Chocolate Truffles

[lorcas_novena]

Hi guys!

Am making some Christmas presents this year. I've made some gingerbread dough, cranberry chutney, and mincemeat (if you want any recipes I'll post them) and I'm after a good recipe for chocolate truffles, or any kid of chocolates that you've has success with.

Other foodie gift ideas also welcome!

Many thanks!

Comments

[eneffigie]

Vegan fudge is simple and delicious!

http://www.godairyfree.org/200912023914/News/Nutrition-Headlines/The-Best-Holiday-Fudge-Ever-and-It-Just-Happens-to-be-Vegan.html

Five-Minute Coconut Fudge

Recipe from My Sweet Vegan by Hannah Kaminsky

1 Cup Dairy-Free, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
3-1/2 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
1/2 Cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
2 Tablespoons Dairy-Free Margarine
1/2 Cup Regular Coconut Milk
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Unsweetened Flaked Coconut, Toasted

Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the chocolate chips, sugar, and cocoa. Separately, place the margarine and coconut milk in a small saucepan, and stir together over medium heat. Cook the mixture until the margarine has melted, and bubbles just begin to break at the surface. Remove it from the stove, and immediately pour over the chocolate mixture. Let everything sit for a couple of minutes, and then stir vigorously to melt the chocolate and incorporate the dry ingredients. Continue stirring until a completely smooth mixture forms. Mix in the vanilla, and quickly pour everything into your prepared pan. Smooth out the top and sprinkle the flaked coconut evenly over the entire exposed surface. Press the coconut gently into the fudge with the palm of your hand. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Makes 32 Small Squares

Variations:

Soy-Free Fudge: Use Earth Balance Soy-Free Margarine or substitute 2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil for the margarine. Many brands of chocolate chips contain soy lecithin. If this is a problem for you, choose a "safe" brand like Enjoy Life Foods.

Ginger Fudge: Omit the flaked coconut, and stir 3/4 cup of minced / finely diced crystallized ginger into the fudge just after the vanilla. The ginger chunks infuse the surrounding fudge with a pleasantly sweet ginger flavor.

Pecan-Pumpkin Spice Fudge: From Nicole at Another One Bites the Crust, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (depending on how spicy you like it!) with the vanilla extract. Omit the flaked coconut topping, and instead press glazed pecans (easy recipe for the pecans) into the top of the fudge before placing it in the fridge.

Peppermint Fudge: Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract with the vanilla extract and stir in 4 smashed candy canes. Omit the flaked coconut and top the fudge with the crumbs of 5 additional crushed candy canes instead.

[miiindy]

mm!! does this have a coconut taste, though, even without the flaked coconut?

[lizziebordello]

This one is SOOO easy. I always make the peppermint version, and it doesn't have a coconutty flavour at all!

[eneffigie]

If you omit the flaked coconut, it does not taste like coconut. It works well with a variety of flavors/add-ins because you can't taste the coconut milk.

[lorcas_novena]

Fab, thanks! Does it need to get to a certain temperature or just until it's combined?

[eneffigie]

No, it just needs to be a smooth mixture (chocolate chips melted and other ingredients combined).

[mountainmaiden]

When this says regular coconut milk, does that mean the canned kind or the refrigerated kind that comes in a quart (like Silk or So Delicious)? My vegan fudge last year was a flop, so I'd like to try another recipe!

[eneffigie]

Canned. I think the kind in a carton would be too thin for it to turn out properly. At any rate, I make it with canned coconut milk and it turns out great. :)

[mountainmaiden]

OK, good! I'm going to make a batch this afternoon. Thanks.