Peppermint Truffles Recipe | Downshiftology (2024)

FAQs

What if my truffle mixture is too sticky? ›

What do I do if the truffle mixture is too sticky? If your chocolate truffles are sticky when you're rolling them into balls, it's probably because they aren't fully set yet. Place them back in the fridge until the chocolate is very firm, but still soft enough to form into shape.

If the mixture is getting too soft, put it in the fridge or freezer and let it firm up before continuing.

A truffle is a rich chocolate candy. The inside of a chocolate truffle consists of melted chocolate, butter, cream, nuts and different flavorings such as spirits or liqueurs, vanilla, coffee, and spices.

Scoop the truffle mixture into mounds on a lined baking sheet. (Pictured above.) Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes so the mounds “dry out.” After that, they are a little less sticky to roll.

Later in the season summer truffles start to develop a pleasant – but still fairly mild – earthy and mushroomy flavour. In the earlier part of their season they are almost completely without taste or aroma – you might as well grate cardboard onto your food – they're used for appearance only.

Heating the cream to the wrong temperature

If the cream is boiling, it will cause the cocoa butter to separate from the chocolate, turning the truffles greasy. Of course, it needs to be hot enough to melt the chocolate, so too-cool cream won't get the job done either.

Heat about 2 Tbsp of cream till it begins to steam slightly. Turn off the heat and whisk your broken ganache into the cream little by little till everything is once again incorporated, smooth and glossy. Blending or whisking. Many people recommend this technique across the web.

Truffles and Olives/Olive Oil

The fruity, slightly bitter taste of olives and olive oil beautifully complements the umami-rich flavor of truffles. Drizzle truffle-infused olive oil over an olive tapenade for an extra depth of flavor.

Shaving and Slicing: A truffle slicer/shaver helps you slice your truffle into paper-thin slices. This gives the most truffle flavour and gets the most servings out of your truffle. In some recipes, a grater or microplane is used.

The simplest way to finish the truffles is to roll them in a dry coating: cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar, finely chopped toasted nuts, crushed cookies, or shaved coconut, for instance. If you want to get fancy, you can dip the truffle in tempered chocolate and then either dredge it in cocoa powder or garnish it.

Why is truffle so expensive? ›

Pound for pound, truffle is one of the most expensive foods you can buy. The reason behind such high costs is the scarcity of the produce, truffles are seasonal, extremely difficult to grow, and take many years to cultivate. They also have a short shelf life.

Despite sharing a name, a chocolate truffle does not contain any truffles of the mushroom variety. Nevertheless, some especially adventurous chocolate manufacturers may attempt to make chocolate-covered mushrooms.

Fresh truffles should be firm, not spongey. Over time, they will gradually soften a little and there is nothing wrong with them at this point. But the carbohydrate within the truffle is breaking down, releasing moisture, and therefore, the precious aroma. If they become squidgy and wet – they have perished.

A creamy Brie or Camembert creates a lush backdrop for black truffle's earthy depth, while a firm, salty Pecorino is the perfect counterpoint to the milder, subtly sweet summer truffle. Additionally, the nutty, buttery flavor of an aged Gouda works well with the robust profile of white truffles.

Can be stored 2 years (and 9 months in a fridge once open) – a useful tip is to add a small layer of olive oil over the paste.