article & photo by renata haidle

Recipe courtesy of Chef Jacquelynn Beckman of Flours Bakery 

Are you planning on surprising your loved one with a homemade dessert this Valentine’s Day? Making an effort won’t go unnoticed, that’s for certain. If you want a simple yet refined recipe that takes very little time to put together, give our dark chocolate truffles a try. The recipe was shared with us by pastry chef Jacquelynn Beckman of Flours Bakery. She plans on having these truffles available for purchase at the bakery, in case you run out of time to make them yourself. 

Ingredients: 

• 5 fl. ounces heavy cream 
• 8 ounces chopped dark chocolate (do not use chocolate chips for this recipe) 
• 1 teaspoon butter, softened 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 2-3 Tablespoons cocoa powder for decoration  

Optional: sprinkles, chopped nuts 

Directions:  

1. Heat the cream to a simmer.  
2. Remove from the stove and pour over the chopped chocolate, stirring gently until well combined.  
3. Add the softened butter and vanilla, and continue mixing to create a smooth ganache. 
4.  Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic touches the ganache so it does not create a skin.  
5. Refrigerate until solid to the touch, scoop into small portions, forming bite-size balls, and then roll in cocoa powder. You can also roll them in candy coating, tempered chocolate, sprinkles, or nuts.  
6. Serve at room temperature with chilled Brut sparkling rosè, or a full-bodied red wine. 

Chef Jacquelynn’s tip: “I would recommend using high-quality chocolate with 60-70% cocoa. Valrhona and Callebaut are my favorite chocolates to use, but you can find Ghirardelli chocolate in your local grocery store, and that would be a lovely alternative.”  

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