Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
Chocolate Raspberry Truffles – a sweet harmony of chocolate and raspberry, and easy to make with chocolate, butter, and raspberry jam! A splash of raspberry liqueur and a dusting of sugar and freeze-dried raspberries elevate this elegant dessert.
Chocolate Raspberry Truffles are simple, sweet, and pure decadence. A sweet harmony of chocolate and raspberry, these truffles are easy to make in advance with pantry ingredients, so you always have a delicious treat whenever the mood strikes!
Note: This post first appeared on September 17, 2010, titled Sweet Harmony. The recipe has been updated from the archives with updated content and photographs and improved kitchen notes and recipe annotation. I hope you enjoy this favorite from my kitchen.
Here’s a little secret.
I used to sing. A long time ago. A really, really long time ago.
These days, I rock out to Radio Disney to amuse or embarrass my kids (more often the latter), but there was a time when I sang in earnest. I never had any wild aspirations, but from the age of eight till my days in graduate school, I was always committed to singing in some organized form or fashion. Way before Glee was considered hip, I loved performing on a stage, whether it was choruses, musicals, or repertory companies. In college, I found myself auditioning for an acapella group without even knowing what an acapella group did. As dorky as it may sound to some of you, back then, it was cool. Like many colleges on the East Coast, acapella groups at my school had a weird cult-like campus following, and I had such an amazing time and made some wonderful friends. I keep in touch with many of them and have found a fraternal camaraderie that lasts long after graduation.
When I moved to Chicago for grad school, I knew two people in town — alumni of my acapella group. One of them I knew well, but the other I knew just by name — Marsha — since she had graduated several years before me. But she welcomed me to Chicago with open arms and even an apartment guest room. During one of my early visits to her place, as I was getting myself settled, I discovered that Marsha was a true food lover and a whiz in the kitchen. She opened her freezer and offered me a chocolate truffle, and I remember looking at her incredulously when she told me she made it herself.
They were Chocolate Raspberry Truffles, and it was love at first bite. When I took that first nibble, a candied chorus sang a sweet harmony of chocolate and raspberry notes, and I immediately asked where she got the recipe. Imagine my dismay when she showed me the cookbook, only to learn it was no longer in print! But I knew I needed this cookbook. It became a mission to find a copy, and I managed to find one.
This is the perfect dessert. You can make it in advance, store it for a long time, and it can be dressed up or dressed down with ease. It’s just as well suited to a casual lunch dessert with friends as it is after a romantic evening for two. Or you can eat it all by yourself. Whatever the occasion, they won’t last long. You may even find yourself singing arias about them.
How to Make Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
The beauty of chocolate raspberry truffles is they can be made with ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry: butter, chocolate chips, raspberry jam, and sugar. The only additional ingredients that will elevate and enhance the raspberry flavor are framboise (raspberry liqueur) and dehydrated raspberries.
Melt butter and chocolate in the bowl of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a shallow pan of simmering water. Stir well until fully melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the jam and liqueur until fully incorporated. Pour the chocolate into a shallow pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until very firm. Working with completely firm chocolate is critical, so be patient. The first time I attempted this recipe, I made it on a hot summer day in a non-air-conditioned apartment. Big mistake! The chocolate is much harder to handle when it is melting!
When the chocolate is firm, use a teaspoon or small ice cream scoop to scoop 1-inch pieces, shaping them into balls with your hands. Drop the chocolate pieces into a mixture of sugar and fine dehydrated raspberries, coating well. Return the truffles to the refrigerator to chill for up to 30 minutes before serving.
You may store them for up to two weeks, covered, in the refrigerator or up to 4 months in the freezer. Defrost frozen truffles in the refrigerator before serving. I like to refresh the coat of sugar before plating, as well.
Note: This post first appeared on September 17, 2010, titled Sweet Harmony. The recipe has been updated from the archives with updated content and photographs and improved kitchen notes and recipe annotation. I hope you enjoy this favorite from my kitchen.
Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam or preserves
- 3 tablespoons raspberry liqueur
- 1.2 oz freeze-dried raspberries unsweetened
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Melt butter and chocolate in the bowl of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a shallow pan of simmering water. Stir well until fully melted and smooth.
- While the chocolate is melting, pass the raspberry preserves through a sieve into a small bowl. Discard the seeds.
- Remove the melted chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in the raspberry preserve and liqueur until fully incorporated. Pour the chocolate into a shallow pan (I use an 8 x 12 pan), cover with plastic wrap, and allow to chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or until the chocolate is thoroughly chilled.
- Crush the freeze-dried raspberries into a fine powder using a food processor or mortar and pestle. Pass the raspberry powder through a sieve into a bowl to remove any seeds or large lumps. Stir the sugar into the raspberry powder.
