Black Currant Dark Chocolate Truffles (Printer View)

Rich dark chocolate truffles with tangy black currant ganache filling, offering a perfect balance of fruity and cocoa notes.

# Components:

→ Ganache Center

01 - 4.2 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa), finely chopped
02 - 2 fl oz heavy cream
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
04 - 3 tbsp black currant purée, strained and unsweetened
05 - 1 tbsp black currant liqueur, optional

→ Chocolate Coating

06 - 7 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

→ Garnish

07 - 2 tbsp freeze-dried black currants, crushed
08 - 2 tbsp cocoa powder

# Method:

01 - In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat and add the chopped dark chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Add butter, black currant purée, and liqueur if using. Mix until fully combined and glossy. Transfer to a shallow dish, cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until firm.
02 - Scoop out teaspoonfuls of chilled ganache and roll into balls with clean hands. Place on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for 20 minutes.
03 - Melt the chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water using a double boiler method, stirring until smooth. Let cool slightly. Using a fork or dipping tool, dip each ganache ball into the melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place coated truffles back on the tray.
04 - While the coating is still wet, sprinkle with crushed freeze-dried black currants or dust lightly with cocoa powder.
05 - Let truffles set at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for faster setting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like you spent hours at a fancy chocolatier, but you'll have them ready in less time than you think.
  • The black currant and dark chocolate pairing is sophisticated enough to impress guests but approachable enough to make just for yourself on a quiet afternoon.
  • Once you nail the technique, you'll find yourself making variations with different fruit purées and feeling like a confectioner.
02 -
  • Don't skip the freezing step after rolling—warm ganache balls will collapse or slide around in the melted chocolate instead of staying perfectly spherical.
  • Temperature control is everything; if your chocolate is too hot, it takes forever to set and drips unevenly, but if it cools too much, it becomes thick and clumpy and won't coat smoothly.
  • The black currant purée must be strained to remove seeds, otherwise you'll end up with a grainy texture that breaks the otherwise silky ganache.
03 -
  • Chill your dipping fork or tool in the freezer for a few minutes before you start; this prevents the chocolate from sticking and makes the whole dipping process cleaner and faster.
  • If your melted chocolate thickens too much during dipping, gently reheat it for 10 seconds rather than adding liquid, which will seize the chocolate and ruin it.
  • Roll your ganache balls the day before and freeze them overnight—they're more stable, easier to dip, and you'll feel less pressure rushing through the process.
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