Guest Recipe: Tom's Valentine's Day Champagne Chocolate Truffles

After pink hearts and cupid, when most people think of Valentine's Day they will think of champagne and chocolates. It’s a cliche, but it works; a luxurious way of telling that special someone that you love them.

This easy recipe for Valentines Champagne Chocolate Truffles makes up to 24 generous bonbons while being simple enough for even the most casual cook to make it a success. Kept in the fridge for up to a week, these truffles are best eaten at room temperature alongside a glass of perfectly chilled bubbly for a truly decadent treat.

• Prep Time: 45 min + overnight
• Cook Time: 0 min

Serves: 24 truffles

Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the truffle ganache
• 270g 37% milk chocolate
• 100g 70% dark chocolate
• 100ml double cream
• Pinch of salt
• 75ml Champagne or Crémant (not Prosecco)
• 15ml brandy or black raspberry liqueur

For the truffle coating

• 200g 70% dark chocolate
• 100g 37% milk chocolate
• 85g icing sugar
• 20g cornflour
• 10g cocoa powder

Method

1. Begin by making the ganache. Break the milk chocolate and dark chocolate into little pieces and pop into a heat-proof bowl. Add the double cream and pinch of salt and place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water to melt. Stir gently until you have a molten pool of chocolate.
2. Remove the bowl from the heat and place to one side to cool for around five minutes before adding the Champagne/Crémant and brandy. To ensure a smooth and light ganache, I beat this molten liquid with an electric hand beater for around 3-5 minutes until the ripples start to thicken and the liquid is nice and glossy. Allow to fully cool before covering and placing somewhere nice and cold to rest overnight.
3. The next day, take your rested ganache and roll teaspoon sized balls of the ganache in your hands before placing on a baking tray or large plate, lined with greaseproof paper. Roll equal sized balls until all the mixture is used up - I get around 24 generous truffles from this mixture. Place the balls in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
4. After half an hour, break the milk and dark chocolates into a clean heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of barely simmering water. Once molten, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5-10 mins.
5. Combine the icing sugar, cocoa and cornflour into a bowl and sift half of the mixture evenly over a large baking tray. Take your truffles from the freezer and carefully roll each one in the molten chocolate to coat, removing with a table fork and allowing the excess to drip off before placing onto the icing sugar lined tray. Repeat until all the truffles are coated before sifting over the remaining icing sugar mix. Place the chocolates somewhere cool to set before storing in a sealed container in the fridge until ready to eat.
6. The truffles are best eaten at room temperature and will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Tom Frizell-Shackley is a food writer, private chef, recipe developer and freelance PR consultant. Based in the North East of England, he lives with his partner, son and three spaniels. Since 2019, he has published recipes and kitchen tips for his Kitchen Notes food blog.