Chocolate Orange Truffles

Why this Recipe Works

Chocolate truffles are always one of my favorite treats, this recipe is easy, versatile and are so much cheaper than buying them at the store! Plus, no baking required!

These would make a great homemade gift for your friends, family, or neighbors for Christmas, the holidays, or even Valentine’s Day.

We’ve included instructions on how to change the flavor of these or change the type of chocolate from dark to milk or white chocolate!

As if they weren’t easy enough, we’ve even included microwave instructions if you don’t feel like turning on the stove.

Ingredient Notes

• Chocolate. Use high quality dark chocolate. The higher the quality, the more luxurious and rich your chocolate truffles will taste.
• Cream. Heavy cream helps keep the chocolate smooth and silky.
• Butter. A little butter (salted or unsalted) makes these extra rich while also helping the texture of the truffles with set up but still be soft and room temperature.
• Salt. A little salt enhances and balances out the flavors.
• Oranges. We use the juice and zest from fresh oranges to give these truffles the freshest orange chocolate flavor.
• Orange Extract. A little pure orange extract bumps up the orange flavor.
• Cocoa Powder. The chocolate orange truffles are rolled in cocoa powder for a simple coating, you could also dip them in chocolate, roll them in chocolate sprinkles or desiccated coconut if you prefer.

How to Make this Recipe

1. Zest & Juice Oranges. Zest the oranges, making sure to not get any of the pith (the white layer under the orange skin). Juice the oranges and set aside.

2. Heat Cream. Place the cream, butter, orange juice, and zest in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let the flavors infuse and cool for 30 minutes. Bring the mixture back to a simmer. Or you can heat the butter, cream, orange juice, and orange zest in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute, let cool and infuse for 30 minutes, then reheat in the microwave for 1 minute.

3. Melt Chocolate. Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate in a heat safe bowl. Add in the orange extract and salt. Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth and silky.

4. Chill and Roll. Cover the chocolate orange ganache with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until firm, about 4 hours. Scoop 2-3 teaspoons of chocolate ganache and roll between your hands into a ball.

5. Coat Truffles. Roll in cocoa powder, fully coating the chocolate orange truffle. Alternatively, you can dip them in melted chocolate if you prefer.

Variations of this Recipe

Change the Flavor

You can easily change the flavor of these chocolate orange truffles by changing the type of citrus juice, zest, or extract used. Try making these lemon chocolate truffles by swapping the orange juice, zest, and extract for lemon juice, lemon zest, and pure lemon extract.

Or you can try using peppermint extract or vanilla extract with these chocolate truffles. If you try this, you will omit the orange juice and zest and increase the amount of cream used to 8 tablespoons (½ cup). Use caution when adding peppermint extract, a little goes a long way!

Change the Type of Chocolate Used

I like the chocolate orange truffles best with dark chocolate, I think the flavors pair together best. However, you can swap the dark chocolate for milk chocolate or white chocolate. You will need to adjust the amount of chocolate used in this recipe.

You may also find you need to add more orange zest or extract. For example, I find that with milk chocolate, the orange flavor doesn’t carry through as well and I add a little extra of both.

Because milk chocolate and white chocolate contain more milk in them than dark chocolate, you will need to increase the quantity of chocolate used if you choose to swap them out for the dark chocolate in this recipe.

• If using milk chocolate increase the amount of chocolate in the recipe to 12.5 ounces (about 2 cups) chopped chocolate.
• If using white chocolate increase the amount of chocolate in the recipe to 17.25 ounces (about 2 ¾ cups) chopped chocolate.

Change What You Coat Them In

I usually just roll these orange chocolate truffles in cocoa powder for a simple and easy coating. However, you can also roll them in jimmies or non pareil sprinkles for a more festive look, desiccated coconut, Oreo or graham cracker crumbs, chopped nuts, or powdered sugar. Be aware, that if you roll them in powdered sugar the powdered sugar will get absorbed into the truffles over time.

Another option is to coat the truffles in melted chocolate.

Tips Coating Truffles in Chocolate

Almond bark or candy melts are the most convenient options for this task. If you opt for chocolate chips, I suggest incorporating a small amount, ½-1 teaspoon, of butter or coconut oil to get a smoother chocolate consistency.

Microwave the chocolate in a bowl safe for microwave use for 30 seconds. Stir, and repeat the process as necessary. Avoid heating the chocolate for more than 30 seconds at a time to prevent the risk of burning or seizing the chocolate.

I like to use a chocolate dipping tool like this to keep these chocolate truffles as neat as possible. But you can also use what you have, a spoon or fork to dip the truffles.

Another way is to use silicone chocolate molds like these which give you beautiful neat truffles every time. They are very simple to use, just spoon some melted chocolate into the molds into a thin layer and chill until firm. Add the chocolate truffle filling before the filling has set up and chill again. Finally, add a last layer of chocolate over top of the filling and chill until firm. The truffles should pop easily out of the molds, leaving you with professional looking truffles.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Expert Tips

• Keep Your Hands Cold. Warm hands will melt the truffles as you roll and work with the chocolate candies. So keep your hands cold! You can keep a bag of ice nearby or even a bag of frozen peas on hand to cool your hands down if they start to get too warm.
• Use High Quality Chocolate. The higher quality the chocolate the more luxurious and lush these chocolate truffles will be. While you can use something like chocolate chips, you won’t have as good of results.
• Finely Chop the Chocolate. Chopping the chocolate into very small, fine pieces helps the warm cream to melt the chocolate easier. You will run into fewer problems if your chocolate is finely chopped. You can even throw the chocolate into a food processor before adding the cream to for a quick and easy way to chop it.
• Don’t Get the Pith. When removing the zest from the orange make sure you are just getting the orange on the outside and none of the white layer underneath! The white layer underneath is called the pith and is bitter with an unpleasant taste that you definitely don’t want to add to your chocolate orange truffles. Also, quick reminder to wash your oranges before zesting them!

How to Store this Recipe

Generally, the rule for ganache is that it can sit at room temperature for 2 days before needing to be refrigerated. I recommend playing it safe and storing these chocolate orange truffles in an airtight container in the fridge of freezer all together.

These truffles are best eaten withing 2-3 weeks if stored in the refrigerator or 2 months if frozen. The texture is best when eaten at room temperature, so let them come to room temperature before eating!

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