I had a conversation about tempering chocolate the other day.
Actually, the conversation was partly about how I am doing it wrong – this is my own declaration. I do not use a double boiler, I do not use glass bowls over water, I definitely do not use a microwave (okay, so I am not doing it completely wrong…)
If you have read any of my previous truffle recipes, you may already know this – all I do is chop chocolate, then melt it in a pan at the absolutely lowest setting my gas stove allows, stirring constantly and rapidly with a spatula. That’s it.
Works every time, and whether dipping truffles or painting chocolate into molds for filled truffles, it hardens into the shiny coating you find sparkling back at you from the chocolate counter at the candy store.
These truffles have a rich melty center with the perfect hint of mint. I am making them for my valentine, and for a few well deserving friends…
Today I am not only sharing with you my absolute favorite truffle recipe ever, but I have a giveaway as well – with four winners!
dark chocolate mint truffles
dairy, soy, and gluten free, vegan
makes 12 large truffles, 21-22 regular size
8 ounces dark chocolate, divided
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (canned)*
8-10 drops (1 dropper full) Peppermint NuStevia
*Without shaking, open can of coconut milk, spoon out 1/2 cup of the thick portion at top of can for this recipe.
Chop 4 ounces chocolate.
In saucepan, bring coconut milk to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the chopped chocolate, whisk until smooth. Add peppermint flavoring, stir to combine. Cover and transfer to refrigerator to thicken (1 hour).
Chop remaining 4 ounces chocolate, and melt over lowest heat possible, stirring constantly and rapidly. Spoon a small amount into each mold, and using a small paintbrush, coat the mold completely. Place in refrigerator for 5 minutes or until chocolate has set. Remove from fridge, repeat – brushing another layer of chocolate to coat, making a thick layer of chocolate ‘shell’. Cool in refrigerator until set.
Fill each mold with mint chocolate filling, leaving room at the top to seal with more chocolate. Reheat remaining chocolate and fill each mold, covering the filling completely. Tap molds on counter to remove any bubbles, return to refrigerator to set. See step by step photos of this process here.
I love the new peppermint and chocolate flavors from Nu Naturals – and have been loving the lemon and orange flavors for a while. The chocolate? Incredible. When you combine the chocolate and the mint? Wow. Or the chocolate and orange? Yes yes yes. If you win this giveaway, please promise to try that.
Today’s giveaway is for one of each of the latest Nu Naturals flavors: Mint, Chocolate, Lemon and Orange – four winners will be randomly picked.
Six ways to enter, please leave a comment for each:
1) What is your favorite way to cook with peppermint?
2) follow NuNaturals on twitter
3) follow spabettie on twitter and tweet this:
win a one of four prizes – NuNaturals Mint, Chocolate, Orange, Lemon – giveaway from @spabettie –> http://spabettie.com/?p=11209
4) like NuNaturals on facebook
5) like spabettie on facebook
6) Pin this post.
Enter through midnight Monday. Winner announced Tuesday.
dark chocolate mint truffles – spabettie Vegan Valentines.
{ 64 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice work on your first tempering job – that’s NOT easy.
This is your favorte? Now the wasabi?! I’m just going to have to try them all…
I’m loving the peppermint too! I’ve been using to make a “peppermint mocha chia latte” just about every morning
Peppermint and chocolate definitely tops my list of flavor combinations!
I like NuNaturals on Facebook!
I am doing a write-in on the giveaway – that you send THESE to the winner cough, cough, or just me
YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
heeee!
Genius idea with the full-fat part of coconut milk, wow! I used to make chocolate with my mom when I was a kid, so this post really brings back those memories. Haven’t done that in ages!
These are gorgeous! And I love that there’s a hint of mint in them. I need to use the old chocolate molds that I have and get creative! But, first, can you send me some of these?
1. Peppermint and chocolate in ANYTHING… ice cream, oatmeal, cookies, brownies, fudge, chocolate bars… I used to have some peppermint extract, but I lost it in the move
My favorite is probably making chocolate bars with cocoa and coconut oil with some peppermint and breaking that into chunks to use in brownies and ice cream. Not overpoweringly minty, but a fresh burst here and there.
And of course:
5. Liked on FB. Shoulda done that a while ago anyways
Those are gorgeous looking. Who wouldn’t want to get those? Great idea for using the peppermint stevia. I have some and haven’t figured out what to do with it yet. I was thinking cupcakes perhaps.
