Kara and Marni Powers are twin sisters cooking, dining, and blogging their way through Boston and beyond. Five years ago, they started Twin Tastes, a fabulous food and entertaining blog. The twin sisters see the act of cooking and entertaining as a form of creative expression, an art that encourages the mixing of flavors, spices, techniques, and stories.
Their interest in cooking dates back to their Greek grandmother’s open-arms approach, letting them taste her delicious creations like her famous spanakopita. This fascination with food and culture continued during their travels abroad in Europe where they experienced firsthand the limitlessness of cooking. Kara and Marni’s collaboration flourished in their shared, tiny North End Boston kitchen and continues in their respective locations today. They are excited to share their favorite recipe for chocolate truffles with the Peachy community.
Chocolate Truffles with Chili Salt
20
servings (one truffle each)The classic truffle is a delightfully chocolatey pop and a simple, gourmet treat for Valentine’s Day. For the chocolate lover, the bite is the ultimate concentration of rich and creamy goodness. A sprinkle of spicy sea salt takes truffles up to another level. If you have leftover chili salt, it adds a wonderful punch to a Margarita glass rim!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons flaky sea salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- In a small bowl, combine the sea salt and chili powder and set aside.
- Pour 8 ounces of the semi-sweet chocolate chips into a heat proof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream and butter on medium heat. When the liquid starts to boil slightly, remove from the heat and pour it over the bowl of chocolate. Let stand for a minute. With a spatula, stir the chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Let cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Remove the ganache mixture from the refrigerator and with a melon baller (or tablespoon), spoon out balls. With your hands, roll the chocolate into perfect round shapes and place them on a lined baking sheet. After you have formed all of the ganache into spheres, return them back to the refrigerator. While the truffles chill, microwave the extra 4 ounces of chocolate in 20 second intervals. After 20 seconds, stir the chocolate and place the bowl back into the microwave. Repeat this process three times.
- Remove the chocolate balls from the refrigerator. With two forks, place the truffles into the melted chocolate. Cover the spheres with the melted chocolate evenly, tapping off the excess with the forks, and place back onto the lined baking sheet. Sprinkle each truffle with a pinch of the reserved chili sea salt blend. Return the truffles back into the refrigerator to completely harden.
