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I love chocolate candy, especially Dove dark chocolate and chocolate truffles. Last year I made my own truffles for the first time and was amazed at how easy they were to prepare. And so delicious! These Chocolate Irish Cream Truffles are right up there on my favorites list, perfect for a Saint Patrick’s Day celebration!
When making your own chocolate truffles, I suggest using a high quality chocolate. After all, you’re making these for the love of chocolate, right? So, don’t skimp on the main ingredient. Even using a more expensive chocolate, you’re still saving lots of money compared to buying store-bought truffles.
Now my view of quality chocolate may be different than yours. When making chocolate truffles, I like to use Belgian Dark Chocolate that I buy at Aldi. I love it, especially when making candy. It’s also quite wonderful in coffee when making hot mochas. In fact, I’m enjoying one of those as I write this post. But we’ll save that for another time. Now, let’s get back to truffles!
For this recipe, you’ll want to select a dark or bittersweet chocolate with 60% – 70% cacao. Another option I recently discovered is a wonderful bittersweet chocolate by Guittard. However, Ghirardelli, Lindt, or Godiva are also good choices.
Browse More Chocolate Recipes
- Belgian Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
- Chocolate Caramel Pecan Clusters
- French Chocolat Chaud
- Chocolate Nut Clusters
Ingredients for Chocolate Irish Cream Truffles
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- dark or bittersweet chocolate (between 60% – 70% cacao)
- heavy whipping cream
- Irish Cream (Carolans or Bailey’s)
- butter
- chocolate melting wafers
- Fleur de Sel – sea salt
Instructions for this Recipe
Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
Place the Belgian dark chocolate pieces in a medium glass bowl.
In a small saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream and Irish Cream over low heat until the cream starts to boil. You’ll see bubbles at the edge of the pan when this happens. Remove from heat.
Add the softened butter to the heated cream and stir to combine.
Pour cream over the chocolate pieces. Allow to set for 5 minutes. Stir to combine. If needed, place bowl in microwave and heat for 15 second increments until chocolate has completely melted, stirring between each heating. The chocolate should be smooth and silky.
Place uncovered in refrigerator for 60-90 minutes until firm and scoopable.
FORM THE TRUFFLES
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Using a mini cookie scoop (mine is equal to 2/3 tablespoon), begin scooping the chocolate mixture into balls. Place on waxed paper.
If you don’t have a scoop, you may use a spoon and roll with your hands, although this can be quite messy.
Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes before coating.
COAT THE TRUFFLES
To coat the truffles, use a 10 oz. package of dark chocolate melting wafers.
Another option is to use chocolate chips or even chocolate chips with white almond bark. But I’ve become a fan of these melting wafers for how well they work and hold up for candy making. You may purchase melting wafers at Walmart and at Aldi.
Follow package directions for melting the chocolate wafers by heating in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until completely melted and smooth. Stir between each heating.
Using two forks, dip the truffles into the melted chocolate. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
Repeat with 3-4 more truffles. At this point, lightly sprinkle with Fleur de sel finishing sea salt before the chocolate has fully set.
I love adding a dash of Fleur de sel finishing sea salt on the freshly coated chocolate. I recently found Le Saunier de Camargue that comes in a little cardboard box with a cork lid. It’s expensive, but also delightful and worth the extra money, if you can manage it. I first discovered it when making Chocolat Chaud (French hot chocolate) and used it as a finishing garnish to the drink. The little salt crystals slowly melt in your mouth and provide just a bit of crunch. They are perfect for chocolate candies, too.
Allow the candies to set for at least 10-12 hours before serving. Once the truffles have hardened, you may place them in candy liners, if desired, and then inside a tightly-lidded container. Tin containers work well for this, too.
Store Chocolate Irish Cream Truffles in an airtight container for up to 30 days in a cool, dry place. You may also freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow the truffles to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
It is not recommended to store chocolate truffles in the refrigerator as this may dry out the chocolates faster than at room temperature. If you need to store the chocolates for a long time, opt to freeze them in a tightly wrapped and sealed container.
This recipe will make 26-28 truffles. Package for gift-giving or serve at your next tea party or wine tasting. The addition of Irish Cream in this recipe makes these truffles perfect for a Saint Patrick’s Day celebration.
Wine Pairing Suggestions – Try serving these truffles with a dry Riesling or Moscato, or a light pinot noir or merlot. Or how about coffee with Irish Cream, or Irish Cream over ice?
See More Candy Recipes Here. Browse Saint Patrick’s Day Menu Ideas Here. View Chocolate Recipes Here.
Chocolate Irish Cream Truffles
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups dark or bittersweet chocolate (between 60% - 70% cacao)
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup Irish Cream (Carolans or Bailey's)
- 2 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
- 10 oz chocolate melting wafers
- 1 tablespoon Fleur de Sel – sea salt
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Make the Chocolate Candy
- Place the Belgian dark chocolate pieces in a medium glass bowl.
- In a small saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream and Irish Cream over low heat until the cream starts to boil. You’ll see bubbles at the edge of the pan when this happens. Remove from heat.
- Add the softened butter to the heated cream and stir to combine.
- Pour cream over the chocolate pieces. Allow to set for 5 minutes. Stir to combine. If needed, place bowl in microwave and heat for 15 second increments until chocolate has completely melted, stirring between each heating. The chocolate should be smooth and silky.
- Place uncovered in refrigerator for 60-90 minutes until firm and scoopable.
Form the Truffles
- Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Using a mini cookie scoop (mine is equal to 2/3 tablespoon), begin scooping the chocolate mixture into balls. Place on waxed paper.
- If you don’t have a scoop, you may use a spoon and roll with your hands, although this can be quite messy.
- Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes before coating.
Coat the Truffles
- To coat the truffles, use a 10 oz. package of dark chocolate melting wafers.
- Follow package directions for melting the chocolate wafers by heating in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until completely melted and smooth. Stir between each heating.
- Using two forks, dip the truffles into the melted chocolate. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
- Repeat with 3-4 more truffles. At this point, lightly sprinkle with Fleur de sel finishing sea salt. (You want to sprinkled with sea salt before the chocolate has fully set.)
- Allow the candies to set at room temperature for at least 10-12 hours before serving. Once the truffles have hardened, you may place them in candy liners, if desired, and then inside a tightly-lidded container. Tin containers work well for this.
- Store Belgian Chocolate Raspberry Truffles in an airtight container for up to 30 days in a cool, dry place. You may also freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow the truffles to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- It is not recommended to store chocolate truffles in the refrigerator as this may dry out the chocolates faster than at room temperature. If you need to store the chocolates for a long time, opt to freeze them in a tightly wrapped and sealed container.
- This recipe will make 26-28 truffles. Package for gift-giving or serve at your next tea party or wine tasting. The addition of Irish Cream in this recipe makes these truffles perfect for a Saint Patrick's Day celebration.
Notes
Nutrition