Chocolate truffles look beautiful, taste decadent, and are shockingly easy to make! Use our handy guide to get creative and whip up a batch to compliment your next cheese board or surprise someone with homemade chocolates for Valentine's Day. Chocolate truffles are a unique, handmade Mother's Day or Father's Day gift for the chocolate lover in your family, too!
The Chocolate Truffle Ingredient Ratio
To make chocolate truffles, you need two primary ingredients: chocolate and cream at a 2:1 ratio by weight. If you don't have kitchen scale, this amounts to about two 4 oz bars of chocolate or one 8 oz packet of baking discs, and 1/2 cup of cream.
The Best Chocolate for Truffles
You'll want to use a high quality dark chocolate that's at least 60% cacao. Opt for bars or baking discs over chips. If you're using chocolate bars, chop them evenly and finely with a knife so that they will melt faster. Steer clear of flavorings and go for quality with your chocolate. You can add in your own flavorings later!
The Best Cream for Truffles
A high milk fat percentage is necessary for delicious, creamy truffles. Use heavy whipping cream or full fat coconut milk from a can for non-dairy or vegan chocolate truffles.
How to Make Chocolate Truffles
- Finely chop your chocolate, then add it to a bowl that is large enough to stir the truffle base without spilling.
- Warm the cream over low heat until it just begins to simmer, then pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for five minutes.
- Stir the mixture until it becomes a smooth, shiny ganache (which is just a fancy word for chocolate combined with cream).
- Cover the surface of the ganache directly with plastic wrap to prevent moisture from affecting it, then refrigerate for at least an hour, or until the ganache is cool to the touch.
- Line a sheet pan or large plate with parchment paper. Use a small portion scoop, melon baller, or bouillon spoon to make 3/4" balls of chocolate, then roll them in your hands until they are nice and round. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes. Pro tip: Gloves are a handy tool here, because they help diffuse the heat from your hands to keep the chocolate cool. Plus, it makes cleanup much easier!
- Add your toppings to small bowls. Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and roll them in the toppings until they are evenly coated.
- Keep truffles refrigerated until ready to gift or serve. They should last up to two weeks in a sealed container. If you can stop yourself from eating them, that is.
How to Customize Homemade Chocolate Truffles
If you want to get a little more creative than the classic dark chocolate truffle, you can add your own flavors in one of three ways.
1. Sweat fresh herbs or add non-acidic liquid ingredients into the cream while it simmers.
Use as much or as little as you like, but remember to strain out whole ingredients before adding the warm cream to the chocolate.
- Fresh mint
- Whole vanilla beans or vanilla extract
- Fresh hot chiles
- Cinnamon sticks or cassia bark
2. Mix crunchy, gooey, or acidic liquid ingredients into the finished ganache before cooling.
You'll want to use a small amount so that you don't overpower the chocolate. If using a very liquidy ingredient, consider reducing the cream by the equivalent amount before melting the chocolate.
- Jams or marmalades, like the Absinthe Orange Preserves include in our Lush Kit
- High quality balsamic vinegar, like the Royal Fig or Raspberry Balsamic included in our Epicurean Kit
- Chopped dried fruit such as cherries or cranberries
- Puffed rice
3. Coat the truffles in dry ingredients.
The classic chocolate truffle is coated in dark, unsweetened cocoa powder (try the Turmeric Infused Dark Hot Chocolate from our Lush Kit), but you can combine it with all kinds of other ingredients, or replace it entirely!
- Powdered sugar
- Sprinkles
- Finely chopped nuts like pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts
- Sea salt, like the Sea Gris or Himalayan Salts included in our Gourmand Kit