Truffles of Limoncello Perfect for Gifting and Enjoying
Today, I’m bringing you the Limoncello truffles recipe I used to make the treats I sent my Mum this weekend – or Mom as I call her… she loves it, really.
If you haven’t already guessed, I’m quite fond of creating truffles. They are easy to throw together if you follow a few simple rules, and the flavor combinations are endless. Plus, they taste like creamy chocolatey perfection, and people seem to love that. Win-win.
Recipe for limoncello truffles with a soft and creamy center.
Today’s truffles are white chocolate and limoncello, which I think you’ll agree sounds heavenly. They aren’t overly lemony – you won’t screw your face up with zestiness. Instead, they are a subtle and sweet lemon flavour, with a bit of a boozy aftertaste thrown in. Perfect for my Mum, who has been known to have a hint of booze about her on occasion.
Creating Soft and Creamy Chocolate Truffles
I adapted these truffles from my Champagne Truffle recipe, but increased the chocolate to cream ratio. This is due to white chocolate being way more melty than dark chocolate, so I felt like the ganache would need more chocolate to keep it together. The center of these truffles is still super soft and creamy – they almost melt in your mouth.
How to overcome fear when it comes to making the limoncello truffles recipe
If you are scared of truffle-making, then don’t be. Seriously. I’m scared of a lot of things (spiders, flying, death, hot air balloons) but even I don’t fear the simple chocolate truffle. If you follow my guidance, I’m pretty much convinced you can’t go wrong.
White chocolate truffles with limoncello recipe
You need to use some delicious white chocolate. I’m not going to say ‘good quality’, as I have discovered plenty of amazing tasting bars of chocolate that were a fifth the price of a bar of Lindt. Really. Don’t be scared to try own-brand bars – you might just find a gem out there. All that matters is that the chocolate tastes great because it is by far the main ingredient in these limoncello truffles.
When melting the chocolate, you will need to make extra special care not to burn it. White chocolate burns a lot more easily than its darker cousins, due to its higher fat content, so if using a microwave make sure you stir at least every 30 seconds.
Perfect ganache recipe for limoncello truffles
The main trick with a Limoncello truffles recipe is the process of getting the melted chocolate and the cream to mix together, without a gloopy, slimy mess forming. And using white chocolate makes it harder, due to that pesky higher fat content. But it’s okay – just make sure you mix the warmed cream and the melted chocolate together very slowly.
Tips for Fixing Seized Mixtures
If your mixture does seize up, or become a gloopy hideous mess, then make sure you have an electric mixer on hand. If you beat it on high for a minute or so, and throw in some butter, 9 times out of 10 you will end up with the smooth ganache you dreamt of.
The ganache will seem really thick, but once you’ve added 50ml of limoncello and blitzed it with the mixer, you will end up with something resembling the truffle ganache we know and love. Add some freshly grated lemon zest for a little extra flavour, and you are ready.
The Ultimate Limoncello Truffles Recipe
I coated the truffles I sent my Mum in melted white chocolate. On reflection, I think this was a mistake – they were just too sweet. So for the limoncello truffles recipe today, I’ve used dark chocolate. Very dark chocolate, in fact – Green & Blacks 85% dark. The bitterness of the dark chocolate helps to cut through the sweetness of the lemon ganache inside and takes the truffles from sickly sweet to perfection in one dip.
Limoncello Truffles Recipe
Equipment
- 2 Saucepan
- 1 Electric mixer
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spoon
Ingredients
- 300 gr White chocolate
- 75 ml Double cream
- 50 gr Unsalted butter
- 50 ml Limoncello
- 1 tbsp Grated zest Limoncello
- 100 gr Dark chocolate, melted (I used Green & Blacks 85%)
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate, either in a microwave or over a saucepan of boiling water. If using a microwave, make sure to stir every 30 seconds to avoid burning the chocolate. Set aside.
- Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. When it’s nearly at a boil, take it off the heat and add it to the melted chocolate.
- Very gently, stir the cream and chocolate together. Do not rush this, or the mixture will split, and look oily. If this does happen, add the butter immediately and use an electric whisk to beat the mixture until the butter has melted, and the mixture looks smooth and silky. If the mixture remains combined, introduce the butter into the bowl, stirring with a spoon until it is fully melted.
- Incorporate the limoncello and grated lemon zest, ensuring everything is thoroughly combined. Cover the bowl with cling-film, and put in the fridge to set for a few hours, or overnight.
- Once completely set, remove from the fridge. Shape the mixture into small spheres and dip them into melted dark chocolate. After they have hardened, use a spoon to drizzle the remaining dark chocolate on top.
