I’ve been making this truffle recipe on and off for over 30 years. When my friend, Tina gave me the recipe I’m sure she never expected me to love it this much or to see it now in print. The title on top of the card just reads ‘truffles’. I love this about the recipe because it’s just that – a basic truffle recipe that can be altered with different liqueurs, nuts or no nuts and a variety of coatings. I love pulling out the recipe card from my file. It’s written in her handwriting and you know how I love and cherish those cards. The title might read, Truffles Infused With Spirits but my liqueur of choice is Grand Marnier.
Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge is an orange flavored french liqueur dating back to 1880. It’s a blend of Cognac brandy, distilled essence of bitter orange and sugar. This particular liqueur is the perfect match for semi-sweet chocolate. The aroma of orange when you open your container of truffles is out-of-this-world. Between the essence of orange and the health benefits of dark chocolate, I wonder if this recipe can be considered a health food? I’m all for it!
The steps are very basic. Melt – Mix- Refrigerate and Roll.
- Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a small heavy saucepan and heat until the chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally.
- Combine powder sugar, nuts, and egg white in a medium-sized bowl mixing with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in chocolate mixture and liqueur and combine well.
- Chill until firm, form balls, and roll in powdered sugar and cocoa mixture.
The steps may seem basic but the taste is not. The flavor is full bodied and the blending of chocolate, orange, and nuts is first-rate! A teaspoon of chocolate rolled in a ball is the perfect amount of sweetness. They are beautiful when plated by themselves and they make a great addition to a tray of cookies.
So, what do you think? Does this recipe look like something you would try? Do you have a favorite liqueur used in a family recipe? Please consider leaving a message for the Sock Box 10 community and if you’re on Pinterest, please consider pinning the picture below.
Thanks for stopping by, Rose
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 6 squares of semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz size)
- ¾ cup of pecans or hazelnuts finely chopped or ground.
- 1⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon of Grand Marnier or rum
- Powdered sugar and cocoa (Hershey's Cocoa was used for this post)
- Finely chop nuts or grind.
- Combine chocolate and heavy cream in a small heavy saucepan or double broiler.
- Heat over low heat just until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, combine nuts, powdered sugar, and egg white, and mix with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in chocolate and liquor and combine.
- Refrigerate mixture until firm. I like to chill overnight, but 3-4 hours chilling will work.
- Scoop using a teaspoon and roll into balls. The quantity may vary depending on the size of your truffles.
- Combine powdered sugar and cocoa and roll the truffles in the mixture to coat. I would start with ¼ cup of each and you can add more cocoa or powdered sugar depending on your preference. You may need to recoat the truffles if the sugar and cocoa mixture
is absorbed into the chocolate. - Store in an airtight container or tin.