Dark chocolate truffle is a type of chocolate confectionary, which consists of a ganache center dipped in a dark chocolate. Ganache is normally prepared by combining and boiling semisweet chocolate with cream. The chocolate-cream ratio largely varies from one ganache recipe to other depending on their usage. The resultant ganache can be used as a cake glaze or can be beaten until fluffy and used as a filling for truffle. The ganache used in regular chocolate truffle is dipped in white or the regular chocolate.
The shapes of these specific chocolate truffles vary from conical, curved, to spherical. Some of the popular fillings used for ganache include nuts, almonds, berries, melted chocolate or toffee, mint, marshmallow and liqueur. This confectionary derives its particular name truffle due to its close resemblance with truffle fungus.
In France, the truffle fungus is considered as a culinary luxury and similarly the chocolate truffles are too associated with luxury and impart distinct taste experience. Cream, semisweet chocolate, cocoa powder, unsweetened chocolate are some of the regular ingredients used in the preparation of this confectionary.
Basically, the chocolate truffles are differentiated into American, European and Swiss . The dark chocolate truffle is popularly considered as a variant of American chocolate truffle and it is prepared using the milk (cream) and dark chocolate. The European version of dark chocolate truffle is also popular but is prepared with thick cocoa powder syrup and butter. Dark chocolate classic truffles are the most popular truffle variants sold across the world followed by French chocolate truffles, milky almond truffles, etc.
Dark chocolate truffle Recipe: Introduction, Ingredients and Method of Preparation
The typical dark chocolate classic truffle is mostly prepared and served during the Easter dinner. Whipping cream, semi-sweet chocolate, vanilla, butter, and whipping cream is used in the preparation of chocolate. The coating of the truffle is prepared with bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. The chocolate is added to a heat proof bowl and blended with other ingredients. The mixture is shaped using teaspoon or mellon baller and heaped on to the baking sheet. The mixture is freezed until it hardens. The coating is prepared by melting semi-sweet chocolate with hot water. The hardened chocolate balls are taken out and dipped in the coating and again kept for freezing. The second time it is freezed for longer time until the coating gets hardened.
Variations of this simple dark chocolate classic truffle can be prepared by rolling truffles in cinnamon –pistachio mixture or hazelnut.