The other afternoon, Eugene came home from work to find me measuring things into a bowl. "Oh good," he said as he stopped to give me a kiss. "I'm just so hungry." Then, upon taking a closer look at the contents of my bowl, he stopped.
"Chocolate?! This isn't dinner food!"
"No," I admitted. "This is dessert, but there's a meatloaf in the oven."
There were no complaints later when, after the meatloaf, Eugene helped himself to several spoonfuls of the truffle ganache as I molded the rest into little treats. I tucked the results into an air-tight container and popped them in the fridge for future snacking.
Made with creamy peanut butter and good bittersweet chocolate, these taste a bit like grown-up Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I added a bit of coconut oil and rolled them around in (unsweetened) desiccated coconut to add another interesting layer of flavor, though you could certainly use regular butter and roll them around in chopped salted peanuts instead, or in confectioner’s sugar or cocoa (or a mix of all of these!)
If you're looking for an interesting hostess or Christmas gift, consider pairing these with my espresso cocoa truffles and presenting in a pretty gift box or cellophane bag tied with ribbon.
Peanut Butter Coconut Truffles
Makes about 2 dozen truffles
Ingredients:
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (you can also use chips)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded desiccated coconut
Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and coconut oil in a large bowl and stir to distribute ingredients (it will be lumpy; that's OK). Set aside
In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream, salt, and vanilla. Set over low heat and bring just to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and pour hot cream over the chocolate and peanut butter mixture.
Use a whisk or fork to stir the mixture together, allowing the chocolate and peanut butter to melt in the cream. Once it's almost completely melted, use a whisking motion to emulsify the melted chocolate and cream mixture together into a thick, creamy, and even mixture (called a "ganache").
Let ganache cool in the bowl on a counter at room temperature for at least 5 hours, or overnight.
When the ganache is firm to the touch, use a small cookie scoop or spoon to scoop out rounded tablespoon size balls. Roll in your hand quickly to shape and then drop into the desiccated coconut and roll around until completely coated. Set aside on a parchment lined tray and repeat with the rest of the ganache. Let chill for at least one hour before serving. These can be served chilled or at room temperature and can be left at room temperature for several hours if necessary.
Can be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks. Can also be frozen for up to a few months (be sure to seal properly in a freezer-proof container or they will absorb freezer smells) and eaten frozen or thawed to room temp. (As you can see, these are incredibly versatile!)
Also make a great holiday gift!
