Espresso Truffle Cups Recipes

ESPRESSO COFFEE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a saucepan slowly bring the cream to the boil. Turn off the heat and add the coffee and chocolate. Stir with a whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and the chocolate has melted. The liquid should have become slightly lighter and shinier at this stage. Pour into a jug and leave to cool for about 2 hours or until it has come down to room temperature. See Cook's note*.
• Beat the mixture with an electric whisk for about 1 minute or until it changes color.
• Line a square plastic container with baking paper and pour the chocolate mixture into it. Leave to set in the refrigerator for 2 hours. You can test this by pressing the top with your fingers. Run a spatula around the edges and lift the chocolate on the baking paper out of the dish and swiftly cut it lengthways into even strips of about 2/3-inch. Then cut these into cubes. Put cocoa powder into a flat dish and roll the cubes in it, making sure that they are well coated. The truffles can be kept for about 2 weeks.

MOCHA GANACHE TRUFFLE CUPS

Steps:

• Place the chocolate in a 2-quart mixing bowl. In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. Remove from the heat, take 1 tablespoon of hot cream and dissolve the espresso powder in it, then blend it back into the rest of the cream. Pour the hot cream into the bowl with the chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 1 minute, then stir together with a rubber spatula, whisk, or immersion blender until thoroughly blended. Cover the mixture, let cool to room temperature, and chill in the refrigerator until thick but not stiff (2 to 3 hours).
• Fit a 12-inch pastry bag with a large, plain round pastry tip with a 1/2-inch opening and fill partway with the ganache mixture. Pipe the mixture into 1-inch foil candy cups up to the top edge. Place a mocha bean on top of each cup. Chill the truffle cups in the refrigerator until they are set (1 hour).
• In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the truffle cups will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. The truffle cups are best served at room temperature.
• Hazelnut Ganache Truffle Cups: Omit the espresso powder. After stirring together the chocolate and whipping cream, stir in 2/3 cup toasted, skinned, finely ground hazelnuts. Rather than placing a mocha bean on top of each truffle cup, place a toasted, skinned, whole hazelnut, pointed end up on top.
• White Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache Truffle Cups: Follow the instructions for Hazelnut Ganache Truffle Cups above, and additionally substitute 10 ounces white chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate.
• Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache Truffle Cups: Follow the instructions for Hazelnut Ganache Truffle Cups above, and additionally substitute 9 ounces milk chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate.

MILK CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Stir first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler set over simmering water until smooth. Remove from over water. Whisk in Kahlúa. Cool 15 minutes. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
• Line baking sheet with foil. Place cocoa powder on plate. Scoop chocolate mixture by very generously mounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared sheet, forming 1-inch mounds. Dust hands with cocoa powder; roll mounds between palms, forming smooth balls, then roll in cocoa powder to coat lightly. Return to sheet. Cover with foil; chill truffles until firm, at least 2 hours. (Can be made ahead. Chill in covered container up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.) Let stand at room temperature until slightly softened before serving.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO SAMBUCA TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a double boiler or in a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt chocolate and butter with cream and espresso, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and stir in liqueur. Cool mixture and chill, covered, at least 3 hours, or until firm.
• Form rounded teaspoons of mixture into balls and roll balls in cocoa powder, coating them. Truffles keep, layered between sheets of wax paper and chilled, in airtight containers 2 weeks.