Truffle Trials

This past weekend I decided to experiment with Truffles. NYC has been extremely hot and too unbearable to turn on the oven and bake. So instead of torturing my husband and turning our little apartment into a gas oven, I turned on the stove and make chocolates. I decided to try out two different recipes in search for the perfect truffle.

Trial One – Alton Brown’s Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients
• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup brandy (I substituted with one vanilla bean)
• 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts, and/or toasted coconut, for coating truffles
• 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

Directions
Place the 10 ounces of chocolate and butter in a medium size glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, and repeat this process 1 more time. Set aside.
Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the melted chocolate mixture; let stand for 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently, starting in the middle of bowl and working in concentric circles until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the brandy. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Using a melon baller, scoop chocolate onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Place the cocoa powder, nuts, and/or toasted coconut each in its own pie pan and set aside.
Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and shape into balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Use powder-free vinyl or latex gloves, if desired.

Trial Two – Easy Decadent Truffles

Ingredients
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls.

After making both recipes and having my husband and co-workers test out the results the conclusion was that some like the lighter milker task of the Easy Decadent Truffles while some preferred the rich creamy flavor of the Alton Brown truffles. The results were a 50/50 split depending of chocolate preferences. The only conclusion that I came across was that my husband and co-workers are will willing to be apart of any sort of dessert trial.