Gone are the days of generic candies adorned with impersonal cards with nothing but the words “To” and “From”. No longer do we decorate brown paper bags or empty tissue boxes to prepare for the reception of gifts from everyone in our class. Instead, the duty of candy-distributor has been reduced to a few kind souls who have a particular love of baking.
Depending on the density of candy-distributors in one’s social circle, it is very possible to complete a Valentine’s Day without receiving a single festive goodie. Fortunately, this dire issue is one we can solve. The job of the candy-distributor is not at all exclusive and can be taken up by anyone with a sweet tooth and a willingness to deal with a momentary affliction of sticky fingers. For anyone with these prerequisites, I offer up this easy and classy Fresh Mint Truffle recipe:
Ingredients (for 40 truffles):
1/3 cup packed fresh mint leaves (about 10 grams or one small bunch)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted), at room temperature
1 pound chocolate candy coating
Mint extract (optional)
Instructions
- Coarsely chop the mint leaves. Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan, and bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat until it’s simmering. Then, remove the cream from the heat and add the chopped mint leaves. Cover the pot with a lid for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate in a bowl with the room temperature butter.
- After 15 minutes, add mint extract to taste. Heat the cream again until it is just under the boiling point. Pour the hot cream through a strainer into the chopped chocolate. Discard the strained mint leaves.
- Whisk together the mixture until the chocolate is melted and you’re left with a smooth, shiny mixture. This is your ganache. Press a layer of cling wrap on top of the chocolate and refrigerate it until it is firm enough to scoop 2 to 3 hours.
- Once the ganache is firm, dust your palms lightly with cocoa powder and spoon the ganache into small balls. Re-apply the cocoa powder as needed to keep the truffles from sticking to your hands.
- Melt the chocolate coating in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating. Use a fork or dipping tools to dip a truffle in the chocolate, and wait for it to drip to remove excess chocolate before setting it on a foil-covered baking sheet.
- While the chocolate is still wet, add any decorations.
- Refrigerate the tray to set the chocolate, for about 20 minutes. They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Note: You can change the palate of your truffle by replacing the mint with another flavoring like crushed freeze-dried strawberries or instant coffee granules. For more pictures, go to @tech_scribe on Instagram.