Chocolate Truffles with Prunes and Walnuts
Before you start yawning, seeing a second truffle recipe in a row, I must assure you I have a very good reason for that. These truffles are perhaps not very spectacular, perhaps they will not please crowds, but for me they count among the most successful culinary experiments of recent years. Slightly tangy, slightly bitter, chunky, chewy, boozy, they combine three different textures and sharp adult flavours. All this makes them an addictive, fantastic treat for all the prune lovers.
The idea was simple: starting with my beloved Prunes in Chocolate as a basis, I decided to throw in some walnuts and splash some rum I often add to Prunes in Chocolate too. The barely cooled mixture in the pan was already so fabulous, it was difficult not to eat all of it with a spoon. Compared to other truffles, these were quick and easy to prepare, though, due to the chunks of nuts and prunes, they will never be as smooth as most truffles I make. On the other hand, at least they resemble real truffles! If you don’t like walnuts, you can choose any nut you prefer (or no nuts at all), but in my opinion prunes are the crucial element.
If you don’t have time and/or patience, but the idea of prunes combined with chocolate tempts you, you might try these super quick, effortless and absolutely delicious Prunes in Chocolate:
As a reminder, here are some other truffles I have written about:
TIPS: Whether you prefer bitter or milk (or even white) chocolate, choose always good quality product to prepare truffles. For me good quality chocolate starts at the level where cocoa butter is the only fat on the ingredients list. (This doesn’t necessarily mean expensive chocolate!).
Do not attempt “slimming down” these truffles, i.e. making them without butter or cream. These are necessary to soften the chocolate.
During the chocolate melting process, keep very low heat, stir constantly and do not let it boil.
While forming the truffles, make sure your hands are not too warm, running cold water on them from time to time and rolling the truffles between your fingers and not on the palm of your hand (which is warmer).
The truffles should be kept in the fridge (it can be the warmest part of the fridge), so make sure you say it while offering a box. Take them out about 30 minutes before serving.
The cocoa coating will become slightly moist in the fridge, so either coat them just before serving or coat them twice: once before putting them into the fridge and once again before serving. Of course the dry coating changes only the look, not the taste.
Preparation: about 1 hour (including the cooling time)
Ingredients (yields about 12 walnut-sized truffles):
100 g (about 3.5 oz) dark good quality chocolate, broken into small pieces
30 g (about 1 oz) butter
30 ml (about 1 oz) liquid cream (no thickeners; at least 20% fat)
10 chopped prunes
12 walnut kernels, chopped
2 tablespoons rum
2-3 tablespoons bitter cocoa to coat the truffles
Pour the cream into a small pan. Add the butter and the chocolate.
Melt the chocolate and the butter at low heat, constantly stirring.
When you see that about 80% of the chocolate has melted, take the pan off the heat and stir vigorously until it dissolves completely. (If you wait too long, you might overcook the chocolate).
Add the chopped prunes, walnuts, rum and combine well.
Put aside in a cool place for about 20 minutes until it sets to a point where truffles can be formed.
If the mixture sets too much and is too hard to form, wait a bit. It will soften at room temperature.
Quickly form truffles (try using only the fingers because the palm of your hand is always much warmer).
Repeat the same with each truffle.
Put the truffles into a bowl filled with cocoa and, moving the bowl, coat the truffles thoroughly or put them into the fridge and wait with cocoa coating just before serving (see the TIPS above).
Place the truffles on a plate or in paper cases and refrigerate a couple of hours before serving or before offering them.
The truffles should always be kept in the fridge (it can be the warmest part, but the fridge is obligatory).
I think any naysayers should give these prune truffles a try and they’ll be converted.
The entire truffle assortment is mouthwatering.
Thank you so much, A_Boleyn. Not everyone loves prunes, but I cannot imagine my life without them.
I love truffles with chocolate and walnuts. I haven’t tried the ones with prune but what you made is very tempting. I love all of these truffles you made in the past. Happy Holidays to you and your family Sissi! 🙂
Thanks a lot, Ray. Happy Holidays to you too!
