Petite Boules

These are proper truffles, made the French way. Hot cream poured over finely chopped white chocolate creates a smooth ganache, and a splash of Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) adds a warm, nutty booze note that perfumes every bite.

After chilling until firm, the ganache gets rolled into small balls, dipped in tempered semisweet chocolate, and rolled through ground toasted hazelnuts. Three layers of flavor: creamy white chocolate center, thin dark chocolate shell, crunchy hazelnut coating.

Templering the semisweet chocolate to 89 degrees gives the coating a clean snap and a glossy finish. Skip this step and the chocolate sets dull and soft.

Chef Tips

• Chop the white chocolate very fine so it melts evenly in the hot cream. Large chunks leave lumps in the ganache.
• Let the rolled balls sit for 30 minutes at room temperature before dipping. This firms them slightly so they don’t dissolve when they hit the melted chocolate.
• Temper the chocolate by melting only halfway over hot water, then stirring off heat until fully smooth. This keeps the temperature in the right range.

Variations

• Roll in cocoa powder instead of hazelnuts for a classic truffle look.
• Swap Frangelico for Grand Marnier for an orange-chocolate truffle.
• Use milk chocolate for the outer coating instead of semisweet for a sweeter, milder finish.