I follow them on Twitter
I follow you on twitter
I tweeted
I follow you on FB too
I’ve been a huge fan of the singing dog vanilla stevia from Nunaturals for 6 mos. now – great in my coconut Thai tea. I had no idea they had so many other flavors! I love brownies with that creamy mint frosting on top – will be trying this in that recipe first! Your chocolates look just as beautiful as the ones from a professional chocolate shop near me!
` My favorite pairing is probably, this time of year anyway, CHOCOLATE!! And these truffles are a way to pair them I HAVEN’T used before, so this might be a new FAVORITE!
I follow Nunaturals on twitter
I follow you on twitter
I’m now following NuNaturals on Twitter!
I liked Nunaturals on FB
I liked you on FB
I pinned your post
And I ALREADY like you on Facebook!
Doesn’t dark chocolate have milk in it? I haven’t been able to find any that doesn’t.
hi Tia,
much of the dark chocolate I find does not contain milk. my favorites, in bar form, are:
Endangered Species Organic Dark,
Lake Champlain,
Theo Dark Chocolate (several varieties)
in baking squares or pieces, the Bakers chocolate in bittersweet or semi sweet (found in most grocer baking aisles) do not contain milk.
These look great! I love love peppermint and chocolate! I think you should try making your own version of chocolate mint thins
I am now following you on FB
I am now following NuNaturals on FB
I pinned the post!
Chocolate and mint is one of my favorite flavor combinations – I usually make mint chocolate chip cookies using chocolate chips that I’ve covered in peppermint extract. I used to make these for my college students at the end of every semester and they couldn’t get it enough! Everyone loves vegan cookies, it seems!
I am now following you on FB!
followed nunaturals on twitter
followed spabettie on twitter!
liked nunaturals on facebook!
liked spabettie on facebook
i LOVE putting peppermint in my hot drinks like tea or lattes or chocolate milk
I have been hearing such awesome things about this stevia company! I have been super addicted to homemade peppermint patties made with coconut oil and honey and I imagine a few drops in some green tea would be delicious.
Following NuNaturals on twitter
Following you/posted on twitter
Liked NuNaturals on facebook
I’ve been melting chocolate wrong too. It goes in the pan, on low it and I stir it frequently…works like a charm. Plus, I don’t own a double boiler.
ha! happy to know it works for you, too!
Peppermint, blueberries, and chocolate is one of my favorite combos! I’m always trying to find some way of mixing those three flavors :p
I like nunaturals on facebook!
and I liked spabettie as well!
I like to make peppermint chocolate cake.
I follow NuNaturals on Twitter
I follow you on Twitter
I like NuNaturals on FB
I like you on FB
How I love mint chocolate truffles! And there’s a new NuNaturals in town–?!!! Yay!! Can’t wait to try it!
it’s a GOOD one Ricki!
I enjoy adding peppermint flavoring to chocolate ganache and drizzling it over flourless chocolate cake.
Your truffles look great. I can’t believe you didn’t temper the chocolate. Each heart is so shiny. I’ll have to try your method.
hi Beth – *sigh* now you have me craving a minted ganache chocolate cake… Mmm. and yes – I find if I keep the temp low, and still stir the heck out of the melted chocolate, it works just as well as the traditional method?
What beautiful truffles and the inside looks marvelous! I am going to try this! And I temper my chocolate just the same as you do!
thank you! (and yay – I have heard from a few people now, saying they temper chocolate the same way!)
wow! these look divine, thank you for sharing. peppermint and dark chocolate is my favorite taste combo!
I make a mint brownie dessert at Christmas with peppermint.
I’m obviously not entering the giveaway, but I had to comment anyway, because as soon as I saw the title of the post and the first picture, I was sent back to the truffle class I took in Austin where I did learn how to “really” temper chocolate, and swore I was never going to go through it again. Then I started reading and felt bonded to you…except that I do, in fact, do it completely wrong–hello microwave.
But then again, I’ve never made truffles so beautiful.
Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that I did indeed make these, but for our wedding anniversary (28th Feb). My husband made moaning appreciative sounds as he bit into the truffles.
There was more than a little bit of truffle filling leftover. So I used it as the filling in some of my homemade Easter eggs. Yep, that was a winner too.
Thank you. This truffle recipe has now been bumped to 1st place on my list. xx
thank you Nina!! I love hearing reports back like this – so happy you both liked them and that they were for such a special occasion! cheers! Kristina
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