Chocolate Truffles + How sweet it is

November has been a very sweet month so far.

A constant gathering of friends at our new place; birthday cakes that are brimming with fresh berries and light, cream cheese; and plenty of birthday love, love and and even more love.

Mostly, I’ve only just realized how sweet it is to share daily tasks with the person you love…

Moving to our new apartment means so many things, but apart from the obvious greater independence and personal space, it also means we have to now do housework that we never had to do before when we stayed with his family – things such as doing the laundry and using the washing machine for the first time; cooking almost five days a week in order to save money, and then doing the dishes after; or sweeping the floor; or making a large purchase of groceries once a week, when we walk down the supermarket aisle and pack our shopping cart full.

While all these things honestly terrified me before our move; the past fortnight has allowed us to slowly but surely adjust to these changes in our lives.

I’ve realized it’s really a matter of being more organized and following a tighter schedule; where I used to have the free time to lounge in front of the television before dinner, that time is now spent mostly in the kitchen.

I definitely adore cooking, and pushing myself to think up of new recipes has definitely nudged me out of my comfort zone.

And while it’s tough to constantly be thinking of new dishes to try; and hoping that they turn out well, it’s knowing that I’m cooking for my love that keeps me going.

There is also a certain sweetness to toasting with Juan after a long week of work.

In our new place, it’s where we settle into the weekend with take-home ice cream and lean back into the sofa watching the latest episode of Suits (yes, Harvey Specter, played by Gabriel Macht,  is definitely easy on the eyes too).

I love how the kitchen doors bursts open when I’m in the middle of cooking dinner; Juan’s eyes lighting up as he sees the food being cooked, and he gives me a hello kiss before changing out of his work clothes. Or how I know he enjoys our brunches in the balcony, the one where we have a view of the polo court shrouded by tall pretty trees. I love how we throw open the windows and the cool evening breeze drifts in, and both of us look out at the same time, into the velvet night sky from which the buildings glow and tiny stars twinkle.

Life’s sweet and simple, just like it should be.

Among the things that come to mind when I think of how fortunate and blessed I am, these cocoa powder-coated chocolate truffles are probably the best definition of how sweet life is to me.

One of my best friends in the world, Jin Hua, told me about these truffles one day over our random Skype conversation.

I’d asked her if she happened to know any easy chocolate truffle recipe, and within seconds, she’d sent me a recipe from Joy Of Baking to use.

The best thing about this recipe really is how easy is it to make them.

Anyone, literally anyone can make them, and make them well. There are no complicated ingredients nor difficult steps, which is the perfect type of recipe for me.

A little tip though – a short ingredient list and easy instructions in my opinion often means it’s best to splurge a little to get the best ingredients; in this case, because the ganache (or truffle filling) is the most important part of the truffle, I’ll say, the better the chocolate you use, the better your truffles will be.

I’ve never been a die-hard chocolate lover, but these bites of chocolate heaven have gotten me hooked. They’re just the right amount of sweet to keep you satisfied, but not so incredibly sweet that you can’t eat more.

Soft, sweet chocolate ganache in the middle, the sort that melts easily in your mouth, and a light dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder around it; these chocolate truffles really are heaven.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES (Makes 30- 40)
Source: Joy of Baking

Ingredients:

1) 300g of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped into small pieces
2) 180g of heavy whipping cream
3) 40g of butter, cut into small pieces
4) Unsweetened cocoa powder (about 1 small bowl, for coating)

Steps:

1) Roughly chop the chocolate into small pieces, and then place in a medium-sized heat-proof bowl, then set aside
2) In a small pot, heat up the cream and the pieces of chopped butter over medium heat and then bring to a boil
3) Pour the butter-cream mixture over the chocolate and then allow it to stand for a couple of minutes before stirring well until smooth (if the chocolate doesn’t melt completely, heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds)
4) Cover the bowl of chocolate mixture  (or ganache) with plastic wrap and then chill in the refrigerator (best overnight, if not, at least 5 hours)
5) When chocolate mixture has finished chilling, place cocoa powder in a flat bowl, and remove truffle mixture from the refrigerator.
6) Using a small ice cream scoop or a melon ball peeler, or a teaspoon, form the ganache into small round, bite-sized balls
7) Immediately roll the balls of truffle mixture in the cocoa powder and place on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet
8) Cover and place the truffles in the refrigerator until firm (at least a few hours)
9) Bring to room temperature before serving