The technique for making these truffles can be a little tricky, so don't miss the photo tutorial showing how to make Vampire Bite Truffles.
Prep Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 10 truffles
Ingredients:
- 7 oz prepared marzipan
- 1/2 cup cherry pie filling (can substitute red jam)
- 12 oz white candy coating
Preparation:
1. Start by dividing the marzipan roughly into 14 portions. You can cut it with a knife and estimate, or you can use a kitchen scale and weight out 14 1/2-oz portions. I found that 1/2 oz was almost a tablespoon when measured with measuring spoons.
2. Set aside four portions, and start shaping the other 10. Since we'll be filling the truffles with a liquid, we're going to shape the marzipan into a bowl shape and then top it with a lid once it's filled. So roll a piece of marzipan into a ball, and then use your thumb to start making an indentation in the center. Continue pressing in the center of the marzipan and working it into a bowl, and repeat until you have 10 bowls about 1.5 inches tall. If you need a visual aid for this step, refer to this picture from the photo tutorial.
3. Puree the cherry pie filling in a food processor or mixer until it's liquid. Alternately, you can use a red jam or jelly. If the jam or jelly is very thick, add a bit of water so it will flow out of the truffle when you bite into it.
4. Working with one truffle at a time, place a spoonful of cherry pie filling in the center of a marzipan bowl. It should be a generous spoonful but still be about a quarter-inch from the top, so that it doesn't overflow. Pinch the top of your bowl inward--it might not pinch closed, but try to bring the top closer together.
5. Now take one of those reserved marzipan portions and pinch off a bit the size of a marble. Press this marzipan into a flat disc, wide enough to cover the top of the bowl with room to spare. Spread this over the top of your bowl like a lid. Carefully pinch the seam where the lid and the bowl meet, until the cherry pie filling is sealed inside. Again, a good visual is found in the Vampire Bite Truffles photo tutorial.
6. Once all of the truffles are formed this way, place them in the freezer for a brief time--about 15-20 minutes--just to firm them up a bit and make them easier to dip.
7. Once the truffles are firm, melt the candy coating in the microwave. Once smooth, dip the truffles into the coating one at a time, then place them on a lined baking sheet for the coating to set.
8. While the coating is still wet, use a toothpick or wooden skewer to poke two small holes in the coating of each truffle--these are your vampire bite marks! Try not to poke all the way into the marzipan, because you don't want to cause the filling to leak out.
9. Dip your toothpick in some of the remaining pie filling and dribble down from the holes to resemble blood leaking from the bites. Gruesome, yes, but these are vampire bite truffles, after all!
10.These Vampire Bite Truffles can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving.
