Cacao Bean Bittersweet Chocolate Truffles

Name: Cacao Bean Bittersweet Chocolate Truffles
Yield: Makes about 55
Ingredients: 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 1/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons cacao nibs; 10 ounces Sharffen Berger Nibby Bar chocolate (8 ounces finely chopped, 2 ounces in rough chunks); Dutch-processed cocoa powder; 55 small fluted paper cups (optional)

By Dédé Wilson

November 6, 2006

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Truffles : 50 Deliciously Decadent Homemade Chocolate Treats _by Dede Wilson.

Cacao beans, from which we get all our wonderful chocolate, are now available in raw form. Called cacao (or cocoa) nibs, they look like tiny brown nuggets similar in shape to kasha or buckwheat groats. Cacao nibs are not sweet, but they have an intense chocolate flavor unlike any other product. In this recipe, they are steeped in cream to add flavor to the ganache and chopped for use as a topping._

Truffle Tip:

Scharffen Berger cacao nibs and Nibby Bars are available by mail order and at Whole Foods Market store nationwide.

Recipe notes

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Île Flottante

Originally called omelette à la neige (snow omelet) in reference to the fluffy snow-like appearance of the meringue, île flottante (floating island) has a lengthy history that dates back to the 17th century.

Grape Dumplings

Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.

5-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Yes, it's a shortcut in a microwave. It's also a gooey, fudgy, wildly good chocolate cake.

Palets Bretons

Palets bretons are oversize cookies that feature butter, and because they’re from Brittany, they’re traditionally made with beurre salé, salted butter.

Fufu

Fufu is a dish that has been passed down through many generations and is seen as a symbol of Ghanaian identity and heritage. Making fufu traditionally is a very laborious task; this recipe mimics some of that hard work but with a few home-cook hacks that make for a far easier time.

Mississippi Mud Cake

This cake was created from thrift and was supposedly named after its appearance, which reminded people of the muddy Mississippi River bottom.

Grasshopper Brownies

These decadent brownies feature a sweet, minty topping complemented by a rich dark chocolate ganache and mini chocolate chips for added texture.