Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Chocolate-Rum Truffles

Chocolate-Rum Truffles

With rich and decadent flavor, these are a natural for Valentine’s Day

Chocolates for Valentine’s Day? Mais oui!

But you needn’t buy expensive bonbons in heart-shaped boxes. Because these homemade truffles are outrageously good – and they look fancy, too.

Best of all, they’re easy to make. So you’ll have more time to sip champagne with your sweetie.



Chocolate-Rum Truffles

Recipe: Chocolate-Rum Truffles

Mrs. Kitchen Riffs is the dessert maven in our household. She adapted this recipe from one for bourbon-soaked chocolate truffles that we found in Julia Child and Company.

These truffles are particularly interesting because they use gingersnaps for extra flavor and, well, snap.

It takes less than 20 minutes to put together the chocolate mixture for these truffles. Then you’ll need to let the mixture chill in the fridge for an hour or two before you form the truffles (which will take another 15 minutes or so).

This recipe yields 18 to 24 truffles, depending on how large you make them.

These truffles will keep for several days if you refrigerate them in an airtight container.

Ingredients
  • 5 ounces semisweet chocolate (can use chocolate chips)
  • 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 60 percent cacao)
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons strong coffee (we recommend espresso)
  • ¼ cup dark rum (can substitute bourbon)
  • 6 ounces gingersnap cookies
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Procedure
  1. Place the semisweet and bittersweet chocolate, along with the butter, in a microwave-safe container with a lid. Heat in increments of one to two minutes until melted.
  2. Remove the chocolate mixture from the microwave (be careful – it’s hot). Stir in the coffee, then the rum.
  3. Pulverize the gingersnaps in a mini-food processor until they’re fine crumbs. (No mini food processor? Place the gingersnaps in a zippered plastic bag, then bash them with a rolling pin until you have crumbs.) Stir the pulverized gingersnaps into the chocolate until well mixed.
  4. Chill the chocolate mixture in the refrigerator for an hour or two, until it has solidified.
  5. Form the truffles: Pour the unsweetened cocoa powder onto a dish. Scoop out approximately one tablespoon of the chocolate mixture, then roll it between your hands until it forms a ball. Roll the ball in the cocoa powder to coat it. Repeat until you’ve used all the chocolate mixture.
Chocolate-Rum Truffles

Notes
  • We generally use Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate (60 percent cacao) for these truffles. But any good-quality bittersweet chocolate should work fine.
  • We think dark rum is delicious in these truffles. But bourbon would be great, too (in fact, that’s what Julia Child’s recipe calls for).
  • Any name-brand dark rum will work. We like to use Myers or Gosling’s in sweet dishes.
  • Coffee deepens the flavor of chocolate. We generally use 3 tablespoons in this recipe. But start with 2 if you’re unsure.
  • We use instant espresso powder for making the coffee. But any strong coffee should work fine.
  • BTW, if you use espresso powder only for cooking (as we do), a jar will probably last a long time. You can store it in freezer to extend its life.
  • We use ready-made gingersnap cookies for this recipe. But if you happen to have homemade ones on hand, those would be even better. 
  • When you eat these truffles, the cocoa-powder coating can get a bit messy. So a dinner napkin may be in order.
Chocolate-Rum Truffles

Love Is in the Air

“These are wonderful,” I said, taking another truffle. “Kind of you to make them.”

“Well, I know the way to your heart,” said Mrs. Kitchen Riffs.

“You had that already, my little chickadee,” I said.

“As you have mine, petit chou,” said Mrs K R.

“Yes, love is grand,” I said. “Though it’s not always flowers and champagne.”

“True,” said Mrs K R. “Sometimes there’s rum.”

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Chocolate Chip Bars
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Or check out the index for more recipes

92 comments:

Angie's Recipes said...

wow these chocolate truffles look sensational and are a perfect treat for Vday!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Angie, they're wonderful! Really good stuff. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Unknown said...

These truffles sound wonderful! And almost dangerously easy!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Chris, they're TOO easy to make! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Pam said...

They look so rich, decadent, and delicious. Perfect for Valentine's Day.

laura dembowski said...

What a perfect homemade Valentine's gift! They look so nice with the gingersnap coating.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Pam, these really are decadent. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Laura, aren't these nice? And SO tasty! Thanks for the comment.

Raymund said...

