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Tuesday, February 9

Truffles Recipe to Die For…and a Giveaway from Scharffen Berger!

This giveaway is now closed. But be sure to scroll down for the amazing truffle recipe!!!

I love Scharffen Berger. Why, you may wonder? Maybe because they sent me free chocolate to make these amazing truffles. Or maybe because their milk chocolate is absolutely to DIE for, so rich, yet so creamy…how is it even possible? Or maybe just because it’s fun to say their name. Scharffen Berger. Scharffen Berger. Scharffen Berger. Fun, right?

truffles white hearts web

In honor of Valentine’s Day, Scharffen Berger is hosting a giveaway! One randomly-selected winner will win a copy of the cookbook Essence of Chocolate: Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate, in addition to a Scharffen Berger 9.7-oz 99% Cacao Unsweetened Baking Bar and a 70% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Bar to get you started with your gourmet chocolate baking!

round truffles web

To enter the contest, simply add a comment to this post by Midnight PT, Tuesday, February 16. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, February 16. Good luck!

Click (more…) below for the Scotch Truffle Hearts recipe pictured in this post, just one of the amazing recipes from the cookbook you just might win!

Scotch Truffle Hearts
Recipe contributed to the book Essence of Chocolate: Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate by Alice Medrich. From the book: Since we began Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Cocolat founder Alice Medrich has been a constant help, ready to lend a hand with everything from bean tasting to recipe tasting. We’re especially honored to have Alice’s chocolate recipes in our book because both of us are fans of her chocolate confections, which she first began selling in Berkeley in the 1970s. These chocolates have a thin dark shell around a decadently soft center, underscored with the warmth and fragrance of a single-malt Scotch. Alice recommends that you mix this ganache gently with a spatula rather than vigorously with a whisk. Because the chocolate coating is not tempered, the hearts must be stored in the refrigerator to keep them from discoloring or blooming. Enjoy them cold, right from the refrigerator, or let them sit at room temperature for a half an hour or so, to bring up the flavors of the chocolate and the Scotch.

- 7 ounces 62% semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp. single-malt Scotch
- 12 ounces 82% extra dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)

Line an 8X8 inch 2-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, overlapping the top slightly, and set out a fine-mesh strainer.

Place the 62% chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate, and stir gently with a heatproof spatula until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Do not whisk or splash the mixture by stirring too briskly, or the texture of the chocolates will be cakey and granular. Add the Scotch and stir just to incorporate. (Jane note: I left out the Scotch b/c I didn’t have it on hand and they came out very delicious just the same!)

Strain the ganache into the prepared pan. Tilt the pan to level the ganache. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Transfer the pan of the ganache to the refrigerator to soften for 20 minutes. Choose a baking sheet of dish that will fit in your freezer and line it with parchment paper.

Place a sheet of foil about 12 inches long on your work surface. Remove the ganach, using the foil that you used to line the pan to help lift it. Invert it onto the clean sheet of foil. Peel the foil from the bottom.

Using a 1 1/2-inch heart-shaped cutter, cut out hearts as close together as possible to avoid excessive amounts of scraps, and transfer to the prepared pan. (Jane note: I found a set of heart cutters for fondant made by Wilton at Michaels – the hearts were 3 sizes, which was helpful in making a lot of hearts with little scraps. The leftover chocolate I rolled into round balls to make a more traditionally-shaped truffle.) If the ganache becomes too soft to work with, cover with plastic wrap and return to the freezer to harden.

truffles 3 sizes web

Once all of the hearts are cut, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until very hard, at least 4 hours or overnight. (At this point the hearts can be placed in a an airtight container and frozen for up to 2 months.)

TO COAT THE HEARTS: Choose a baking sheet or pan that will fit in your refrigerator and line with parchment paper.

Melt the 82% chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool to 100-105 degrees F. (Jane note – I melted the chocolate over a double boiler. The chocolate was quite warm and took some time to come down in temperature. At 109 degrees it started to harden, so I would recommend working with it around 115 degrees – I had no problems with it melting the truffles.)

Put the bowl of melted chocolate next to the prepared baking pan.

Remove the hearts from the freezer one small batch at a time. Place a heart in the center of the bowl of chocolate and, using a dipping fork or table fork, flip it over and push it under the surface of the chocolate to coat completely. Slip the fork under the center and lift the heart out of the chocolate, tap the fork on the side of the bowl so any excess chocolate drips back into the bowl, and then wipe the bottom of the fork on the edge of the bowl and set the heart on the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining hearts. (Jane note: These directions were spot on and it was actually pretty easy to do if you follow them.  I did need to zap the dipping chocolate twice in the process to remelt it a bit.)

Use a small fine-mesh strainer or shaker to dust the hearts with the cocoa. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the chocolate has hardened. (Jane note: the chocolate hardened FAST…so if you’re going to put toppings on (cocoa, powdered sugar, decorative sugar crystals, sea salt) you gotta get them on there quickly!)

The hearts can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Makes 30-36 hearts.

(Last note from Jane! Remember when I had trouble making truffles in the past? The way they do it in this Scharffen Berger recipe worked like a charm. Freezing the chocolate in the pan for a while, then putting in the fridge for 20 minutes before forming the shapes made the chocolate very workable and I was far less frustrated than my previous attempt.)


257 Comments »

  1. 201
    Caitlin

    I would love nothing more than to give into my chocolate addiction with this wonderful cookbook!

  2. 202
    Linda V

    New goodies to make with chocolate-this sounds wonderful!

  3. 203
    amy-s

    i can vouch for the recipe… absolutely to die for, even without the scotch!

  4. 204
    Roxy

    Yum! Can’t wait to try this! Who doesn’t love chocolate?

