May 2nd is the annually observed National Chocolate Truffle Day. I don’t need to wait for a national day to eat truffles, those intensely flavored balls of chocolate bliss, but I am more than willing to enjoy additional truffles today to get in on the celebration. Chocolate truffles were developed in France. They are small balls of rich chocolate rolled in cocoa or another coating. They were named after the truffle fungus, a mushroom, that the chocolates resembled.
The Kentucky Derby is coming up later this week, as well. The Mint Julep has been the traditional cocktail of the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby horse racing weekend at Churchill Downs Racetrack for nearly a century. Almost 120,000 Mint Juleps are served over the race weekend. Primarily made of bourbon, sugar, and fresh mint, the Mint Julep was a staple of the South since its creation in the 18th century, but it did not become the official race cocktail until 1939, 64 years after the first Derby race.
Today’s recipe hits both these occasions, combining chocolate truffles with mint juleps for a chocolately, minty, boozy treat for both of these events!
Mint Julep Truffles (adapted from foodnetwork.com)
Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes, Chilling time: 3+ hours, Makes:18 to 24 truffles
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate (not chocolate chips), coarsely chopped
- 2 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (not chocolate chips), coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3-4 tablespoons bourbon
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 packed tablespoons fresh mint leaves
Directions:
Put the chopped semisweet and milk chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream and butter in a small bowl in the microwave for 2-3 minutes at half power. The butter should be melted and the mixture should be very warm. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate, completely covering it, then let sit it for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted, smooth, and glossy. (If the chocolate doesn’t melt completely, microwave the mixture on medium-high power in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until the chocolate is fully melted.)
Pour the warm cream & butter mixture over the chocolate to melt it.
Fold in the bourbon and peppermint extract until they are incorporated and the mixture is uniform. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate it until it is set and well chilled, at least 3 hours.
Mix the bourbon and mint extract into the ganache.
When the ganache is ready, process the sugar and mint in a food processor for 1 minute, until the mint is finely chopped and dispersed, scraping down the bowl with a spatula halfway through the process.
Process the mint and sugar together.
Scoop a tablespoonful of the chocolate mixture into your greased hand and shape it into balls, working quickly, as the chocolate melts fast. Place the balls on a plate and refrigerate them for at least 10 minutes.
Roll the ganache into balls. It will be messy!
Place the mint sugar in a shallow dish or bowl and roll the balls in the sugar mixture, coating them on all sides.
Coat the balls in the sugar-mint mixture.
Place the truffles on a clean platter and refrigerate them until it is time to serve them. (The mint sugar mixture can be prepared ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days before coating the truffles. The uncoated truffles can be stored overnight in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The truffles are best when they are coated the day they’re being served.)
The bourbon and mint flavors stand out in this truffle!
Bourbon, mint & chocolate make an incrediblely delicious combination! ~Linda
Mint Julep Truffles (adapted from foodnetwork.com)
Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes, Chilling time: 3+ hours, Makes:18 to 24 truffles
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate (not chocolate chips), coarsely chopped
- 2 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (not chocolate chips), coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3-4 tablespoons bourbon
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 packed tablespoons fresh mint leaves
Directions:
Put the chopped semisweet and milk chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream and butter in a small bowl in the microwave for 2-3 minutes at half power. The butter should be melted and the mixture should be very warm. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate, completely covering it, then let sit it for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted, smooth, and glossy. (If the chocolate doesn’t melt completely, microwave the mixture on medium-high power in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until the chocolate is fully melted.) Fold in the bourbon and peppermint extract until they are incorporated and the mixture is uniform.
Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate it until it is set and well chilled, at least 3 hours.
When the ganache is ready, process the sugar and mint in a food processor for 1 minute, until the mint is finely chopped and dispersed, scraping down the bowl with a spatula halfway through the process. Scoop a tablespoonful of the chocolate mixture into your greased hand and shape it into balls, working quickly, as the chocolate melts fast. Place the balls on a plate and refrigerate them for at least 10 minutes. Place the mint sugar in a shallow dish or bowl and roll the balls in the sugar mixture, coating them on all sides. Place the truffles on a clean platter and refrigerate them until it is time to serve them. (The mint sugar mixture can be prepared ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days before coating the truffles. The uncoated truffles can be stored overnight in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The truffles are best when they are coated the day they’re being served.)