Hello!I’m so busy during these days that i have no time to upload the blog!So many things both to do and to think about, i’m feeling like on a merry-go-round! Here Christmas’ mood has finally sprout, so in this period also on the blog, i’ll post some home decorations i usually make for Christmas, and also some Christmas recipe. I like this special atmosphere.Today i want to start with a winter classic recipe: Truffes au chocolat (in italy we call them “praline” or “tartufi” al cioccolato) The “truffes” are pralines made of chocolate flakes melted into milk cream. When the choco-cream is cooled and consolidated, you shape it in small irregular pralines, and after you roll them into cocoa powder, or some other ingredients.
In this recipe, i’ve covered the “tartufi” also with pistachio (chopped in small pieces), flakes of chocolate and coconut, or with simple icing sugar; but, if you wish, you can use many other ingredients, like minced hazelnuts and almonds.
INGREDIENTS (for about 30 “tartufi”)
Fine Fondant (Extra Bitter) Chocolate: 150 gr
Fine Milk Chocolate: 100 gr
Fresh Milk Cream (or double cream): 150 ml
FOR COVERING:
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate Flakes
Pistachios
Icing sugar
Coconut Flakes
PREPARATION:
First, you mince finely the chocolate (both fondant and milk). Pour the milk cream in a small pot, and bring it to a boil. After, remove it from the cooker and add to the cream the two types of chocolate. Keep melting since all the chocolate liquefy: the result has to be a smooth, without lumps mixture. Melt till the chocolate became dense, then let the mixture cool down. When it will be cold, but still not completely solid, melt energetically one more time to obtain a lighter mixture. Put together small quantities of mixture helping you with hands, or with two teaspoons, to make small balls: put the “truffes” on a tray and put them in the fridge to make the “tartufi” become solids. (at least for 1 hour and 30 minutes) When pralines are solids, you can finally roll them in cocoa powder and in the other covering that you have already prepared. Preserve the “tartufi” in the fridge into a covered container till you’ll serve them.
To make the presentation of the “tartufi” even better, you can use an old pralines’ box, putting each “tartufo” in a tiny coloured cupcakes’ wrapper. (in the first and last photos you can see one of the boxes i’ve prepared) For Christmas usually i use silver or white wrappers. You know, nobody can resist at these delicacies!Happy Christmas time! Cris
The Blog Around The Corner 
Crendina:-) THANKS for coming in my kitchen, I’m so happy, please come when you want I will do the same with pleasure:-):-) have a nice night!
Hello to you! Your blog is really inspiring, I like it! I like to cook in my freetime .. I’ll come again for sure! See you soon! Cristina
These sound fantastic, Cris! The versions dressed in cocoa powder and pistachios are definitely calling my name. 🙂 Perhaps when we return home, I’ll have to give the recipe a whirl… Buon Natale!
Thank you, Buon Natale also to you! The pistachios version is the most popular, as I can see… they’re delicious, you’ve to try them soon 🙂
These look delicious! My children love truffles, and I think we will all make these over the winter holidays. I am enjoying reading everything in Italian as well. I don’t speak Italian, but I can understand a bit, and it is lovely to exercise my brain a bit.
I have a question: what is fondant chocolate? How is it different from regular chocolate? Is it just candy-making chocolate, that melts easily? Different places have different words for the same things!
Grazie,
Beverlee
Hello Beverlee, welcome to my blog! Yes, everyone like truffles, especially children 🙂
Fondant Chocolate (in italian “fondente”) is the extra-bitter chocolate, to mix with milk chocolate.
For me too is good to exercise my brain with english conversations. Thank you for stopping by! A presto! Cris
Uuuhmmm, sono deliziosi!! Con questi si va sul sicuro…
Ma…dovrei scriverti in italiano o in inglese? Sono un po’ confusa… 😉
Ah ah, in italiano va benissimo .. preferisco usare l’inglese per facilitare i bloggers non italiani .. l’italiano va benissimo! 🙂
I tartufi al cioccolato li faccio tutti gli anni a Natale perché mi piacciono tanto! A presto!Cris
Bene…e italiano sia! Ciao! 🙂
These look sooo good. I’d try to make them, but my husband just came back from France with so much chocolate. Any more for the holidays would put me in the hospital.
Hello!Ah, that’s right, too much chocolate for the holidays is not good .. but you can do it in any moment, if you try, let me know 🙂
Hi, Cris – I am glad you responded. It has reminded me to pick up the ingredients for your truffles. I like the little cups you have put them in! Where did you find such a perfect little box for them. I would like to ship these to some family and friends, for sure – just need to find the right container so they stay beautiful. My favorite part of this recipe is all of the beautiful toppings! 🙂 Best – Shanna
Hi Shanna – to find the right boxes is not simple! Usually I use old boxes that i received the previous years, covering them with coloured paper, so they seem new! The right height for a truffles gift box is 4,5- 5,5 cm.
Also for me the best part is to make toppings! 😉
Have a great day!Cris
The toppings look the most fun to me, too! Yes, I suppose buying truffles is the best way to get the boxes, hehe. Take care – enjoy your night. Thank you for the info. Best, Shanna xx
Hi dear,
but you can use also other type of boxes, not only those for chocolate or truffles .. The important is to store them in the years – if you find different sizes is even better! Have a great day!Cris
Got it: find them, save them! 🙂 Best – Shanna
Good girl 😀 Hugs – Cris
HEHE!
Questi li faccio! :-Q_______ W il pistacchio!!
Quelli al pistacchio di solito sono molto gettonati, infatti! Prova, prova! 🙂
Wow, golosità estrema! I miei preferiti sono quelli ricoperti con i pistacchi! Un saluto. Laura
Eh eh siamo delle buongustaie noi due! Buona serata!Cris
These would make a perfect gift for christmas or a perfect end to a three course meal with coffee or cappuccino at the end. Thanks for sharing and have a lovely week!
Hi Liz, thank you! yes, truffes are just perfect to gift at Christmas! I love to make cute boxes of them, they’re simple than a cake or a cupcakes box, i need less time to make it, but, anyway, it’s a nice gift for friends and family!Have a great week!Cris
Cris –
DID YOU MAKE THESE? Wow. Truffles, especially dark, are my all-time favorite thing. Ever. Ever. So. Good. In Europe, I stopped in every chocolate shop to try just one truffle – the good shops, I would buy a box to take with me. These are perfect for the holidays. I am actually munching on dark chocolate now. We would make fabulous truffle-making companions. I shall bookmark this recipe to make soon.
Hugs –
Shanna xx
Hi Shanna, good morning, YES! I’m really proud of my confections, they’re cute, isn’t it? With this recipe you don’t need to buy truffles anymore 🙂
you can make them by yourself, they’re super easy!For Christmas I always make them!if you try the recipe make me know..Have a good day! Xoxo Cris
Cris,
There are not really any good truffles in my town, so I will be making them from your recipe for the Christmas season. I hope one day I will visit Europe again and we can make these together. A lady can dream, right? 🙂 OH, chocolate – SO glad you shared this recipe.
Warmest regards,
Shanna xx
Hi Shanna, oh!no no, Christmas season without chocolate truffes is not good!I’m glad if you’ll try to make them by yourself. Yes, we can dream together! Me too I hope to return soon in USA, maybe one day i’ll stop by and try your beautiful recipes! I think that oppurtunities arrive if we’re ready to catch them…and we’re sure ready, sharing our lives, building up ties, being curious about what the others make.Have a good day!Cris