Indulgence: Chocolate Beer Truffles

When I saw these Chocolate Beer Truffles on Baker's Royale I knew I had to make them. We had just bought Terrapin Beer's Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout and I wanted to make a dessert appropriate for the football festivities this weekend. The truffles were easy to make, but very messy! I had to use every ounce of strength to not lick my hands after I rolled each truffle and I did a whole lot of hand-washing and wiping between.

The truffles themselves were simply luxurious. They were smooth, rich, and decadently dark chocolaty. To make them really Super Bowl-friendly I rolled them in pretzel crumbs. The pretzel crumbs added both a taste (salty) and texture (crunchy) contrast.

Chocolate Beer Truffles
Source:Adapted from Sweet Fiend on Endless Simmer
Yields 12 tablespoon-sized truffles

1 oz unsweetened chocolate
3.5 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp chocolate beer
~1/3 cup pretzel crumbs (about 1/2 cup of pretzels)

Place chocolate and heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl over (not on) simmering water. Let chocolate and cream heat up for 3 minutes untouched. After 3 minutes whisk mixture until fully incorporated.

Remove bowl from heat and let cool for 20-30 minutes. To cool the chocolate even faster, place over a bowl of ice filled water. Once cooled, slowly and gently stir in beer.

Cover the surface with plastic wrap and place in freezer for about 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Meanwhile, crush the pretzels until all big pieces are broken down.

Remove truffle mixture from the freezer. Using a spoon or a melon-baller, scoop out chocolate rounds. Finish forming truffles by hand and then roll in the pretzel crumbs. Make sure to work quickly because the chocolate begins to melt the longer it is held. Place truffles on a covered baking sheet or on a plate if being served immediately. If being served later, place in refrigerator.

Enjoy!