Description
Delicious peppermint truffles made with rich chocolate and cool peppermint essence, perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3 candy canes, crushed
- Finely crushed candy canes (for topping)
- Red sanding sugar (for topping)
- Cocoa powder (for topping)
Instructions
- Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, gently heat the heavy cream and unsalted butter until it just begins to simmer, stirring occasionally. Do not boil.
- Remove cream from heat, then stir in the peppermint extract. Immediately pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit undisturbed for 5-7 minutes to melt the chocolate.
- Gently stir the mixture from the center outwards until it is completely smooth, glossy, and homogeneous, with no lumps remaining.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches the surface of the ganache to prevent a skin. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2-3 hours, or ideally overnight, until firm enough to scoop and roll.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, portion out uniform amounts of chilled ganache. With slightly cool hands, quickly roll each portion into a smooth sphere. Return rolled truffles to the baking sheet and chill for 15-30 minutes.
- Melt additional chocolate (dark, milk, or white) for coating. You can simply melt it or temper it for a professional snap. Using a dipping fork, submerge each chilled truffle in the melted chocolate, tapping off excess before placing them back on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Immediately after dipping, sprinkle the truffles with finely crushed candy canes, red sanding sugar, or roll them in cocoa powder while the chocolate coating is still wet. For drizzled white chocolate, allow the main coating to set first, then drizzle and let set. Refrigerate coated truffles for 20-30 minutes until the coating is firm.
Notes
Store finished truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months. For best flavor and texture, remove from the refrigerator 15-30 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Chilling and Coating
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 truffle
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 6mg
Keywords: peppermint, truffles, chocolate, holiday desserts, homemade gifts