I love liquor chocolates, the sweet bitterness of it is such a pleasure to the palates. This is perfect for the coming Valentines day

Sippity Sup said...

Truffles are so rich and special it's amazing they're so simple to throw together. GREG

Judy said...

Okay, I'm in! <3

Gerlinde de Broekert said...

Your truffles look so wonderful, I love the addition of gingersnap cookies.

GiGi Eats Celebrities said...

Talk about a sexy treat for that sexy day coming up!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Raymund, rum and chocolate taste wonderful together! Great combo. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Greg, they really are so easy to make! So we have no excuse for not doing so more often. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Judy, hard to resist, aren't they? :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Gerlinde, the gingersnaps really add nice flavor. Really a good recipe. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi GiGi, sexy and tasty -- what a combo! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Fran @ Gday Souffle said...

Oh, you naughty boy! I think I just saw your post on Food Gawker- now I'll never be able to stick to my diet!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Fran, we are bad! It's good, isn't it? :-) Thanks for the comment.

Juliana said...

Oh John, I can imagine having a bite of this truffle...chocolate, espresso and rum...all melting together...yum!
Thanks for the recipe...I hope you are having a wonderful week :)

Carol at Wild Goose Mama said...

Wowzer I can NOT pass up commenting on a chocolate truffle----or the banter with the dessert maven. Made me smile.

Tricia Buice said...

I love the addition of gingersnaps - how brilliant! And of course I love chocolate too! Love the rum and everything about these delicious bites. Enjoy your day of romance!

Deb|EastofEdenCooking said...

Oh what marvelous flavor! The gingersnap spice is a wonderful pairing with chocolate. This sweet treat would surely make for a lovely V day!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Juliana, the flavor of this is terrific. Can't have just one. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Carol, Mrs KR makes great desserts, and gives good banter. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Tricia, we will! You, too. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Deb, the gingersnap really adds a lot to the truffles. These are really good! Thanks for the comment.

Eva Taylor said...

What a clever combo of ingredients, they look wonderful too. Perfect timing for valentine's day (I'm always behind!). They look pretty with the cocoa coating too. Nicely done.

Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things said...

Nothing nicer than a home made truffle... especially when it's made with love. xx

savorthebestcooks@gmail.com said...

Oh, yum! This would be the perfect finish to our Mini Beef Wellington dinner on Valentine's Day. I love the smooth, rich chocolaty taste of truffles. :)

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Eva, these have wonderful flavor. And the rum is so nice in them! Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Liz, the ones made with love are the best! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Pat, don't truffles have terrific flavor? Hard to limit yourself to one or two. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Denise Browning said...

This is the perfect Valentine treat! They look sinful!

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

Bill would love if I whipped up a batch of these for Valentine's Day! It must be chocolate at our house and these look divine!!!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Denise, they are sinful. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Liz, these would make Bill a happy man! These give you a total chocolate high. :-) Thanks for the comment.

mjskit said...

Oh my! My mouth is bursting with flavors just looking at those ingredients - coffee, chocolate, ginger and rum. Talk about a party in your mouth. Great truffles John!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi MJ, definitely a party in your mouth. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Alyssa (EverydayMaven) said...

Chocolate + rum? These are a must for Valentine's Day next week!!!

Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch) said...

I sure hope I have time to give these a try before Valentine's Day. They look incredible. Pinning this one. Thanks John.

Ola said...

They look divine!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Alyssa, great combo of flavor, huh? :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Lea Ann, this is a wonderful truffle recipe. And so easy! Our favorite kind. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Ola, they are, they are! Thanks for the comment.

All That I'm Eating said...

You can never go wrong with truffles...especially not those with rum in them!

Amira said...

Happy Valentine's day John. This is such an easy lovely treat. They look amazing.

Sprigs of Rosemary said...

Perfect for Valentine's Day! Mr. Rosemary and I always prefer to do a stay-at-home romantic evening instead of going out. These would be a perfect finish to my yet-to-be-decided dinner. (I'm thinking shrimp in lemon cream sauce with pasta, though.)

Cheri Savory Spoon said...

Hi John, well the dessert maven did it again, these look amazing, love that there are 3 kinds of chcolate and rum. Happy Valentine's Day to you and Mrs. Riffs.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Caroline, yup, love truffles! So rich and good. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Amira, the flavor of these IS amazing! Happy Valentine's Day, and thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Rosemary, shrimp in lemon cream sauce with pasta sound excellent! We always stay at home too -- much more pleasant, really. Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Cheri, the more kinds of chocolate the better, we always say. Or at least Mrs KR does. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Abbe@This is How I Cook said...

