If You Love Chocolate, These Are a No-Brainer
Alright, friend—let me tell you about the time I first made chocolate orange truffles. Spoiler: it was a total mess, but somehow, in the midst of sticky fingers and stray cocoa powder on the cat (don’t ask), they actually tasted… kind of magical. My older brother insists I only make them at Christmas, but honestly, who waits for December when the craving hits in March? You know what I mean. And if you’ve never mixed chocolate and orange together, well, you’re just about to crack open a flavor combo that really shouldn’t work but seriously does.
Why You’ll Love This One
I make these whenever I’m short on time but want something a little fancy (or if I’m hoping to impress the in-laws, though my uncle Phil somehow still prefers store-bought, sigh). My family legit gobbles them up before I’ve even finished rolling the last batch, although my first attempts looked more like oddly shaped pebbles than truffles, but hey, they still disappeared. Also, these hide a multitude of sins if your kitchen skills aren’t quite top-shelf (or if, like me, you tend to misplace the sieve somewhere around step two).
What You’ll Need (Ingredients)
- 200g good dark chocolate (70% is *chef’s kiss*—but honestly, I sometimes use half dark, half milk if I’m out; just don’t tell the purists)
- 80ml double cream (I once subbed in thick Greek yogurt—wasn’t half bad, actually)
- 30g unsalted butter (or just swipe in a bit of salted if that’s all you’ve got)
- Finely grated zest of 1 big orange (my grandmother always insisted on those fancy organic ones, but, erm, supermarket oranges do fine too)
- A splash of orange extract (optional, but if you have Cointreau lurking at the back of the booze cupboard, give it a go)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder for dusting (sometimes I just go wild with icing sugar instead)
- Pinch of sea salt (it just works—trust me)
How to Throw These Chocolate Orange Truffles Together
- Chop up the chocolate into little pieces. The chunkier, the more you’ll be tempted to sneak some (not that I do, obviously…)
- In a saucepan, heat the cream, butter, and orange zest over gentle heat. Don’t rush this or you’ll scorch the cream; learned that the hard way. No one likes burnt cream.
- As soon as it starts bubbling at the edges, pull it off the hob (or just move it to the cool side if you’re fancy) and tip in the chocolate. Give it a minute—it kind of sits there looking tragic. But then, start stirring and marvel at how silky it goes. Add orange extract (or the boozy stuff) and that pinch of salt. Now, this is where I usually sneak a spoonful—just for quality control, obviously.
- Pour the mix into a shallow dish. Stick it in the fridge for at least 2 hours—or until you remember it, to be honest.
- Once it’s set (it’ll look quite firm, but a knife should slice through easily), grab a teaspoon and scoop rough blobs. Roll these into balls between your palms. I always have sticky hands by the third one—can’t be helped.
- Drop each in cocoa powder (or icing sugar) and roll them around till they’re coated and vaguely truffle-shaped. And if they end up odd sizes, who’s judging? Not me.
My Notes from the Trenches
- Once, I tried skipping the chill phase, thinking I could just roll ’em right away. Don’t do that. Mess everywhere.
- I thought fancy chocolate was essential, but after a few too many test runs (and runs to the corner shop), I’m convinced your regular dark bar works. Lidl’s is grand, honestly.
- If you end up with chocolate all up your forearms, you’re doing it right. Or at least, that’s what I’ve convinced myself.
How I’ve Tweaked These (and a Fail)
- Swapped the orange zest for lemon once—nope, wouldn’t recommend unless you love Lemon Pledge. (Sorry lemon fans.)
- Added a dash of cayenne for a tiny hum of heat—surprisingly great for grown-ups.
- Tried dipping them in melted white chocolate once—looked a bit dodgy, but the kids loved ’em.
Do You Need Fancy Gear?
I use a saucepan and a mixing bowl, but if you’re short on proper gear, a microwave and a cereal bowl will actually do (just lower the power). For rolling, I always say use your hands—just give them a quick rinse first (doesn’t hurt, does it?).
How to Store These—But They Rarely Survive
Technically, they keep in an airtight box in the fridge for up to 5 days. But honestly, in my house, they never last more than a day. If you actually can hide some, let me know how!
How to Serve: My Favourite Ways
I pop mine on a battered old plate with some little orange curls for show-off points. Mum used to sneak one into my lunchbox with a note—maybe not school approved, but it made Mondays sweeter.
Pro Tips (AKA Thing’s I’ve Learned the Hard Way)
- Rushing the chill time means you’ll end up with a sticky mess you can’t roll—believe me, I tried, and we ate truffle goo off spoons. Still good, not Instagrammable.
- If your chocolate splits (looks grainy), don’t panic! Stir in a splash more cream, it usually comes round after a bit of coaxing.
- Don’t try rolling huge ones unless you’ve got a mouth the size of a coin purse. Little ones are easier, plus you can feel better about popping two (or three).
Your Questions Answered (Because I’ve Been Asked…)
Can I use milk chocolate?
Absolutely; just expect them to taste a bit sweeter. My pal Liz swears by it.
Is it OK to use store-bought orange juice instead of zest?
I mean, you could, but you’ll miss that punchy flavor. The zest is what makes it sing, in my opinion.
Do I really need the butter?
I’ve tried without, and sure, you can skip it, but they don’t feel as meltingly smooth. On second thought, maybe half the butter if you’re feeling virtuous.
My truffle mix is too soft! Help?
Two options: chill it longer, or—if you’re impatient like me—stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes. Works a treat.
Can I freeze them?
Yeah, but they’ll pick up freezer smells, so I just keep them in the fridge and eat ’em fast. (Easy, really.)
One Last Rambly Thought
Honestly, sometimes the best thing about these truffles is sharing them—over coffee, when mates drop in unannounced, or with your feet up after a long day. And if you get the urge to geek out on the science of chocolate melting points, there’s a fab piece at Serious Eats (which I try to follow, then usually give up and go rogue). For the best cocoa powder, I’ve found King Arthur’s Dutch-process cocoa is worth the fuss—if not, supermarket stuff is fine.
Happy truffling—let me know how yours turn out (unless you’ve eaten them all by the time you remember to message me)!
Ingredients
- 200g dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa), finely chopped
- 75ml heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 100g cocoa powder or melted chocolate for coating
- Optional: 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied orange peel
Instructions
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1Place the finely chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof mixing bowl.
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2In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream and butter over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest, orange juice, and sea salt.
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3Pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate. Allow it to sit undisturbed for 2 minutes, then gently stir until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Mix in the candied orange peel, if using.
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4Cover the bowl and refrigerate the ganache for at least 2 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.
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5Scoop small portions of the chilled ganache and roll into balls with your hands. Coat each truffle in cocoa powder or dip in melted chocolate for a glossy finish.
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6Store truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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