Yield: about 24 Bat Truffles
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 lb chocolate candy coating
Preparation:
1. Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a medium bowl, and set aside.
2. Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring the cream to a simmer. Once it's near boiling, pull it off the heat.
3. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let the cream and chocolate sit together and soften for one minute, then gently whisk or stir them together. Once the chocolate is completely melted and smooth, add the room temperature butter and whisk until it's incorporated. This is your "ganache."
4. Press a piece of cling wrap on top of the ganache, and refrigerate the bowl until the ganache is firm enough to scoop and roll, about 2 hours.
5. While the ganache is chilling, make the bat wings. This is easiest if you have some sort of template, so sketch two bat wings on a piece of paper. The size will depend on the size of your truffles, but if you're making approximately 1-inch truffles, each wing should be about 1.5-2 inches long.
6. Tape a long piece of waxed paper on a smooth, even surface like a table. Melt the chocolate candy coating in the microwave and pour some of it into a plastic squeeze bottle, a paper cone, or a plastic sandwich bag with a small hole cut in the corner.
7. Slide the template you drew under the waxed paper, and trace the wings with chocolate, filling them in completely. After one set of wings is finished, slide the paper and reposition it in another spot under the waxed paper. Continue to trace the wings until you have at least 24 sets of wings—you might want to make some extra in case a few break. Let the wings set while the ganache chills.
8. Once the ganache is firm, dust your palms lightly with cocoa powder and use a small candy scoop or a teaspoon to roll the ganache into small balls, and place them on a foil-covered baking sheet. Re-apply the cocoa powder as needed to keep the truffles from sticking to your hands.
9. To dip the truffles, you want them cool but not rock-hard, so if they're very firm, let them sit at room temperature for a bit until they yield slightly to the pressure of a fingertip. Once they're at the right texture, re-melt the chocolate candy coating if necessary, until it is liquid and smooth.
10. Use dipping tools or a fork to dip the truffles in the melted coating, and once dipped, place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. While the chocolate is still wet, press two wings into the top of each truffle. If the ganache is too hard the wings will break when you try to insert them, so it's important that the truffles be the right texture and temperature.
11. Once all of the Bat Truffles are dipped, let the chocolate set completely before serving. Bat Truffles are fragile, so store them carefully in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. For best taste and texture, let them come to room temperature before serving.