- Use a teaspoon or small ice cream scoop to form 1-inch pieces, shaping them into balls with your hands. Drop the chocolate pieces into the raspberry sugar mixture, coating well on all sides. Return the truffles to the refrigerator for 30 minutes or chill overnight before serving. You may store the truffles for up to two weeks, covered in the fridge, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Notes
Nutrition
Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
From Chocolate, Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
- 3 tablespoons raspberry liqueur or framboise
- 1/3 cup sugar
Melt butter and chocolate in the bowl of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a shallow pan of simmering water. Stir well until fully melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the jam and liqueur until fully incorporated. Pour the chocolate into a shallow pan (a 9×12 inch pan works fine), cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours, until very firm. Working with completely firm chocolate* is critical, so be patient.
When the chocolate is firm, use a teaspoon or small ice cream scoop to create 1-inch pieces, shaping them into balls with your hands. Drop the chocolate pieces into the sugar, coating well. Return the truffles to the refrigerator to chill for up to 30 minutes before serving. You may store them for up to two weeks, covered, in the refrigerator or up to 4 months in the freezer. Allow to defrost before serving. I like to refresh the coat of sugar before plating, as well.
* The first time I attempted this recipe, I made it on a hot summer day in a non-air-conditioned apartment. Big mistake! The chocolate is much harder to handle when it is melting!
Comments
COOKBOOK
Okay, I must be a real sucker for cute marketing b/c I would have bought the framboise just because of the raspberry visual :) Oh dear.
LOL, Chandara, I am quite the sucker for labels and packaging too. There were several to choose from and I picked this because it’s Bay Area based and I adored the label design :)
this looks so pretty:) what could be better when you have chocolate and raspberries… i love it!
These are sheer delight! Chocolate and raspberry…it doesn’t get much better than that!
Oh my do those ever look delicious. Stopped by to say high and vote :)
P.S. Stunning photos…
Why am I not surprised that you used to sing? LOL
I always thought chocolate and raspberries were made for each other, so, of course there truffles would be divine!
Hi Denise! Really, you’re not surprised that I used to sing? Perhaps my personality gave it away :) And yes, chocolate and raspberries were definitely made for each other!
I was a chorus kid myself in high school (shocking, i know).
I’m oogling over these truffles because not only do they look amazing, but I can only imagine that they taste incredible! I mean, how can you go wrong with chocolate and raspberries?!?! Brilliant, just brilliant!
Hi Brian, I’m a little late replying to comments. But you made me chuckle! I’m sure we would have been good chorus buds if we went to the same H.S. :)
These look delicious! Dark chocolate raspberry candies are my favorite at Christmas time. I’d feel ridiculously indulgent making these before the holidays begin. Totally worth it :)
How gorgeous!
These look amazing. And such beautiful photos!
Chocolate with raspberry, what could be better. They look so good, and easy to make. I, too think that they would make wonderful holiday gifts, packaged in an exquisite container.
Such a beautiful memory Liren! I used to sing years ago as well and when The Professor and I got married, we sang together for a while, but it’s been a long while now. And the truffles look divine!
Aw, did you really sing with the Professor? How precious! You should keep it up and sing together again!
i was scared to make truffles before because they taste so good and delicate i had this notion they’re hard to make :D i wanna make these at home. any particular brand of chocolate chips to use? thanks!
Hi Jan! The mystery and intrigue goes away once you try this recipe – truffles are beautifully simple to make! Any good chocolate brand will work well. I have had good luck with Guittard and Ghirardelli. And of course, higher end chocolates will make it even more decadent.
lovely combination truffles
Wouldn’t these make great holiday gifts? Thanks for the recipe!
And I loved reading about your singing days. It’s so much fun to listen to a good a cappella group.
Oh, yes, these truffles would make good holiday gifts. I did do that one year, and they survived mailing!
What a lovely looking truffle! I love the combination of chocolate and raspberry, I bet these are so delicious:)
Oh my, it’s so cool what we discover about each other through our blogs… you can sing!! :-) Lovely truffles. Lovely post! Would there be singing in your dinner party? :-)
Hi Jun! Just getting to reply on these comments…I’m laughing because I should have made my dinner party really Pinoy with some karaoke, LOL.
It’s finally getting cool in here for me to make truffles, thanks for the reminder. I love making truffles, so easy yet gives great results!
These look so yummy. I love how simple the ingredient list is and how straightforward the recipe is!
Hi Kelsey! Yes, such simple ingredients make such a decadent treat!
What a talent to be able to carry a tune…I make dogs howl. These raspberry truffles and magical. One thing I learned years ago about being a parent…we often do embarass them…
LOL, Norma, I’m sure you do not make dogs howl when you sing!
I love chocolate truffles, but I’ve never made them myself. I think that chocolate should always be paired with berries though, and you seem to have met that requirement quite well! Thanks for sharing your own experience with truffles and a wonderful recipe to try on our own!
Hi Monet! I remember the first time I tried making truffles – it was amazing how simple it is! You will love making them :)
They look like a beautiful sweet treat!
Wow, Chocolate Raspberry Truffles. You know you had me at chocolate, then you said raspberry and now I want these for breakfast. Beautiful pictures as always.
Mmm, truffles for breakfast? That would be hard to resist!