Chocolate-Champagne Truffles

By ldelmas

Ingredients

• 10 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/8 cup champagne
• 1 lb semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• Edible gold leaves (optional garnish)

Preparation

Step 1

Directions:

Place the chopped semisweet chocolate in a medium-size bowl. Set aside.

Combine the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Immediately pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for one minute, then gently whisk until the chocolate is melted. (The mixture will be slightly thick.) Pour the champagne into the chocolate mixture and whisk gently until incorporated. Cover the chocolate mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4–5 hours, or overnight.

Using a small ice cream scoop, spoon the chilled mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate.

Place all but a 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips into a heat-safe bowl. Set aside.

Bring a few cups of water to a boil in a medium-size sauce pot. Turn off the heat and place the bowl with the chocolate chips on top of the sauce pot. Let it sit for 3–5 minutes. Lightly whisk the chocolate chips until fully melted. Remove the bowl from the sauce pot, add the reserved 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, and whisk until completely melted.

Dip the truffles in the melted chocolate (a dipping fork really comes in handy here) and place them in a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let the truffles sit until the chocolate has completely hardened. If desired, use a small, dry paintbrush to brush edible gold leaves on top of each truffle.

If you've never worked with gold leaf before, it's extremely delicate, so this isn't a job for little or unsteady hands. Gold leaf usually comes in whole sheets or gold flakes and you can use either kind to garnish your truffles. I find it's easier to use flakes because you can sprinkle them on and use your paintbrush to smooth them down. You'll need to use a sharp knife or razor to cut gold leaf sheets down to size, a paintbrush to guide the sheets to the truffles, and then you have to be really ginger in smoothing the leaf down over the rounded sides. But, see what's available at your local craft store or cake decorating shop. Whatever you choose, know that edible gold leaf is completely safe to eat and your desserts will look so professional. In fact, have your guests call you chef!