Fruit Truffles Recipes

DRIED FRUIT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In food processor, process walnuts with on-and-off pulses until coarsely chopped. Pour into large bowl.
• In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix apricots, dates, cherries, water and orange juice. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes.
• With slotted spoon, place cooked fruit in food processor; reserve cooking liquid. Process with on-and-off pulses until a paste forms, adding some of the cooking liquid if necessary. Add honey, cinnamon, orange peel and if desired, 1 to 2 tablespoons cocoa; process until combined.
• Stir fruit mixture into walnuts until combined. Shape into balls using about 1 rounded teaspoon mixture for each; roll in coconut or cocoa. Store in airtight container.

FRUIT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Chop bananas into a large bowl and using a potato masher, mash until they are smooth.
• Mix in orange juice and rind. Stir in almonds, mixing well to blend evenly.
• Place the mixture in the fridge and chill 30 minutes.
• Using a sharp knife, finely chop the blanched almonds into small pieces.
• Mix the chopped almonds into the cocoa powder and place on a flat plate.
• Remove banana mixture from fridge and divide into 10 portions.
• Roll each portion into a small ball, using lightly floured hands.
• Roll each ball into the cocoa mixture, rolling each on evenly to give a good coating.
• Press gently before placing into small muffin papers and chilling 30 mins once again.

FRUIT AND NUT TRUFFLES (SUGARPLUMS)

Steps:

• .Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until a ball forms (it should take about 2 minutes).
• With wet hands, roll into balls (about the size of a large cherry) then roll into the extra sugar.
• Store in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks.
• Makes 25 - 35 truffles.

WHITE CHOCOLATE PASSION FRUIT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place 1 pound of the chocolate in a 2-quart mixing bowl. In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the 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. Add the passion fruit purée and stir to blend well. Cover the truffle cream, let cool to room temperature, and chill in the refrigerator until thick but not stiff (3 to 4 hours). Or let the truffle cream sit at room temperature for several hours or overnight until completely set and thick.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Fit a 12-inch pastry bag with a large, plain round pastry tip with a 3/4-inch opening and fill partway with the truffle cream. Holding the pastry bag 1 inch above the paper, pipe out mounds 1 inch in diameter. Or use a small ice cream scoop to form the mounds. Cover the mounds with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 2 hours or in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
• Dust your hands with confectioners' sugar and roll the mounds into balls. These will be the truffle centers. Cover and chill the centers for another 2 hours in the freezer.
• Remove the truffle centers from the freezer and bring to cool-room temperature so the outer coating won't crack when they are dipped. Line 2 more baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Melt and temper the remaining 1 1/2 pounds chocolate (see pages 25-30). Place a truffle center into the tempered chocolate, coating it completely. With a dipper or fork, remove the center from the chocolate, carefully shake off the excess chocolate, and turn the truffle out onto the paper. After dipping the truffles, place 2 tablespoons of the tempered white chocolate in a paper pastry cone and snip off a tiny opening at the pointed end. Pipe the letter P on top of each truffle.
• Let the truffles set up at room temperature, or chill them in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. When the truffles are set, place them in paper candy cups. In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the truffles will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. The truffles are best served at room temperature.
• VARIATION
• Instead of dipping the truffle centers in chocolate, roll them in a small bowl of confectioners' sugars as soon as they are formed.

SOFT FRUIT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Fill a small pan with water and bring to the boil. Break chocolate up into pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl. Place this bowl on top of the pan of water, leaving a small space for heat to escape.
• Allow the chocolate to melt, gradually adding cream and gently stirring the mixture to prevent it sticking or congealing.
• Once chocolate and cream are combined, stir in your liquor of choice and, if adding extras such as lemon peel, add this as well.
• Wash and trim the soft fruits, drop them a few at a time into the chocolate and coat by turning gently with a fork. Lift fruits out of the mixture and place on greaseproof paper, until all are coated and chill for one hour. If you have chocolate left over, it may be worth giving the fruit a second coating.
• If using cocoa powder to decorate, place the powder in a small plastic bag. Drop truffles in a few at a time, seal and shake to coat. If you prefer a coating of hard chocolate, melt the chocolate as previously. Pick truffles up by piercing with a fork and dip quickly into the chocolate to coat. This mixture will congeal rapidly, so take care.
• Once set and chilled to your satisfaction, dust lightly with edible glitter. Perhaps, decorate as well using small leaves and stems appropriate to the fruit.

DRIED FRUIT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Process prunes & dates in food processor.
• Shape into 1 inch balls
• Roll some in cocoa powder, some in crumbs & some in almonds.
• Place on wax paper.
• Can be stored up to 3 weeks in an airtight container in refrigerator.