  5. 205
    Becky

    Yum Yum Yum! Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

  6. 206
    sabrina

    beautiful truffles. this would be wonderful!

  7. 207
    Stephanie

    They have the best chocolate.

  8. 208
    ww

    Cognac would work.

  9. 209
    Marjorie

    Great giveaway!! I’m on my way to the kitchen to make the truffles right now :)

  10. 210
    ashley

    fab giveaway! who doesn’t love chocolate?? certainly not me!! :-)

  11. 211
    Brigid Bauer

    I love chocolate!!!

  12. 212
    Cheri

    Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate…I love chocolate! Give me some!

  13. 213
    Jennifer

    These look delicious! What a great giveaway!

  14. 214
    KimM

    There is pretty much nothing better than good chocolate!

  15. 215
    Jen K

    Count me in for a free cookbook!

  16. 216
    Rosie

    I haven’t made truffles in years but those look so delicious I might have to take another crack at them this weekend!

  17. 217
    Heather

    I LOVE Chocolate!

  18. 218
    Sandy Russell

    Everyday is chocolate day at my house.

  19. 219
    Lauren

    Those truffles look amazing!!! However, as a chocoholic, ANY chocolate looks amazing!

  20. 220
    laura

    I’ve never been able to get truffles to look so pretty:)

  21. 221
    Lorilei

    What a great thing to try! Chocolate is fun and oh so yummy!

  22. 222
    Katheryn

    Yum! Sounds good to me.

  23. 223
    Emma K.

    I really hope that I can make truffles as good as those look.

  24. 225
    Brian

    I wouldn’t mind winning some chocolate!

  25. 226
    Sara R.

    I was lucky enough to happen upon “Choctoberfest” at Fox and Obel while I was visiting Chicago a couple years ago, and was able to attend a free chocolate lecture and tasting hosted by Scharffen Berger. I’ve been a diehard fan ever since, so I would love to win this!

  26. 227
    Emily

    I think I’m in love…

  27. 228
    Sheri

    Yum – I love dark chocolate – well all chocolate really – if I am honest!!

  28. 229
    JennK

    Thanks for all the chocolate recipies this week. I made the cupcakes for a Super Bowl party too but I’m saving the oreos for tomorrow!!

  29. 230
    Vanessa L

    Love love love chocolate the way you do it!

  30. 231
    Gayle

    Scharffen Berger makes the best chocolate! I used it yesterday to make shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate.

  31. 232
    Amy L

    I have some truffles chilling right now, but I didn’t have enough Scharffen Berger, so I had to use some chocolate chips. I hope they turn out yummy!

  32. 233
    Brooke

    here’s hoping! looks delicious

  33. I love chocolate!!! Hope I win :)

  34. 236
    Lisa

    These look delicious! Who doesn’t like chocolate… especially on Valentines Day!!

  35. 237
    stacy

    happy valentine’s day! <3

  36. 238
    Nikki

    These look SO good! I have found that since I’ve been pregnant, I have become addicted to chocolate….which wouldn’t be so bad, except that I have to limit my chocolate intake b/c of the caffeine. The things we girls sacrifice :)

  37. These look and taste amazing!, I couldn’t resist as soon as I saw the recipe I had to make them, so I did, and gave them to my man for Valentines Day. If you portion out the chocolate before adding the scotch, you can try a variety of flavours. Rum and coconut, brandy, even champaign gives it an amazing taste

  38. 240
    sea-wall

    Comment 241 feels lucky.

  39. 241
    Laura D

    I read this article and then immediately went out an ordered the cookbook. It should be here any day now! Can’t wait. :) Having some gourmet chocolate to go with it would rock!

  40. 242
    Jodi B

    This would make my day to win this!!

  41. 243
    Eileen T.

    I love Scharffen Berger too!

  42. 244
    Jen McDonald

    Love your site and all your great ideas and recipes! I would love to try some of this chocolate.

  43. 245
    Cathy B

    Love SB! Well, this is torture… no flowers or chocoalte for Valentines dayour truffles look yummy!… so maybe winning thids I can make my own chocolate delight… your truffles look yummy!… thanks for a great giveaway!

    cathy b
    projecthope7 at gmail dot com
    @projecthope7 twitter

  44. 246
    Cathy B

    my computer is going crazy.. a friend told me it is a Vista prob. I have to slow typing down and watch each letter…otherwise it puts letters in other words and places. so sorry about all the errors in previous message!!.

    cathy b
    projecthope7 at gmail dot com

  45. 247
    L. Flores

    I have three young daughters who are chocolate and truffle snobs (thanks to their father who also is a chocolate and truffle snob), only eating the best there is (and rejecting all others). It’s the cutest thing ever – and they all would LOVE this.

  46. Yummy! I made the worlds messiest truffles when I was a kid, my friends gobbled them up anyway, mostly licking them off their hands.

  47. 249
    Alicia

    I love chocolate…only when it’s dark!

  48. 250
    Leslie B.

    I use Scharffen Berger chocolate for ALL my recipes, including a really awesome chocolate cheesecake :) It’s the BEST.

  49. Oh wow! Those look so yummy!! Thanks for the lava cake recipe, too. Can’t wait to try it out… on my family, of course. ;)

  50. 252
    Leia

    Yum! Who wouldn’t want to win good quality chocolate!?!

  51. 253
    Melissa

    Everything looks so divine, I’d love to try my hands at making any of the recipes yum!

  52. 254
    Michele

    I suppose I won’t win anything for saying this but I just read a quote from Equal Exchange which says that Scharffen Berger is owned by Hershey’s which is “consistently singled out for having the worst record in the chocolate industry on many important social-justice, farmer, and child-welfare issues.”

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