Best French Chocolate Christmas Candy Recipes

TRADITIONAL FRENCH DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Traditional French Dark Chocolate Truffles image

Dark chocolate truffles are an indulgent treat and impressive addition to a party, dinner, or celebration. They also make wonderful gifts.

Provided by Rebecca Franklin

Categories Dessert Candy

Time 1h15m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 4

Ingredients

2/3 cup heavy cream
12 ounces chocolate (bittersweet, chopped into very small pieces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup cocoa powder (premium dark)

Steps:

Gather the ingredients.
Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is hot and starting to bubble but not fully boiling. Remove the cream from the heat immediately.
Add the finely chopped chocolate and vanilla extract and stir with a wooden spoon until the ganache is completely smooth.
Pop the pan into the fridge and chill the ganache until it is hard enough to roll into balls. Do not use the freezer, as this will make the ganache unworkable.
Measure out each truffle by the heaping teaspoonful and use your hands to quickly roll the ganache into a ball.
If the ganache gets too warm, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up. Work quickly so that your hands don't melt the chocolate too much. Chill the balls, a few at a time, as you go.
Put the cocoa powder into a shallow dish. Take each chilled chocolate ball and quickly roll in the cocoa powder for an even coating. Pop the truffle onto a plate and place back into the fridge to chill down again before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 155 kcal, Carbohydrate 14 g, Cholesterol 16 mg, Fiber 1 g, Protein 2 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 20 mg, Sugar 11 g, Fat 10 g, ServingSize 16 truffles (16 servings), UnsaturatedFat 0 g

FRENCH CHOCOLATE BARK

French Chocolate Bark image

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories dessert

Time 2h25m

Yield 24 pieces

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

8 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces very good bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Steps:

Melt the 2 chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a ruler and a pencil, draw a 9 by 10-inch rectangle on the paper. Turn the paper facedown on the baking sheet.
Pour the melted chocolate over the paper and spread to form a rectangle, using the outline. Sprinkle the cashews, apricots and cranberries over the chocolate. Set aside for 2 hours until firm. Cut the bark in 1 by 3-inch pieces and serve at room temperature.