Lemon & White Chocolate Truffles

If it is not clear by now, I will just go ahead and announce that I have an epic sweet tooth. Sugar, butter, and chocolate bring out the best in me! I grew up in a house where baking was a daily thing. For every holiday, play date, or snowy day, there was a coffee cake or pastry ready to eat.  

However, candy making was never our milieu. Double boilers, candy thermometers, and the seemingly complex ‘give & take’ between sugar and heat always seemed so intimidating to me.  

Nevertheless, one day I tried making a caramel sauce… and it didn’t turn out half bad! Confidence bolstered, I tried making some molded chocolates, to the delight of my (then) one year old son. Emboldened, I next decided to break out the ganache and roll out some dark truffles.  

As an afterthought, for the lemon-loving members of my family, I made these lovely Lemon & White Chocolate Truffles… Of all the desserts on the table, those tart little bites of sunshine stole the show! Sweet white chocolate with lemony punch and creamy texture, these candies are encased in a thin – but crunchy – deep dark chocolate shell. They are the perfect one bite dessert for any chocolate lover!

Lemon & White Chocolate Truffles

inspired by a recipe from annieseats.com

makes 24 candies

12 ounces of quality white chocolate (I use the Ghirardelli brand for this)

6 ounces 60% Cacao Dark Chocolate (Ghirardelli again)

1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 small lemons)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice  

Break the white chocolate into small pieces and add to a medium bowl with the lemon zest. Reserve.  

In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, gently simmer the heavy cream until hot. Do not boil!     Pour the heated cream over the white chocolate & lemon zest. Allow to sit for 3 minutes.  

Mix the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula. If there are any lumps of unmelted chocolate, pop the bowl into the microwave and heat in 30 second increments at 50% power, stirring after each increment. Heat until smooth.  

Stir in the lemon juice until completely combined.   Allow the bowl to come to room temperature, and then cover with a layer of plastic wrap. Pop the bowl into the freezer for 2 hours (or longer).  

When you are ready to roll your truffles, prepare a large cookie sheet with a layer of parchment paper. Using a small cookie scoop or small spoon, portion out a 1.5 teaspoon portion of chocolate.

Gently roll into a nice sphere using your hands. Place on the cookie sheet.  

After you’ve rolled all of your truffles, place the cookie sheet back into the freezer for 30-60 minutes, to set.  

After at least 30 minutes in the chiller, you can now prepare your dark chocolate for coating. Break the 6 ounces of dark chocolate into small pieces and place into a heat-safe bowl (I prefer using a metal bowl). Take a small to medium saucepan and fill with about 2 inches of water. Set to simmer over medium heat.

Once the water is simmering, but not yet boiling, set the heat proof bowl over the pot. This is your double boiler.   Stir the dark chocolate with a rubber spatula until completely smooth and melted.

Continue to heat, while stirring, for an extra 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pot and allow to cool slightly on the counter.  

Prepare a second cookie sheet with parchment paper and grab a fork for dipping. I find using a chopstick is also helpful for scooting the truffle off the fork after dipping.

Retrieve the truffles from the freezer.  

Take one truffle and gently roll in the melted dark chocolate. Working quickly, using the fork, lift the truffle from the dark chocolate and gently shake the excess off the candy.

Next, transfer to the baking sheet, using the chopstick to push the chocolate from the fork.  

Repeat with each truffle. If the dark chocolate cools too much and stops being glossy, return the bowl to the double boiler and very quickly (only for about 10 seconds) heat the chocolate again.  

After all of the truffles have been dipped, cool them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  

Keep refrigerated until right before serving; If the truffles have a little pool/foot of chocolate at the base, simply break off with your fingers.

Print Recipe

Lemon & White Chocolate Truffles

Course: Dessert, Snack

Servings: 24

Ingredients

• 12 ounces of quality white chocolate I use the Ghirardelli brand for this
• 6 ounces 60% Cacao Dark Chocolate Ghirardelli again
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest about 2 small lemons
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

• Break the white chocolate into small pieces and add to a medium bowl with the lemon zest. Reserve.
• In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, gently simmer the heavy cream until hot. Do not boil!
• Pour the heated cream over the white chocolate & lemon zest. Allow to sit for 3 minutes.
• Mix the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula. If there are any lumps of unmelted chocolate, pop the bowl into the microwave and heat in 30 second increments at 50% power, stirring after each increment. Heat until smooth.
• Stir in the lemon juice until completely combined.
• Allow the bowl to come to room temperature, and then cover with a layer of plastic wrap. Pop the bowl into the freezer for 2 hours (or longer).
• Prepare a large cookie sheet with a layer of parchment paper. Using a small cookie scoop or small spoon, portion out a 1.5 teaspoon portion of chocolate. Gently roll into a nice sphere using your hands. Place on the cookie sheet.
• After you’ve rolled all of your truffles, place the cookie sheet back into the freezer for 30-60 minutes, to set.
• After at least 30 minutes in the chiller, you can now prepare your dark chocolate for coating. Break the 6 ounces of dark chocolate into small pieces and place into a heat-safe bowl (I prefer using a metal bowl). Take a small to medium saucepan and fill with about 2 inches of water. Set to simmer over medium heat.
• Once the water is simmering, but not yet boiling, set the heat proof bowl over the pot. This is your double boiler.
• Stir the dark chocolate with a rubber spatula until completely smooth and melted. Continue to heat, while stirring, for an extra 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pot and allow to cool slightly on the counter.
• Prepare a second cookie sheet with parchment paper and grab a fork for dipping. I find using a chopstick is also helpful for scooting the truffle off the fork after dipping.
• Retrieve the truffles from the freezer.
• Take one truffle and gently roll in the melted dark chocolate. Working quickly, using the fork, lift the truffle from the dark chocolate and gently shake the excess off the candy. Next, transfer to the baking sheet, using the chopstick to push the chocolate from the fork.
• Repeat with each truffle. If the dark chocolate cools too much and stops being glossy, return the bowl to the double boiler and very quickly (only for about 10 seconds) heat the chocolate again.
• After all of the truffles have been dipped, cool them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Keep refrigerated until right before serving; If the truffles have a little pool/foot of chocolate at the base, simply break off with your fingers.

Notes

inspired by a recipe from annieseats.com