Well you know how much we love your prunes in chocolate Sissi — in fact, I’m going to jot it down right now on my handy dandy list beside me for tomorrow’s grocery order — my husband just raved about these little delights last year. I especially like your idea of adding nuts — the hubby is crazy about fruit in chocolate and I’m a nut case ;-). The combination of both is ideal, really. I had the idea that I might try ginger this year with your prunes in chocolate so we’ll see what ultimately grabs me tomorrow. I tend to lean towards the no fuss stuff so yes, the simple prunes/chocolate combo appeals but… it’s not like the truffles are that much more complicated nor are they a hard sell ;-). Gotta get on the rum thing! (love a splash of rum with baked goods).
I hope you’re keeping well Sissi — I’m sipping on a green tea with lemongrass and spearmint (heavenly) and wishing I could share tea time with you (and maybe steal one of your beautiful truffles – xo).
Hi, Kelly. Thank you so much for the kind words and compliments. Yes, of course I remember you like my prunes in chocolate! The thought of you making these tangy chocolatey treats makes me always happy. Ginger sounds like a great idea! Truffles are not complicated at all, indeed. I drink green tea quite often, but never had it with lemongrass and spearmint. Sounds like a wonderful, complex combination. You are always welcome for truffles, prunes in chocolate or whatever you wish.
I’ve never had truffles with prunes and walnuts and now I am really intrigued. I wish I have all the ingredients needed to make for the holidays but i’ll definitely try them soon. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Yi.
Ah, I thought it the recipe seemed familiar, but now I realise as you say – it wasn’t prune truffles you made but the prunes in chocolate. Prune truffles – it’s a logical progression, right? Sounds great with the walnut addition for a bit of crunch. Love the one which is “opened” in the photo… looks so craggy and rich 😀
Thanks a lot, Charles. Actually at the beginning I cut neatly one truffle but it didn’t look very appetising or “informative”. Surprisingly biting off half of a truffle was a better solution. I didn’t complain 😉
Hahah, love the chastising warning against “slimming down”…it’s the holidays! If butter and cream needs to be in the kitchen at any time of year, it’s now 🙂 As always, I love your approach to making something that has been “trendy” and often approached with not much kitchen science insight. It’s always fascinating to read your recipe notes.
Thank you so much, Irina. So many people try substitutions in different cakes and sweets… I do it too, but some sweets just don’t work this way. Moreover, as you say, it’s Christmas! I had no idea truffles were trendy 😉
I sooo want these treats. Perfect looking! You’re awesome!
Thank you so much, Nipponnin. Come to taste them whenever you want 🙂
Sissi, since I love prunes so much, I would love them in truffles…coated with cocoa powder; so clever, and super delicious! I do think it’s even a healthy indulgence…also love the prunes in chocolate coating. Will give both of these a try. I will also look for your chilli pepper jelly (we call it hot pepper jelly)
I left a reply for you on my blog, but since I don’t usually leave replies on most comments, you may not know that I replied back (don’t think my blog replies back to e-mail acct.)
Sissi, this is a hot and sweet version of the pepper jelly! It is a pity that I didn’t know you have made some as well…otherwise I would have looked for it on your blog. We don’t call it chilli jelly…we call it either hot, or sweet pepper jelly. I should have made the totally sweet version of it for my granddaughter to enjoy…well, next time!
,,,and by the way, we live in South Florida…and have to refrigerate just about everything; I’m just so used to it by now. Cannot keep citrus, or root vegetables out for more than a day-or two, or we get ‘fruit flies’ so fast…and they multiply even faster…so that’s why we refrigerate things. As for keeping things in the pantry, only canned goods, rice and beans would last. We get the little nasty bugs in our flour…sugar ants in our sugar. I have to keep my flour in the fridge or the freezer; and that’s with the A/C on just about all year long!
Oh, and I do know the upside-down method for the jellies…that’s how I make my mango jelly; have that method with photo, on my blog!
Thank you so much, dear Elisabeth, for the kind compliments.
