Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Lemon truffles

Lemon truffles

Besides loving citrus flavors – something you already know – I also love white chocolate. I know it’s not considered real chocolate and all that, but I don’t care: I’m a huge fan. And the best thing is that it goes extremely well with my other favorites: yes, the citrus.

The initial idea was making caipirinha truffles – a recipe I got from a chocolate class I took ages ago; the truffles were served in the end of class and they were oh, so good. But the truffles I was making had a destination already – the girls who work at the beauty salon I go to – and I did not want to take risks adding cachaça. It would be pretty possible that some of the girls might not take alcohol and then the gift would make no sense at all.

That is why I adapted a basic truffle recipe from this book and added a sour zing with lemon.

I was wondering about the flavor being much too sour, but now, more than 2 weeks after the “delivery”, I’m sure it wasn’t: the girls keep talking about the truffles and two of them have asked me for the recipe.

Lemon truffles

Lemon truffles
adapted from The Art of Chocolate

500g white chocolate, finely chopped
grated zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice
1/3 heaping cup cream*
cocoa powder

Combine cream and lemon zest a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the cream starts to bubble – don’t let it boil.

Remove from heat and add the chocolate at once, whisking vigorously until the chocolate is melted and you get a thick, smooth and silky mixture. Add the juice, mix well, transfer the mixture to a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap/cling film. Refrigerate until firm enough to form balls - I let it sit in the fridge overnight.

Scoop out rounded mounds of the mixture (while it’s still cold and firm) and form balls – you don’t want your truffles to be perfectly rounded. Roll the truffles in cocoa powder and place in small fluted paper cases or on a plate. Keep refrigerated.

* I used a type of cream we have here that is packaged in small Tetra Pak boxes; it contains 25% fat. I did it to avoid having almost 400g heavy cream in the fridge for nothing – it would end up in the garbage can and I don’t like wasting food.

Makes about 60 truffles (10g each)

Lemon truffles

46 comments:

  1. Lemon by itself, no big deal. Cocoa powder by itslef, no biggy either.

    However when you put two ingredients together, they make a symphony and work, chemistry. That's cooking for ya, bravo Pat!

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  2. What a fun combo! I really enjoy chocolate and citrus together and these sound delicious!

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  3. I haven't tried this flavor combo-- I'm pretty sure my brother would hate it, haha :) Sounds intriguing!

    The 25% cream pumped full of stabilizers is the standard cream here in the Philippines. I hate it but I have to admit it is pretty useful regardless. It's what I usually use to make ganache.

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  4. I often find white chocolate to be much too sweet, so I can imagine that the acid of the lemon would make a nice balance for that. Your truffles look delicious -- no wonder the beauty shop girls were so happy!

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  5. I agree with Lydia, balancing the white chocolate's sweetness with lemon, what a great idea! Those truffles are gorgeous Patricia!

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  6. You always have the most wonderful citrus recipes, Patricia. These chocolate covered lemon truffles are truly inspired!

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  7. Cool. I have to try theses given my regular access to Meyer lemons. Lemon and chocolate (even if it is white chocolate) isn't a combo I had really thought of before. Great job.

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  8. Im learning how many foods work well with lemon! I just added to some guava sauce I made. It was great. It kicked up a notch for sure!

    Nice job.
    B-

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  9. Oh, how I love lemon! Your truffles are gorgeous!

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  10. i love white chocolate -- these look perfect!

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  11. I love white chocolate, too. Had me fooled for a moment, Patricia. These babies don't show their true colors! Great idea!

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  12. Mmmmm...these look delicious...but could you please please make the caipirinha truffles sometime? I don't know if I can get cachaca around here, but I would drive pretty far to get some if I could make truffles out of it! :)

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  13. Very deceptive. Dark on the outside and then white chocolate and lemon on the inside. YUM.

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  14. Oh, I love this idea so much. Lemon is so delicious, and to mellow its sourness with white chocolate is a great idea. I can't wait to try making these!

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  15. The girls at the salon are *very* lucky, Patricia! These sound (and look) delicious!

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  16. Lemon and chocolate truffles sound really good.

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  17. This is a big winner! I had lemon and chocolate desserts before and it worked beautifully!
    Very inspiring!
    :-)

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  18. we're like peas in a pod! i love love love fruity things, as well as white chocolate! (my husband always tells me it's not really chocolate and gives me a hard time b/c i dislike dark chocolate!) these lemon truffles sound divine!

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  19. Lemon and chocolate...white or dark...is a great combo. Lovely truffles...and it is amazing how easy truffles are to make. Lucky salon girls!

