Handmade Truffles: The Easy to Make Gift

Every once in a while, I feel like getting crafty. This usually occurs when the weather turns cold, and often has something to do with food.

In the past, I’ve made jams, tarts, cookies, or pies. One year, I even went all out and made Christmas tins filled with biscotti, fudge, gingerbread, and toffee (it was a lot of work). The latter requires some careful planning, and isn’t supposed to be tackled all at once, let alone in one night. Oh how we live and learn. Or that first time I tried canning in the dark and on a wood stove…but that’s a story for another day.

I’ve always enjoyed the creativity of baking and making sweets look pretty (I’ll be the first to admit, however, that I’ve made my family suffer through some pretty whacky creations over the years). Nevertheless, the real joy is in gifting homemade treats to my friends and family.

No matter how big or small, flimsy or tacky, I am a firm believer that the handmade gift remains the sweetest gesture of love. The little details are what count; the time, care, and thought that goes into the process of making your own gifts. Truly, nothing makes me happier than giving (or receiving) a gift made with love. So there! I’ve exerted my seasonal sappiness. Now let’s get crafting.

The tricky part when making gift sweets is deciding what to make. The one thing you don’t want is to end up with a hundred different ingredients, overwhelming you, your kitchen, and your wallet. It can get quite costly, especially when making sweets.

To begin with, I wanted to narrow my options down by selecting a cohesive theme. One ingredient, I decided, should be featured across each treat. My choice? Chocolate. You really can’t go wrong with chocolate. It works wonders in baking, and gives your sweets a classy look and rich flavour.

So, when the creative bug hit, I decided on truffles — after all, what’s lovelier looking than truffles?

These sweet little treats are perfect for the holidays and wonderful as gifts. The possibilities for truffles are endless: they can be coated in a variety of (Christmas themed) options such as candy cane, coconut, chocolate, pistachios, pecans or candied ginger. They are also surprisingly simple to make and here comes the best part: they can be healthy, too! Yes, not all holiday food need be fattening, high in sugar and loaded in carbs. I did some searching, and sure enough I found a way to make truffles that are guilt free and naturally sweetened, yet decadent and delicious.

So get ready to impress with these gorgeous truffles that your friends and family will love. Make sure you save a few for yourself, too!

Time and Quantity Stats

Prep time: 5 min

Cook Time: 0 min

Ready in: 5 min

Yields: 20-25 balls (per recipe)

Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cups blanched hazelnuts (I used 1 cup almond flour and ½ cup hazelnuts

100 Grams of dates (about 16-18 normal sized dates)

2 Tsp honey (or agave as a vegan option)

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

¼ Cup dark chocolate grated (or carob chips)

2 Tsp vanilla extract

Tip: Soaking dates in hot water beforehand will help the truffles stick together

Amaretto Fudge Truffles

Ingredients:

1 Cup slivered almonds

1 Cup pitted dates

1/3 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ Tsp Almond extract

2 Tbsp Cocoa powder

Tip – these are delicious rolled in cocoa or by drizzling chocolate over top, or dipping them in dark chocolate.

Method (for both varieties)

Using your food processor, add dates and process until they become a paste.
Add the remaining ingredients and process until a dough like consistency forms.
Roll into bite sized balls
Chill in refrigerator for 15-30 min before rolling in your coatings.

Lemon Coconut Truffles

Ingredients:

1 Cup pitted dates

1 Cup unsweetened coconut

1 Cup raw cashews

1 Tsp vanilla extract

Juice of 1 lemon

Lemon rind (finely grated)

Method:

Add your cashews to your food processor and blend until they take on a flour-like texture
Add unsweetened coconut and pulse until blended
Add the vanilla, lemon juice, dates and blend until they reach a dough consistency
Remove from processor and begin rolling into 1 inch balls
Roll balls in coconut until completely covered
Place balls in an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to 5 days, or 1 month in the freezer

Tip: These are lovely dipped in white chocolate!

Dipping Chocolate

Ingredients:

6-8 ounces of chocolate candy melts or bakers chocolate (can use raw cacao if preferred)

Directions:

Using a double boiler melt chocolate over low heat
Remove from heat and insert a tooth pick into your truffles
Dip each truffle into chocolate until completely covered
To remove the tooth pick simply wiggly and pull until it comes out

Tip: To cover up the hole from the toothpick, sprinkle a bit of shredded coconut, or top with a hazelnut, raw cranberry, or some kind of small candy.

Healthy Topping Options:

Crushed Nuts (Pecans, walnuts, Pistachios, Almonds)

Coconut

Freeze Dried Raspberries

Plain Cocoa Powder (sprinkle some cinnamon for extra flavour)

Extra Decadent Options:

Dip in chocolate

Drizzle with chocolate

Roll in candied chopped fruit

Roll in candy cane

Roll in crushed candy of your choice

Classic Truffle

Author: Sharron Lachendro – What the Fork Blog Source:

Serves 24-30

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ Cup heavy cream

4 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp cocoa powder or coffee powder

1 Tsp vanilla extract

Cocoa powder for dusting

Chopped hazelnuts for rolling truffles in

Method:

Add all ingredients except vanilla to a double boiler, or use a heatproof bowl (such as Pyrex) placed over a small saucepan with ¼ — ½ inch of water.
Heat and stir chocolate and butter until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside until at room temperature, and refrigerate until cold.
Scoop the chocolate and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll truffles in desired toppings. Refrigerate truffles up to 2 weeks and serve at room temperature.

Sidetone: Check out this list of 15 amazing healthy truffle varieties:

Wrapping your Truffles:

It’s best to select a shallow flat bottom container to keep your truffles secure. Cookie tins, boxes, or even an old jewelry box will do the trick. Michaels craft store has a ton of options to select from.

Fill your box or tin with some festive tissue paper and gently place your truffles in the bottom. You might want to wrap your gift in wrapping paper, or simply tie with a ribbon. Be sure to include a little gift tag or sweet little note and deliver!

Written By: Holly Brooke

Holly Brooke is a true B.C. gal. Having lived on the west coast most of her life, except for several years in the Kootenay's where she canoed and fished and lived in a tipi, she's very much at home outdoors and in the kitchen. ...