Look for our dairy-free Passion Fruit-Chipotle Chocolate truffles in the October issue of Plate Magazine written by Rob Benes.
Countdown to Valentine’s Day, Monday, February 14th.
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to “Show the love” with chocolate truffles with Passion fruit and Chipotle that just happen to be dairy-free.
Whether you are making chocolate truffles for your loved one and presenting them in a decorative gift box or wrapping them individually in cellophane to hand out at the office (maybe get the attention of someone special), they are enticing and worthy of the admiration you’ll receive. Place a box of these by the bed with a copy of “Like Water for Chocolate” and you’ll be remembered forever.
This truffle is perfect in it’s creaminess combined with the floral notes of passion fruit and the tang from the hint of Chipotle. And it’s just perfect for your waistline in that it doesn’t call for added sugar, butter or cream so it can satisfy the palates and the needs of many different people. Make them over the weekend and you’ll be ready on Valentine’s day.
My recipe for Chocolate Truffles with Passion Fruit and Chipotle in Plate magazine’s October issue.
For more on the subject of chocolate, check out our new Seasoned Fork book review section for a review of Maricel Presilla’s The New Taste of Chocolate by Seasoned Fork contributor, Natalia de Cuba.
Ingredients
1 small Chipotle pepper soaked overnight (one is enough to equal a teaspoon)
4 egg yolks
1 cup of chopped high quality dark chocolate
1/8 cup of Mexican chocolate (available in most Latin grocery stores)
1 teaspoon of Passion fruit syrup (available in most Asian Markets)
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
Cinnamon powder for presentation
1. Once hydrated, finely mince and mash with fork one teaspoon of Chipotle pepper (include some seeds) and set aside. Reserve the liquid
2. Separate 4 small eggs and mix the yolks before putting in refrigerator or skin will form that will never emulsify.
3. Melt the one cup of dark chocolate together with the Mexican chocolate over a double boiler until smooth and shiny.
4. Stir in Passion fruit syrup into the chocolate
5. Add the teaspoon of the minced Chipotle pepper along with a teaspoon of the liquid and remove from heat.
6. While still hot, pour the chocolate into the beaten egg yolk in 3 to 4 parts to temper and not scramble your egg yolk. Mixture will thicken right away so stir with your wooden spoon quickly (as if you were mixing a pate a choux — you need to work it like a dough). Roll into a ball
7. Refrigerate mixture for one hour so as to harden for shaping.
8. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
9. Fill a 9 inch plate with powdered cocoa for rolling
10. Use small teaspoon to shape 1 inch balls and roll in cocoa. Place on cookie sheet.
Makes approximately 15-1 inch truffles.
Prior to serving, dust a small plate with ground Cinnamon and place truffles on top. Garnish with a tropical fruit like Star Fruit or pineapple.
