Espresso Truffle Cups Recipes

Steps:

• Chop the chocolate and put in a heatproof bowl. Bring the heavy cream, butter and salt to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat; pour over the chocolate and let sit until completely melted, about 10 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula or whisk until smooth. (If necessary, microwave in 20-second intervals until the chocolate melts.)
• Whisk in the vanilla extract, then the espresso. Stir until the ganache is smooth and shiny. Pour into a shallow baking dish and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Roll tablespoonfuls of the ganache into 18 to 24 balls, then roll in crushed toffee bars. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. (To make these in advance, roll into balls but do not coat; cover and freeze up to 2 weeks. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before uncovering, then roll in coating.)

Steps:

• In a saucepan slowly bring the cream to the boil. Turn off the heat and add the coffee and chocolate. Stir with a whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and the chocolate has melted. The liquid should have become slightly lighter and shinier at this stage. Pour into a jug and leave to cool for about 2 hours or until it has come down to room temperature. See Cook's note*.
• Beat the mixture with an electric whisk for about 1 minute or until it changes color.
• Line a square plastic container with baking paper and pour the chocolate mixture into it. Leave to set in the refrigerator for 2 hours. You can test this by pressing the top with your fingers. Run a spatula around the edges and lift the chocolate on the baking paper out of the dish and swiftly cut it lengthways into even strips of about 2/3-inch. Then cut these into cubes. Put cocoa powder into a flat dish and roll the cubes in it, making sure that they are well coated. The truffles can be kept for about 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Place the chocolate in a 2-quart mixing bowl. In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. Remove from the heat, take 1 tablespoon of hot cream and dissolve the espresso powder in it, then blend it back into the rest of the cream. Pour the hot cream into the bowl with the chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 1 minute, then stir together with a rubber spatula, whisk, or immersion blender until thoroughly blended. Cover the mixture, let cool to room temperature, and chill in the refrigerator until thick but not stiff (2 to 3 hours).
• Fit a 12-inch pastry bag with a large, plain round pastry tip with a 1/2-inch opening and fill partway with the ganache mixture. Pipe the mixture into 1-inch foil candy cups up to the top edge. Place a mocha bean on top of each cup. Chill the truffle cups in the refrigerator until they are set (1 hour).
• In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the truffle cups will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. The truffle cups are best served at room temperature.
• Hazelnut Ganache Truffle Cups: Omit the espresso powder. After stirring together the chocolate and whipping cream, stir in 2/3 cup toasted, skinned, finely ground hazelnuts. Rather than placing a mocha bean on top of each truffle cup, place a toasted, skinned, whole hazelnut, pointed end up on top.
• White Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache Truffle Cups: Follow the instructions for Hazelnut Ganache Truffle Cups above, and additionally substitute 10 ounces white chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate.
• Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache Truffle Cups: Follow the instructions for Hazelnut Ganache Truffle Cups above, and additionally substitute 9 ounces milk chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate.