I made truffles!

I made ganache as frosting for my chocolate cupcakes last Friday. It was a wonderful alternative to chocolate buttercream frosting that's made with confectioner's sugar. I found the ganache to be less sweet and more chocolatey than chocolate buttercream. I also appreciate its silky texture- it kind of makes you want to keep the ganache in your mouth a little longer than you normally would. The dark yet shiny veneer of the ganache gives cupcakes a more elegant look so you may want to give it a try if you prefer a more refined-looking cupcake.

From the ganache I made, I had a little left over. Not wanting good ganache go to waste, I thought about making truffles. So, with my fridge-hardened ganache, I formed little one inch balls using two regular teaspoons and rolled the balls in unsweetened cocoa powder. I put the chocolate truffles back in the ref to let it harden a bit more and then, with a cup of brewed coffee, I proceeded to indulge in my very first hand made truffles. And I must say, they were pretty good. Not bad for an amateur. (While I am writing this, I am thinking about dousing my ganache with some alcohol for my next foray into this truffle-making gig.)

I have enjoyed some commercially-available truffles and I have always considered them an wonderful albeit expensive treat. It's a comforting feeling to know that I can actually make my own whenever I feel like it, and I won't even have to break the bank for it. Life is sweet!