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These French dark chocolate truffles are decadently rich and smooth, with a creamy texture that melts in your mouth. A light dusting of cocoa powder gives them a classic look, just like the chocolaterie shops you will see in France.
These dark chocolate truffles will impress any true chocolate lover.
When I went to France, the high-end chocolate shops captured my heart. The cocoa powder truffles had a smooth, silky texture and rich chocolate flavor. I was determined to replicate the decadent, dark chocolate truffles when I got home.
Here is Why This Recipe Works
- The recipe is surprisingly easy, with only four ingredients.
- A higher ratio of cream gives the truffles a softer texture.
- Choosing chocolate with a high content of cocoa butter will make the truffles melt in your mouth.
- Choosing butter with a higher amount of butterfat will give the truffles a more luxurious texture.
If you like these French truffles, you will enjoy our chocolate oblivion cake which tastes like a giant dark chocolate truffle.
The Ingredients
Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
- Dark chocolate
- Heavy cream
- Butter
- Cocoa powder
If you like this recipe, try our French chocolate custard.
How to Make It
Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect with the recipe for cocoa-covered French chocolate truffles. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
- Chop the chocolate and add to a bowl. Heat the cream in another bowl.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate.
- Whisk the mixture until smooth, then stir in the butter.
- Pour the chocolate into a resealable bag and let it sit until it firms up enough to hold its shape.
- Snip a small section off the corner of the bag and pipe dollops of chocolate onto a baking sheet.
- Let the chocolate get firm in the fridge, then roll the mounds of chocolate in a ball and coat in cocoa powder.
Tips for Success
- The secret to the velvety smooth truffle is a higher ratio of cream in the ganache. Since chocolate is the star, it is important to choose high-quality chocolate.
- Some suggestions for chocolate would be Callebaut, Valrhona, Lindt, or Green & Black’s
- This recipe works best with 60% to 70% chocolate. Anything less than 55% chocolate and the ganache will be too loose to work with unless you reduce the amount of cream.
- Store them in the fridge. Keep the chocolate dusted truffles stored in the refrigerator so they don’t melt.
- Serve them at room temperature. When the truffles have time to sit at room temperature, the cocoa butter and other fats have a chance to get soft and silky smooth.
Recipe adapted from Jacques Torres.
Some More Recipes You Will Love:
Our Chocolate Cupcakes have a creamy, smooth peanut butter frosting. It is a delicious combination that gets rave every time we make them.
Use this Rich Chocolate Sauce to drizzle over strawberry basil ice cream for a decadent dessert.
Our French apple cake is such a decadent dessert that is easy to make.
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French Chocolate Truffles
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Ingredients
- 7 ounces dark chocolate, 55% to 70%
- ¾ cup 6 ounces heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons 1.5 ounces high-fat butter, softened
For the coating
- ½ cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Chop the chocolate into fine pieces and place in a medium bowl then set aside.
- Place the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat (or warm the cream in the microwave). As soon as the cream begins to boil, remove it from the heat and pour it over the chopped chocolate in the bowl.
- Let the mixture sit for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate then using an immersion blender, or a whisk, beat the mixture until it is smooth. Stir in the butter.
- Pour the mixture into a large ziplock bag, seal it then let it sit at room temperature for about 4 to 6 hours until it is thick enough to hold its shape when dropped into a mound.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Clip a corner of the bag off and pipe out small mounds of the chocolate ganache mixture (a little bigger than a teaspoon). If the ganache warms up in your hands while piping and softens too much, place the bag in the fridge for a few minutes.
- Place the mounds of piped chocolate in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes to firm them up.
- Sift the cocoa powder into a pie plate or shallow dish. Roll each mound of chocolate into a ball then roll them in the cocoa powder to coat.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- European style butters such as Plugra, have a higher fat content and will contribute to a creamier texture.
- Use a chocolate with 55% to 70% cocoa butter
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!This post was originally published on February 2, 2014. We updated the photos.
There is absolutely no way these are firm enough to handle after 15 minutes ! As soon as your hands touch them they melt into a huge mess! It was impossible to shape into balls. I hope a longer fridge time will help? but I worry they are just too delicate to be formed by hands due to the instant melting. I hope I can salvage them somehow as I used such high quality chocolate!
I’m so sorry to hear you’re having trouble with the truffles! It sounds like the mixture may just need a little extra chill time to firm up. Sometimes a warm kitchen or warm hands can cause the ganache to soften quickly. Try chilling the mixture a bit longer. If your measurements were correct, it should set up properly. However, if a bit too much cream was added, you can save the batch by melting some additional chocolate and stirring it into the ganache.
Homemade chocolate truffles look complicated to make, but are so simple! Although as you point out your selection of chocolate is critical. These look outstanding! We make a similar recipe several times a year, and they never last long. Really good stuff — thanks.
Thanks John, I’m willing to bet you know the perfect amount of rum or brandy to spike your truffles with 🙂 I bet yours are delicious.
Your truffles are so perfectly round. I made some today and they look like someone’s kicked them around the yard for a week. 🙂 They still tasted good!
That’s funny Maureen, but as long as they taste good, it really doesn’t matter what they look like does it? I actually have seen truffles that are square, the whole step of rolling them was skipped and instead the ganache was poured in a pan, set out to thicken, then sliced into squares and rolled in cocoa. A much quicker process and still very yummy truffles.