Chocolate is a necessity on Valentine’s Day, and shining through as a delicious choice for treats are truffles. A smooth, outer layer of chocolate inclosing a soft, tasty center, the truffle has a layered texture and flavor that other chocolates cannot compare to. Whether you are thinking of ways to show that special someone that you care, looking for a treat to make with your friends or searching for your new favorite dessert, treat the ones you love this Valentine’s Day with this delightful dessert by following this recipe for dark chocolate ganache truffles.

These truffles have a twist compared to your regular truffle because the inside of them are made with a ganache filling, which is a filling made by combining heated cream and chocolate. A good dark chocolate ganache truffle is supposed to melt with the heat of your tongue in your mouth. This homemade option is a bit more exciting and flavorful than your typical drugstore sampler. Not only are these truffles gluten free – which is perfect for people who cannot buy the store bought chocolates because of allergies – they are also full of health benefits, like antioxidants from the dark chocolate, and less added artificial ingredients than many store-bought alternatives. The best part is that these truffles require very few ingredients and are quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of dark chocolate chips
• ½ cup of heavy cream
• ⅓ cup of Cocoa powder
• 1 microwave safe bowl
• 1 saucepan
• 1 plate
• 1 airtight container
• 1 spoon
• 1 whisk or fork

Directions:

To begin, pour the cup of dark chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl.  Make sure this bowl has high enough rims so you can whisk in the cream later. Pour the ½ cup of heavy cream into a saucepan and allow it to reach a simmer without boiling, as boiling the cream will cause it to coagulate and will mess up your truffles. When the cream has reached the simmering point, pour it on top of the chocolate chips and immediately cover the bowl with a plate to lock in the heat. This is an extremely important step, as this will melt the chocolate chips.

After five minutes, grab a fork or whisk and begin to stir the chocolate and cream together until fully combined. I recommend a folding motion as it combines the ingredients quickly, and reduces the risk of the cream splattering. Then, take your mixture and put it in the freezer for about two hours or until solid. The cream-chocolate mixture should still be soft to the touch, but solid enough that it can be rolled into balls.

Once it has chilled completely, take the mixture out of the freezer and begin spooning out small portions and rolling those portions into balls with your hands. Take each rolled ball and cover it in cocoa powder.  This will keep the ganache mixture from melting inside. I recommend laying down some sort of towel underneath, since the cocoa powder can be very messy. Once the truffles are rolled and covered, put them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer so they stay fresh. The recipe should yield about 10 large truffles.

These truffles took me about two hours and 20 minutes to make in total, 20 minutes to prepare the cream and chocolate and form that into balls and two hours of waiting time. The waiting was by far the hardest part of the entire process, but when the truffles are finally done, they are well worth the wait. The truffles taste fresh, and are much more rewarding to consume and gift to others because they are homemade.

Making gifts yourself creates sentimentality for the special people in your life. Essentially the process of making each truffle is a labor of love, which is something that we often lose during the more heavily commercial holidays. Instead of going to a store this Valentine’s day, I encourage you to make your own treats for those you care about.  Not only will you get to east some delicious treats, you will also get to experience a heartfelt and enjoyable activity. Have fun with these truffles and enjoy sharing them with those that you love.

Marissa Vertes can be reaches at [email protected].