Kenya coffee truffles

A truffle (from French ‘truffe’) is a type of chocolate confectionery that is made of chocolate ganache filling and is spherical in shape. Its name derives from its resemblance to the mushroom of the same name. 

Traditionally, truffles are round hand rolled chocolate confections made of chocolate ganache filling (chocolate combined with cream as well as some other ingredients), enrobed in tempered chocolate and covered with cocoa powder, crushed nuts or wafer crumbs that can also be decorated with chocolate drizzle as well as some other decorations on top of it. The chocolate ganache filling can be made with addition of some other flavors and include such ingredients as alcoholic drinks (cognac, run, liqueur), fruit purees, nuts, pastes, syrups, essences and so on.

Truffles can be:

• hand rolled and round in shape
• in the shape of drops made of non-stabilized chocolate ganache
• cylinder-shaped or in the shape of small elongated bars (made of non-stabilized chocolate ganache)
• placed into premade chocolate truffle shells
• made with the use of special silicone truffle molds

Either way, chocolate truffles are always glazed with tempered chocolate. As for toppings and decorations, any can be used, depending on your choice.

Please note! Always use the best coffee available when making your truffles!

• Combine the cream and sugar together, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the coffee!
• Remove the pan from the heat, and leave it to sit for about 20-30 seconds, then pour it over your chocolate callets and wait for a couple of minutes for them to melt. Once the chocolate has melted, start whisking your ganache mixture from the middle out until it becomes perfectly smooth.
• Once your mixture has cooled to 35C (95F), add the butter and pulse the mixture with a blender, then pour in the liqueur and pulse again - until you get a smooth emulsion-like consistency. Cover the mixture with some plastic wrap as closely as possible and leave it in the fridge for 24 hours to chill. You can also use a wine cooler to do that.
• Roll your truffles, then transfer them to the fridge/wine cooler/freezer and leave them there for 8 hours to chill. Once they have chilled, glaze them with the tempered chocolate, then coat them in some cocoa powder straight away
• To do that, I usually cover my gloves with cocoa powder, and then just roll the truffles in my hands until they are fully coated.
• Once the truffles are ready, return them to the fridge - to prevent them from cracking due to a rapid temperature change.
• The perfect thickness for the chocolate glaze would be about 2 mm (0.10 inch).
• You can also add 1tsp of finely ground coffee to your tempered chocolate mixture. Believe me, those who love this type of coffee will definitely thank you later!