk chocolate.
Have fun making these super simple truffles. And feel free to be creative and roll/cover them in various ways. Cocoa is my favorite because I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to truffles but sprinkles work well and even freeze dried fruit or crushed nuts work beautifully too. They are such a treat and you will absolutely love them! Enjoy!
Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate, baking bar chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- ¼ tsp of vanilla extract
- ½ tsp espresso powder (optional)
- ¼ cup red wine, cabernet sauvignon
- Cocoa for dusting and rolling truffles in *
Directions
- Heat the heavy cream in a small pan on the stove until small bubbles form around the edge of the pan, and just under a boil.
- Place the chopped chocolate into a small bowl. Pour the hot cream over the top and let sit for 3 minutes without disturbing.
- Stir in the espresso if using, vanilla and butter and vigorously whisk until smooth and shiny. Finally, whisk in the wine until completely combined.
- Once fully mixed, cover tightly and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator. Chill until firm – at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper and place the cocoa powder in a shallow bowl
- Scoop out the chilled mixture with a small or medium size cookie scoop and roll into a ball in your hands. It may help to dust your hands with cocoa powder in between if they get too sticky. Working quickly (as the longer you handle them the softer they will get), coat them in cocoa power and then place them on baking sheet.
- Keep chilled until ready to serve. Will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Recipe Notes
- For an alternative coating melt 1 to 1½ cups of semisweet chocolate and allow it to cool to room temperature before drizzling or dipping cooled truffles into it. I like to give each dipped one a little sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
