Welcome to Day 2 of Peppermint Week! I am so excited to introduce this delightful ball of holiday yumminess because I love making new types of truffles. For these truffles, I like to use chocolate with higher percentages of cocoa, like dark and semi-sweet chocolates, because they offer better flavor, better balance to the overall sweetness of the truffles, and compliments the espresso.

These truffles are super easy to make, only require a few ingredients to make them, and they are quite tasty! So, let’s get started!

Steep the Espresso in Cream:

Add 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 2 tablespoons of ground espresso to a small saucepan. Place the saucepan on the stove on a low heat. Let the cream and espresso cook on the stove for approximately 15-20 minutes.

Make the Ganache:

While the espresso steeps in the cream, add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate and 1 cup dark chocolate to a mixing bowl. Once the espresso and cream mixture is removed from the stove, place a strainer-sifter into the bowl and pour the cream into the bowl of chocolate. The strainer-sifter will remove large pieces of espresso grounds, which will produce a smooth ganache. Let the chocolate sit in the warm cream for approximately 2 minutes before whisking them together. If not all the chocolate is completely melted, then put it back in the microwave for an additional 20-30 seconds. Stir the mixture. If the chocolate is still not fully melted, continue to heat for 20-30 seconds in the microwave, while making sure to stir in between each heating. Once all the chocolate is completely melted, cover the ganache with plastic wrap, making sure to press the plastic wrap onto the surface of the ganache so that it will not form a skin on the top layer of ganache. Let it cool until it is close to room temperature and then place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Roll the Truffles:

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the ganache into small balls and place them on parchment paper. Next, put on a pair of either nitrile or kitchen gloves and roll the truffles into uniform balls. Note: You do not have to use gloves, just make sure that your hands are very clean. Additional Note: If the ganache becomes too soft while rolling the truffle balls, you may need to place them in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to firm up before the final step. Proceed to the next step.

Coat the Truffles:

Add candy canes to either a food processor (or a plastic bag that can zip shut if you do not have a food processor). Pulse the candy canes until it they become a mixture of fine dust and small chunks. Place the crushed candy canes into a bowl. Add 1-2 truffles at a time and roll them around until they are fully coated in the candy canes. Set them aside and continue to coat the rest of the truffles. Once they are all complete, your peppermint mocha truffles are ready to enjoy!

Thank you so much for checking out this Peppermint Week post! I hope that you give these a try this holiday season! These will make a perfect gift by themselves, or when included in a homemade truffle sampler box! Please leave a comment below regarding if you tried these truffles and how you, your family, and your friends enjoyed them!

Make sure to come back tomorrow for another delightful peppermint flavored treat!