Soft Dark Chocolate Truffles

Makes about 48 (½-ounce) truffles

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Cooling Time: 15 minutes

Chilling Time: 30 to 45 minutes

Level: *

Special Toolbox: melon baller, small #40 scoop, or 2 tablespoons, latex gloves or allergen-free rubber gloves serving tray

• 2 cups Dark Chocolate Ganache
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or liqueur of your choice, warmed
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• Confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, or chocolate decoratifs, for rolling

Directions:

Spoon the Dark Chocolate Ganache into a mixing bowl; set aside.

In a medium, heavy saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk into the ganache until smooth. Whisk in the liqueur, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the softened butter until incorporated and nearly smooth. Let the mixture cool for about 15 minutes, occasionally stirring to make the ganache smooth and silken. Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the ganache until set, 30 to 45 minutes.

Put the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, or decoratifs in separate bowls.

Using a melon baller, or #40 scoop, scoop 1-ounce balls from the chilled ganache. Wearing latex gloves, roll the mounds into balls, then coat in the desired garnish. Place on a serving tray lined with parchment paper or directly into fluted paper or foil candy cups.

Chef Secret: Some people have “hot hands,” making it difficult to roll chocolate ganache without it melting. For those people, soak your hands in a bowl of cold water with and ice cube or two to allow your hands to cool down before putting on the gloves. You may have to repeat this a couple of times during the rolling process.