Tiramisu Truffles

I've gone totally scatterbrained in the kitchen. I'm starting to cook like my sister, who is famous in the family for baking purple chocolate chip cookies without the aid of any food coloring. How exactly that happened remains a mystery.

I can't seem to read recipes correctly. I find myself omitting key ingredients and steps. My custards magically curdle, my ganaches crack, I neglect to remove the desiccant packet from freeze dried fruits before grinding them.

I'm spacing out, putting things in the freezer that should be in the refrigerator and vice versa.

I think I ruined a 3lb box of cream cheese...



I even managed to messed up today's recipe which is, by any measure, simple and easy.

I forgot to toss the chocolate shavings with cocoa, so my Tiramisu Truffles lack their blush of cocoa powder. They still look and taste wonderful, even without the cocoa, so up on the blog they go with my scatterbrained candy-making mea culpa.

I'll be out of town starting mid-next week for a conference--no, not food or food blogging related. Maybe some time out of the kitchen will let me relax and recharge my batteries; I have been cooking an awful lot lately.

So these truffles, they're simple, silky and delicious. The white chocolate mascarpone ganache is infused with a hint of Marsala and espresso. While the original recipe didn't call for powdered espresso, I've included it, as I cannot imagine tiramisu without the slightly bitter hint of coffee. Some espresso is dissolved and the rest peppers the ganache with little speaks and streaks of coffee flavor.

While they are quick to make, you should allow two days for these truffles. An overnight in the refrigerator will allow the tiramisu ganache to set and the flavors to develop.



Tiramisu Truffles
adapted from Truffles: 50 Deliciously Decadent Homemade Chocolate Treats
yields 40-50 1-inch truffles
10 ounces white couverture chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese*
2 1/2 teaspoons Marsala wine
1/2-1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (recommend: Medaglia D'Oro), to taste, divided
1 ounce milk chocolate in block form
1/2 teaspoon dutch-processed cocoa
50 small fluted paper cups, optional

*If your mascarpone cheese is very stiff and thick, whisk it in a small bowl until it is smooth and creamy before adding it to the chocolate.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Set the chocolate aside and allow to cool until just lukewarm.

While waiting, dissolve half of the espresso powder in the Marsala wine.

When the chocolate has cooled a bit, whisk in the mascarpone until smooth then add the espresso Marsala. Mix in the remaining powdered espresso, cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day:

Grate the block of milk chocolate on the largest holes of a box grater. Toss the chocolate shavings with the dutch processed cocoa.

Now grab that beautiful espresso speckled tiramisu ganache...



Scoop balls of the ganache with a spoon--a round measuring spoon works great--and roll quickly between your palms. If your hands get sticky quickly, dust your clean palms with a little powdered sugar between rolling.

To finish, roll the truffles in the shaved chocolate/cocoa mixture.



These truffles are made from fresh perishable ingredients and are best enjoyed soon after making them. If you wish to keep them for more than a day, place a single layer of the truffles into an air tight container and refrigerate for up to 10 days.

It is important that you allow the chocolates to come to room temperature before servings, as cold truffles will not have the ideal texture, flavor or mouth feel.

Enjoy!

Pin It