Preparation time: 5 + 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Refrigeration time: 12 hours or 2 hours for the ganache

It's easy to make your own truffles, but you have to begin with excellent-quality basic chocolate, couverture chocolate or dark semi-sweet chocolate from a pastry shop or specialty grocery.

Truffles will keep for quite a long time in the refrigerator in a plastic container lined with parchment paper. All chocolates should, in my opinion, sit for 48-72 hours before serving so that you can enjoy their full flavors.

• Technique for ganache
• Cream truffles - basic recipe
• Mandarin truffles
• Butter truffles
• Truffles with flavored butter
• Chocolate-Dipped Orange Zests

Basic Recipe

1. Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler;
2. add the cream and simmer until slightly reduced;
3. pour into a container and refrigerate overnight;
4. form into small balls using two teaspoons;
5. roll in sugar;
6. let sit for 12 hours before serving.

Denser Two-Step Truffles

1. prepare the basic recipe but at the last step, place the truffles in the freezer for 12 hours;
2. dip each truffle into some lukewarm melted chocolate;
3. roll in cocoa powder.

Mandarin Truffles

• add 100 ml mandarin liqueur at the same time as the cream.

Truffles/Ganache with butter - basic recipe

1. in a saucepan, bring the cream to a boil with the sugar;
2. blend in the butter;
3. add the chocolate, cut into pieces; reduce the heat and stir until very smooth;
4. pour into small individual molds that have been previously chilled or or let set at room temperature; mold into balls with two teaspoons;
5. unmold and serve.

Truffles/Flavored Ganache

• when the chocolate is melted, you can add some strong coffee, liqueur or hazelnut paste.

Écorces d'orange au chocolat

1. cut the zest of an orange into thin strips, 5 mm wide at most;
2. melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler;
3. dip each strip of zest into the chocolate;
4. place on parchment paper;
5. refrigerate.

Champagne