Wait a minute. My Grandma always called me her little chickadee. But my grandma never made these decadent truffles. But she would have! Happy Valentine's Day John to you and your Mrs. Riffs. And please thank her for these!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Abbe, your grandmother would absolutely have made these for you had she known about them. :-) Happy Valentine's Day, and thanks for the comment.

Lux G. said...

Ooh, hello Valentine's!

Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen said...

I love chocolate truffles. And I am so going to try these as I love rum too. How pretty and Valentine-ish they look. Perfect for this time. Thanks for the inspiration, John.

Chef Mimi said...

Just beautiful.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Lux, yup! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Anu, chocolate and rum are a terrific combo! We can't get enough! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Mimi, thanks so much for your comment!

Yi said...

I think I can inhale a couple of these decadent truffles in one sitting! Love the chocolate-rum combo! What a perfect Vday snack!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Yi, if you put you mind to it, you might even be able to do three. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Nami | Just One Cookbook said...

Beautiful, John! I love rum in chocolate so I was happy seeing you made truffles with it! Hope you and Mrs R have a sweet valentine day together.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Nami, isn't that a great flavor combo? Hope you have a great Valentine's Day, too, and thanks for the comment.

Food Gal said...

These look amazing! And with rum and gingersnaps, too? I think I would fall hard for these -- which is just the feeling you want on Valentine's Day, right? ;)

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Carolyn, yup. Exactly the feeling. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Sabrina said...

These truffles are perfect for Valentine's Day! They look delicious!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Sabrina, they are delicious! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Pam said...

Oh, perfect, John! Your truffles are great for Valentine's Day! I like that you use Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate for the great chocolate flavor and the gingersnaps. I would probably need a napkin or two! Take care

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Pam, these are really good but kinda messy, so that napkin comes in handy! Thanks for the comment.

Katerina said...

Is there anything more appropriate for Valentine's than truffles? They look absolutely indulging and packed with rum flavor!

Hannah said...

I adore truffles and these look extra special for Valentine's Day! I can imagine that chocolate, rum and ginger snaps taste quite delicious together. Thank you for the inspiration to make some!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Katerina, these really are indulgent. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Hannah, the flavor of these is sensational! You'd like. :-) Thanks for the comment.

handmade by amalia said...

I could go for one right now :-)
Amalia
xo

Helene Dsouza said...

Awwww... look at these babies! Mrs. Kitchen Riff is a very lucky girl indeed. My husband used to make me chocolate rum balls for valentines day too. Now I wish I could find a way to make him see your recipe so that I still get surprised today. =P

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Amalia, you'd love one -- or two! -- of these. Really good. :) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Helene, just send him a link anonymously. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Anne@ASaladForAllSeasons said...

These look wonderful, John! I love chocolate rum truffles. But I'm really intrigued by the extra snap from the ginger cookies! Now you've got me rethinking how I make truffles! Happy Valentine's Day to you and Mrs. KR! (nice to have a dessert maven in the kitchen!)

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Anne, the cookies add such nice flavor and texture! A bit subtle, but something you definitely notice. :-) And yes, it's wonderful having a dessert maven in the kitchen! Thanks for the comment.

Shashi at SavorySpin said...

Hahaha - love that "sometimes there's rum" involved - best kinda love eh?! :)
These decadent homemade truffles sound wonderful - I would much rather feast on these than an overrated box of expensive bon bons!

Natalia said...

Oh yum, they look perfect☺

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Shashi, rum and chocolate work so well together! Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Natalia, they ARE perfect. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Mae Travels said...

Those ingredients are all pretty good by themselves. Tempting to just scarf the chocolate and the gingersnaps. Why wait? Oh, I get it.

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Mae, :-) That is a tempting thought, though! Thanks for the comment.

Anna @ shenANNAgans said...

Gingersnap cookies.... now that is a grand idea to sneak into the truffle recipe. YARM

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Anna, the gingersnaps really add a lot. This is a wonderful recipe! Thanks for the comment.

Unknown said...

I remember seeing Julia make these on Good Morning America many, many yeas ago. I scribbled down the recipe, but I've bee searching for a more accurate copy for a long time. Thank you!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Unknown, enjoy! :-) Thanks for the comment.