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  20. This is me reading your post -'ooooh truffles' 'oooooh white chocolate' 'oooooh lemon'. LOL. It all just sounds so yummy.

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  21. Peter, thank you! You are far too kind, my dear friend.

    Gretchen, I was glad with the result!

    Mark, really? What does your brother hate, citrus, white chocolate or both? :)
    I prefer heavy cream, but its shelf life is so short I end up using the other kind.

    Lydia, I'm their favorite client now. LOL

    LyB, thank you, sweetie!

    Susan, thank you, my dear. I do love citrus flavors and always look forward to using them!

    Brian, thank you - let me know how they turn out with Meyer lemons, please.

    Hi, Brenda, thank you for visiting my blog! I absolutely love guava... :)

    Deb, thank you, dear!

    Katy, I love it too!

    Susan, I took a photo of the insides of one truffle, but didn't post - I thought someone would find it weird/gross... :S

    Sarah, thank you for stopping by! I'll be making the truffles soon, I promise!

    Pea, I'm so glad you like these!

    Hanne, I'd love to hear your opinion about them!

    Michelle, thank you!

    Kevin, thank you!

    Zen Chef, really? That is great news - I can try it again!

    MrsPresley, good to know I'm in such great company!

    Elle, they are easy and cause a great effect! :)

    KJ, I had a laugh with you, my dear. :) Tks!

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  22. Patricia, I really don't like Truffles, but with Lemon, I'm severely tempted.

    SEVERLY tempted. Congrats.

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  23. What a flavor combination Patricia. I can feel the drool building up! Simply lovely!

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  24. A nice different take on the citrus and chocolate combo, I am getting tired of orange and chocolate. This sounds rich yet refreshing!

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  25. These look like something I must try! I love white chocolate and the lemon sounds so decadent. Really great job!

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  26. Oooh! You made truffles! I did too a couple of days back. There are a lot of these going around the blogosphere lately.
    Lemon and chocolate sounds like a wonderful combination.:)

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  27. I have to agree with Peabody. They are deceptive. I thought they were chocolate truffles with lemon.

    The white chocolate mixed with lemon, coated with cocoa, sounds wonderful.
    Something that I wouldn't think to do.

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  28. I've never made truffles before. The ladies at the shop are certainly lucky! The combination of the cocoa and lemon really has my tastebuds working right now!

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  29. Patricia - what a great idea! I wish I could try some of your lemon truffles, so I'll have to give the recipe a try!

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  30. Such lovely truffles! Lemon and chocolate together - mmmm.

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  31. Graeme, really? I didn't see that coming - and that is quite a compliment, I might add. Thank you.

    Meeta, thank you, sweetie!

    Cakespy, white chocolate is my favorite. ;)

    Aimée, tks, dear!

    TBC, I'm off to checking out your truffles!

    Emiline, let me know if you try them.

    Kelly, you should definitely give truffles a go, my friend.

    T.W., I'd love the share these with you.

    Lynn, thank you, dear!

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  32. Lovely looking truffles!

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  33. Those are beautiful - I wish I could see what they look like on the inside! I'll bet they were delicious.

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  34. I'm sure I would love these.

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  35. Patricia,
    Those decadent mounds of chocolate look like they're capable of creating quite a chocolate high! I wish I could purchase dairy products like milk and heavy cream in tetra paks. I remember in France and Europe that milk products are commonly sold this way, but here in Canada everything is sold fresh. It's difficult to find dairy in tetra paks. That would be so convenient for those midnight urges to bake!

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  36. My husband took a look at these and said wow! He wants some of those now, and I can't really blame him.

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  37. That's a nice gesture to treat the girls at the salon...I love the soury taste of lemon..this is a must make for me...

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  38. Certainly a bit different! Would love to try...

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  39. This is so interesting...cocoa and lemon. What an interesting combination!

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  40. Yummy! this sounds delicious...don't think I've had lemony chocolate :) One of those combinations that just stands out.

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  41. Yum! Truffles! I've never tried lemon, or any type of fruit for that matter, in my truffles. I'll certainly get around to making these soon!

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  42. Oh they look so good.

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  43. I love Elaine Gonzales work and book. It was the first one that made me get more serious about chocolate making years ago.

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  44. Hi Patricia,
    Made these delicious truffles and we all really loved it... Thank you so much for the recipe... I have posted it in my blog... pls do check when you get time...
    http://www.swapnascuisine.com/2011/10/lemon-truffles.html

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