This recipe is a great twist on the classic chocolate truffle recipe. This recipe delivers all of the delicious decadence of a truffle, with the uniqueness of a touch of heat and spice. Your friends and family will remember these truffles because of the added certain something flavor given by the addition of a touch of cinnamon and cayenne to this dark chocolate truffle recipe.
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces good-quality (70 percent) bittersweet chocolate, chopped (don’t use chocolate chips, they contain stabilizers that make them not ideal for truffles)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons chocolate liqueur (Godiva makes a good quality liqueur)
1 cup cocoa powder, for dusting
1. In a saucepan, bring the cream just to a simmer over low heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate in a bowl and let stand about 10 minutes, or until the chocolate is melted. Mix in the vanilla, chocolate liqueur, cinnamon, cayenne, and stir until is reaches a smooth consistency.
2. Set the chocolate mixture aside to cool for 1 hour at room temperature.
3. Use an electric mixer to beat the chocolate mixture until the color gets lighter and it gets thick.
4. Spread the mixture out in a 9″ X 13″ baking dish and smooth out the top. Refrigerate the baking sheet for 2 hours or until the chocolate is set and firm.
5. Pour the cocoa powder onto a shallow bowl or a deep plate. Use a small ice cream scoop or melon baller to scoop out little balls of chocolate. Roll the balls between your hands to rounds them out and then roll them around in the cocoa powder, to coat them. Place the truffles on a waxed paper or parchment lined baking sheet, and store in the refrigerator until it’s time to serve them.
6. Serve these tasty truffles and enjoy.
Yield: Approximately 15-20 truffles (depending on the size)
