I think as we get older, we find buying gifts for our daughters and granddaughters becomes more difficult. Maybe it’s generational, but 1st, they have at least two of everything, and 2nd, each girl has such individual “tastes”, so trying to identity a Mother’s Day Gift they’d really love is next to impossible!
Truffles Make the Sweetest Mother’s Day Gifts
I wanted to do something very special for my ‘girls’ this past Mother’s Day. Each granddaughter has two lovely children of their own, making me the “great” grandmother. What a special honor. Those of you lucky enough to share my station in life realize how truly amazing it is. Not many people can boast about great grandkids. The girls have done an awesome job of raising their ‘babies’ and each little one is becoming a distinct personality with purpose and direction… sometimes that direction can be overwhelming, though, as you try to keep an eye on 4 kids under 4 when you’re at the park!
My daughter, the ‘grandmother’ of these 4, deserves kudos for her role as “Grammy” as she is ever patient and loving with these little guys. So, where is this leading, you ask??
As I mentioned, I wanted to do something special for these 3 beautiful, amazing ladies on Mother’s Day, and not go online and order from “Amazon”. Being a member of the Sephra team, I knew I could figure out something which would both please and delight them. The answer came in the form of “Truffles”. Homemade chocolate truffles!
Homemade Sephra Chocolate Truffles
Homemade Sephra Chocolate truffles from GiGi’s kitchen was the answer. Sephra has many different varieties of chocolate. Belgian (the best of the best), Premium (basically same Belgian recipe, but made here in the US) and Chocolate Melts, especially designed for candy making. Each variety of chocolate is available in decadent dark chocolate, sweet, creamy milk chocolate and and elegant white chocolate.
Delicious Truffle Recipes
I did some recipe snooping and found many different ingredients to incorporate into the truffle recipes and many different ways to make these rich, little delectable orbs. One major consideration, when working with chocolate is making sure you don’t introduce liquid at the wrong time or in the wrong way, as the chocolate will “seize” and your whole batch will be ‘toast’, as it were. I wanted to make a variety of flavors and textures, but still maintain the elegance “Truffles” represent. Also, because of their rich texture, keeping them small and packing them into lovely containers is part of a beautiful presentation.
I found some adorable little turquoise boxes and used paper shavings at the local craft store to line each box. My shopping list included whipping cream, cream cheese, butter and a variety of nuts and raisins, seedless raspberry jam, chocolate sprinkles and maple extract. Mini-cupcake liners made perfect individual wrappers for the candy pieces.
My Sephra chocolate shopping list included a Sephra Chocolate Melts Variety Pack and some Sephra Premium Dark chocolate.
Truffle Recipes Made Simple
– Melting the chocolate, whether on top of the stove or in the micro takes low, slow heat. Patience is the key to this step.
– Then introduce the cream or butter, flavoring and let cool.
– Roll into small bite size pieces and finish with the appropriate garnish… sprinkles, chopped nuts or dipped, yet again, in a finishing coat of more chocolate.
All in all, when I was done, I made many dozen pieces of candy and gifted the girls in my life on Mother’s Day, as well as a couple of neighbors, with beautiful, delicious treats. Spoil someone you love, soon. It doesn’t have to be Mother’s Day or Valentine’ Day—it can be next Tuesday. Say “I love you” or “I really appreciate you” to a awesome friend, a neighbor or your daughter soon.
Truffle Recipes
Here are the recipes: (gathered online from Taste of Home magazine)
Maple Nut Truffles
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups Sephra Dark chocolate chips
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon maple flavoring
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
1. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips. Set aside to cool.
2. In another bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add melted chocolate and maple flavoring; beat until well blended.
3. Chill for 15 minutes or until firm enough to handle.
4. Shape into 1-in. balls; roll in walnuts. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.
Raspberry Truffles
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1-1/3 cups Sephra Dark chocolate chips
- 7-1/2 teaspoons seedless raspberry jam
- 6 ounces Sephra White Chocolate Melts or Sephra Dark Chocolate Melts, coarsely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons shortening
Directions
1. In a small heavy saucepan, combine butter, cream and chocolate chips.
2. Cook over low heat for 4-5 minutes or until chocolate is melted.
3. Remove from the heat; stir in jam until combined.
4. Transfer to a small freezer container; cover and freeze until mixture thickens and can be scooped.
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes. Roll into balls; freeze until very firm.
6. Place a wire rack over a large sheet of waxed paper.
7. In a microwave, melt candy coating and shortening; stir until smooth.
8. Cool slightly; spoon over balls. Place on the prepared wire rack.
9. Let stand for 15 minutes or until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: 4 dozen.
Basic Truffles
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Sephra Dark Chocolate Melts
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- Grated rind of one orange
Preparation
1. Melt chocolate and slowly add in cream and rind.
2. Chill mixture until firm.
3. Scoop and roll into chocolate ‘jimmies’, toffee chips, cocoa, coconut … whatever you like.
Chocolate Covered Raisins
- 1 cup raisins stirred into
- 1 cup melted Sephra Milk Chocolate Melts.
Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper. Let cool. (So easy and looks like you worked all day)
Thanks for joining me on my candy making journey. It was fun, rewarding and I just received an appreciative call from my neighbor telling me the Sephra Dark Chocolate was the best she’s ever had. We hear that a lot at Sephra and it’s TRUE!
‘Til next time,
Shirl
