Is today your birthday? Or your cat’s birthday? Is it National Candy Month? Truffle Tuesday? Better check your calendar and find a reason to treat yourself, because we’ve got the formula for a decadent coffee-infused bonbon.
This super-simple recipe will net you a sizable batch of mocha truffles, perfect for sharing … but only with someone you really like. Make these sweets up to two weeks ahead of time, and they’ll be ready to devour when your next craving hits.
Some cooks will suggest you use powdered, instant coffee, but you know we don’t play that way. Using superior Kahwa coffee elevates this treat to gourmet status.
Start by finely chopping up eight ounces (or about one cup) of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Place this pile of delight into a glass bowl with three tablespoons of room-temperature unsalted butter. Add a little pinch of salt, and let those ingredients mingle while preparing the next step.
In a small saucepan, bring one cup of heavy cream to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Stir in two tablespoons of your favorite finely-ground Kahwa coffee -- it should be almost the consistency of powdered sugar. We like using espresso-friendly varieties such as Mistral, Cubano or Boreas here, which play nicely against the chocolate. Cover the pan and remove from heat.
Steep your coffee-cream for about five minutes, then remove grounds by pouring the brew through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Add this cream mixture slowly to your chocolate bowl, sneaking in a few drops of pure vanilla extract. Stir continuously with a flexible spatula until everything is smooth and creamy. (If you have trouble getting the chocolate fully melted at this stage and you really need to pop the bowl into the microwave for 15 seconds, it’s okay, no one is looking.)
Once your mixture is blended into a luscious ganache, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about two hours. While you wait, line a baking sheet with waxed paper and enjoy a cup of coffee. You’ve earned it.
When you’re ready to roll, fill a medium bowl with a half-cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, and add a pinch of espresso grounds for an extra coffee kick. Take out your chilled chocolate ganache. Using one rounded teaspoon for each truffle, quickly roll the mixture into balls. Drop each one into cocoa powder to coat, shake off the excess, and line up these little globes of goodness on your baking sheet. If the chocolate gets too gooey as you work, just pop the bowl back into the fridge for a while.
Cover your tray with plastic wrap and chill the rolled truffles for two hours until they are nice and firm. Dust with additional cocoa powder before serving. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but we don’t know much about that. We never seem to have any leftover mocha truffles.
