Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Desserts Hot Chocolate Bomb Burnout? Make These Decadent Dark Chocolate Truffles for Dessert Instead Be the first to rate & review! The key to perfecting them is simply starting with a high-quality chocolate that tastes delicious on its own. By Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Samantha Seneviratne Samantha Seneviratne Samantha Seneviratne is a baker, cookbook author, and food writer with nearly a decade of experience in culinary media. Highlights: * Started as a food editor at Good Housekeeping * Food stylist at Fine Cooking * Recipe developer for Martha Stewart's Everyday Food * Wrote three cookbooks * Contributes recipes to The New York Times * Host of Food Network's Unchoppable * Host of web series Cook and a Half on food52.com * Latest cookbook, The Joys of Baking: Recipes and Stories for a Sweet Life, was released in 2019. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on January 13, 2021 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Samantha Seneviratne Prep Time: 40 mins Chill Time: 5 hrs Total Time: 5 hrs 40 mins Yield: 24 truffles What better way to spoil your sweetheart (or better yet, yourself) than with homemade chocolate truffles? And your secret's safe with us: Truffles look seriously impressive, but they couldn't be simpler to make. This formula requires six hours of chilling time, but only 40 minutes of actual attention. And if you like to experiment, try some of the creative variations below—like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Earl Gray, Maple Pecan, and Cardamom Coconut—every one of which can be easily adapted from the basic recipe for Dark Chocolate Truffles here. Ingredients 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt cocoa powder, for rolling (optional) 3/4 cup sprinkles Directions Melt the chocolate and the butter in a heat-safe bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir in the cream and the salt. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. Scoop the chocolate onto a parchment-lined baking sheet 1 tablespoon at a time. (If the chocolate is too firm, let it stand at room temperature to warm up a bit before scooping.) Using your hands, roll each scoop into a ball. Coat your hands in a bit of cocoa powder if the chocolate is sticky—just don’t use too much or the sprinkles won’t adhere. Set the sprinkles in a small bowl. Roll each truffle in the sprinkles until fully coated, then return them to the sheet. Chill the truffles until firm, then transfer them to an airtight container for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving. Variations Follow the directions for Dark Chocolate Truffles above, making the following adjustments: Earl Grey Truffles Increase the amount of cream to 2/3 cup. Add 1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea to the cream and bring to a simmer. Let the mixture stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Before adding it to the chocolate, strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Instead of sprinkles, roll truffles in cocoa powder. Peanut Butter and Jelly Truffles Stir 1/4 cup raspberry jam into the chocolate mixture after the cream. Instead of sprinkles, roll truffles in finely-chopped roasted, salted peanuts. Lavender Raspberry Truffles Increase the amount of cream to 2/3 cup. Bring the cream to a simmer with 1½ teaspoons dried lavender buds. Let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Before adding it to the chocolate, strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Instead of sprinkles, roll truffles in finely-chopped freeze-dried raspberries. Cardamom Coconut Truffles Bring the cream to a simmer with 1 tablespoon crushed cardamom pods. Let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Before adding it to the chocolate, strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Instead of sprinkles, roll truffles in toasted sweetened coconut flakes. Sesame Truffles Stir 1/3 cup tahini into the chocolate mixture after the cream. Instead of sprinkles, roll truffles in white sesame seeds. Maple Pecan Truffles Stir 1/4 cup maple syrup into the chocolate mixture after the cream. Freeze the shaped truffles for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 8 ounces of milk chocolate. Using two forks, dip each of the truffles in the milk chocolate and toss them to coat, letting the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Set the coated truffles onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with finely-chopped pecans. Rate it Print