Low Sugar Chocolate Truffles
I love making homemade edible gifts for friends at Christmas. Lemon curd, vanilla extract, jams, biscuits, hot chocolate mixes… people always seem to enjoy getting something sweet and indulgent to enjoy over Christmas. I have a few low sugar options I keep up my sleeve for just such an occasion, and this is one of my favourites.
I am a massive chocoholic. Always have been. Always will. My tastes for it have changed a lot since reducing my sugar intake, and I find even 70% dark chocolate too sweet now (I love the tastebud change the I Quit Sugar 8-Week Program brought about – it’s so much easier to avoid excess sugar when it tastes bad!), but I could munch my way through square after square of 85-90% chocolate easily.
These truffles are the perfect gift for the dark chocolate fan in your family or friendship group. My cocoa-loving father and growing up in Belgium instilled in me that love from an early age, and I know I am not alone in believing the more cocoa, the better. If you find really dark chocolate too bitter, you can of course add in a couple of drops of liquid stevia to sweeten the truffles further, but the cream takes the edge off and the flavourings can make it more palatable for the more milk-chocolate-inclined, too.
Speaking of flavourings, one of the greatest things about these truffles is how easy they are to adapt to suit everyone’s different tastes. You could divide the ganache into several bowls before chilling and make a truffle selection of various different flavourings and coatings if you want, or you can just choose one favourite to work with.
I personally adore a little drop of rum in the ganache and a simple cacao or cocoa powder coating, but a drop of peppermint oil and rolling in powdered xylitol for a snowy minty look and taste is a lovely one. Salted chocolate truffles dipped in more melted chocolate and topped with a couple more sea salt flakes can be beautiful, or a whole hazelnut found inside a chopped-hazelnut-rolled truffle makes an easy low sugar version of a classic Ferrero Rocher.
What’s not to love?
And while you are whipping up a double batch for the neighbours or a big family gathering, why not make it a triple batch and keep some back for yourself? After all, it is Christmas! 😉
My low sugar treat to make up as gifts or an impressive after dinner treat for friends and family this Christmas. Mix and match flavourings and coatings according to everyone's tastes, and please all of the chocoholics this holiday!
- 150 ml (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) double (heavy) cream
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 150 g (3/4 cup) 85% dark chocolate, chopped
- pinch sea salt flakes, teaspoon of alcohol or liqueur (rum or Baileys are especially delicious), teaspoon of sugar free extract, just a drop of peppermint oil (to taste), finely chopped nuts or seeds for a "crunchy" truffle
- cacao or cocoa powder, desiccated coconut, finely chopped nuts or seeds (pistachios or hazelnuts are especially delicious), ground almonds
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Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Heat the cream and butter in a saucepan until it just starts to simmer, then immediately take off the heat and pour over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted and everything is combined. If the chocolate doesn't completely melt, place the bowl in the microwave for short bursts of 5 seconds or so, taking it out each time and stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Stir in any flavourings at this point, then place the bowl in the fridge and chill for at least 1 hour.
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Remove the bowl from the fridge and use a teaspoon to scoop some of the mixture out and roll it into a small ball. If you are coating your truffle, this is the time to roll it in the coating, then place each truffle on a tray lined with baking paper and place the tray filled with truffles in the fridge for another 30 mins. The truffles can be eaten straight away, or kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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