Isn’t chilli and hot pepper the same thing?
I make dozens of jars of hot pepper/chilli jelly every year, so now we can exchange experience! I also prepare mango and chilli but not jelly only sauce, but also based on pepper jelly but without pectin. I think it’s an amazing preserve (let me know if you need a link to my recipe). Have you tried mango jelly with chilli? Hot pepper jelly is in general a great basis for many experiments (citrus ones were the only failures but I posted one day pineapple and chilli jelly and it was really delicious).
I understand now… the climate… I thought it was only humid and hot climates, like some Asian regions or South America, which made preserving difficult. I have forgotten where you live (and most of all I do not realise how hot it is in your region). I stumble so often upon the US fear of preserves, fermentation, raw milk etc. and the habit of what we call in Europe “sterile food”…. but luckily you are not one of those people who fear food 😉
Anyway, if you like prunes, you should definitely try prunes in chocolate. It takes 5 minutes and you have such healthy snacks for days! (For you it will take probably only two minutes to prepare 🙂 ).
Hi Sissi, I’m back again to let you know that I did browse thru your actual ‘hot pepper jelly’…which you also called it THAT!
http://www.withaglass.com/?p=5446
Basically it’s the same ingredients used to make the jelly, except for the different hot and sweet pepper combination. We, seldom find the European hot or sweet yellow pepper here…although we do have the Hungarian hot wax peppers all year round, which are super, hot; as for a sweet green pepper, we do have the long green Cubanelle peppers, and also for the sweet, we have yellow, orange, red, and green BELL peppers which are extremely expensive except for the green variety…don’t think that I would want to spend $5.00 for 2 colored Bell peppers, when I would need at least a dozen!
For sure, I will want to make the yellow hot pepper jelly with the available and affordable peppers and now I’m anxious to want to make a different variety, and will link back to you; and yes, I will still have to refrigerate them after making them to assure freshness. The only jams and jellies that I do not refrigerate are the store-bought organic kind, but after opening them does require refrigeration (this time of the year I don’t have to refrigerate my sugars, or flour, but during the hot summer months it’s crucial; even with the store bought dry pastas, and rice!
Dear Elisabeth, I call it sometimes chilli jelly ,sometimes hot pepper jelly. I have even forgotten how I called my post 😉 I thought that in such a warm region you would have very cheap fruits and vegetables. I am surprised to learn bell peppers are so expensive.
I prepare my jelly with whatever I find, but usually long green Turkish peppers because they are cheap and really very aromatic.
My fridge is so small compared to what we call “American fridge” here, I wouldn’t be able to store my own preserves. It is already packed (half of it!) by jars and tubes of pastes, pickles, misos, etc. from different cuisines.
I always look for preserve recipes which can be processed and stored in the pantry (this is how I learnt how to prepare pickled ginger and preserve it; it’s very expensive in Asian shops and the “fridge” recipe is a short term one, so I tried to create something which would spend a year in my pantry.). In general I grew up in a house where at least 100 jars of jams, pickled cucumbers, mushrooms, etc. were always in the cellar all year round (it was the same in my whole family) and it somehow makes me feel comfortable to have my own full pantry too 🙂
I had no idea it was sooo hot where you live! Lucky you! (I’d love to live in a hot sunny climate… though I’d have to think about a special cooler space for preserves! I’m an addict).
You can post as many truffles as you’d like! I love them all, even those with prunes. 🙂 Two more great truffle recipe Sissi! Have you ever thought of setting up a company just for an assortment of unique and delicious truffles? You could do it you know!
Thank you so much, MJ. I’m sure no one would appreciate the “charm” of clumsy truffles 😉
This post reminds me – One reader left a comment (or email or facebook fan page – sorry forgot which one) saying that she made you made Matcha and White Chocolate Truffles. She said it was really delicious! You are a great truffle maker. 🙂
Thank you very much for your kind feedback! I haven’t seen the comment (at the beginning I used to check them in case there were questions but then stopped). I am thrilled to learn someone liked the truffles! Thank you so much for the compliments 🙂