Has everyone seen The Bee Movie, the animated one with the voice of Jerry Seinfeld?  There’s this part when the bee is trying to get inside and he runs into the glass of the window. He keeps saying “maybe this time” each time he bounces off of the closed window… over and over and over.  That is how I feel when I make truffles.

I hate making truffles.  Really, truly hate making the little morsels of chocolate that I so love to eat.  I always have issues when making them.  Usually they are too soft, or too firm, or it is too hot in my kitchen and they melt while I try to enrobe them with chocolate.  I am an apparent glutton for punishment, because I decided this year to make homemade treats for several of my friends and co-workers.  I also decided to make them just a few days before I wanted to dole out the treats.  Smart, eh?

In the end, the truffles turned out very good, and I was happy, but as usual, I cursed like a sailor with Tourettes Syndrome the entire time and swore never to make them again.  We’ll see how I feel next year around the holidays.  Will I be the Bee again??? :P  I made two different flavors, Rum scented dark chocolate and white chocolate passion fruit rolled in chopped almonds.  The latter was surprisingly my favorite of the two… the tartness of the passion fruit puree really cut down the cloying sweetness of the white chocolate.

White Chocolate Passion Fruit Truffles

20 oz good quality white chocolate
4 oz cream
6 oz passion fruit puree

15 oz white chocolate (for enrobing)
1 c finely chopped toasted almonds

1. Chop white chocolate into small pieces with a large knife and place in a large bowl.  Heat the cream and passion fruit puree to a boil separately in small containers.  I prefer to use my microwave to do this.  It is important to heat the cream and puree separately, as the acid in the puree will likely curdle the cream.

2. Pour the hot cream and half of the passion fruit puree over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute and then gently stir with a rubber spatula.  Once the mixture is creamy and combined, add the remaining passion fruit puree and stir again until smooth.  Refrigerate for a few hours until firm.

3. Using a very small scooper or spoon, portion out 1 inch balls of the firm white chocolate mixture onto a parchment lined sheet pan.  If the truffle mixture gets too soft, place back into the refrigerator to firm up.  Gently and quickly roll each into a well rounded ball.

4. Melt the remaining white chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler.  Place the chopped nuts in a small flat pan.  Dip each truffle into the melted white chocolate and immediately roll in the chopped nuts.  It really helps to have a 3rd hand or a helper during this phase.  Once all truffles are rolled in chocolate and then the nuts, place into the refrigerator.

Makes about 100 truffles

Note the Dark Chocolate Rum truffles were made using the same method with the following ingredients and enrobed in dark chocolate.

16 oz heavy cream
20 oz dark chocolate
rum to taste