Chocolate Truffles are an elegant and indulgent treat you can easily make at home! They're made with just 4 ingredients - heavy cream, semi-sweet chocolate, cherry kirsch, and dried cherries. Decorate them with chocolate, nuts, or cocoa powder for a festive treat you'll love gifting and adding to holiday cookie plates.
12ouncessemi-sweet chocolateUse a good-quality baking bar here, like Ghirardelli or Baker's. Do not use chocolate chips.
3/4cupheavy cream
1/4cupkirschReplace with 1/4 cup heavy cream if you want to omit the alcohol.
1/3cupsweetened dried cherries, chopped
For Decorating:
6ounceschocolate, for dippingYou can use milk or semi-sweet here - I recommend something like Ghirardelli melting wafers - still not chocolate chips.
unsweetened cocoa powder, for rolling
chopped walnuts or pecans, for rolling
chocolate sprinkles, for rollingUse jimmies.
Instructions
Prep: Chop the chocolate finely and place it into a microwave-safe bowl. Chop the dried cherries and set aside.
Make the Ganache Base: Heat the heavy cream and cherry kirsch together in a small pot over medium heat until simmering. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Then, stir the mixture until it’s completely combined and smooth, like a ganache. If you have any lumps of chocolate left, microwave the mixture for 10 seconds at a time, stirring between each interval, until no lumps remain. Stir in the chopped cherries. Pour the ganache into a shallow dish (like a glass pie plate) to cool faster. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap onto the surface of the chocolate so it doesn't dry out, and chill in the fridge for 1 and ½ to 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
Form the Truffles: Once the mixture is chilled, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. To form the truffles, scoop the cooled chocolate out of the dish with a measuring spoon - each truffle should be about a scant tablespoon worth. Place these chocolate mounds on the prepared pans. Once you've scooped all the chocolate, working with one pan at a time so the other stays cold, go back and roll each mound into a smooth ball. They may be a bit soft and hard to roll, so you can pop the pan (covered with a kitchen towel) back in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to firm the chocolate back up. Let the rolled chocolate balls chill again for 10-20 minutes before decorating.
Decorate the Truffles: Dip the chilled truffles in melted & slightly cooled chocolate (to prevent cracking when the hot chocolate meets the cold balls), or roll them through cocoa powder or crushed nuts. I dipped mine in semi-sweet chocolate and then added a bit of red food coloring to some melted white chocolate to make the pink chocolate drizzle on top. Make sure the first chocolate coat is set before adding a drizzle. The cocoa powder will rub off on the chocolate-covered truffles if they touch, so if that will bother you I recommend storing the cocoa powder-rolled truffles in a separate container from the others.
Serve + Store: Enjoy once the chocolate has set! Store truffles in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 weeks. These make a wonderful addition to holiday cookie plates or an elegant homemade gift.