Recipe and contribution by Beth Kirsch, Beth’s Chocolate
Sometimes all it takes is a piece of dark chocolate or a steaming cup of tea to brighten my mood. Eating chocolate after sipping hot tea is even better—the chocolate melts more easily, releasing all its wonderful flavors. My love of both tea and chocolate led me to create several tea-inspired chocolate bonbons, each with a unique flavor, including jasmine, pomegranate, matcha, and spiced honey orange.
Make your own Tea Infused Chocolate Truffles
All you need is 4 ingredients: chocolate, heavy cream, tea, and cocoa powder.
Some tea and chocolate pairings work better than others; try a few different ones to see which you like best. You may need to adjust the recipe depending on the ingredients you use; don’t be afraid to experiment.
It’s all in the Ingredients
Beth’s recommendations…
for Chocolates: Valrhona Guanaja, Guittard, Callebaut, Theo
for Cocoa Powder: Valrhona, Guittard, Cacao Barry Extra Brute, Penzey’s
(To stock up, check out: www.chocosphere.com and/or Whole Foods.)
Tea Hive’s Tea Recommendations: Jasmine, Orange Spice, Chai, Lapsang Souchong, rose tea, or earl grey. Truly, the sky’s the limit and experimentation is the name of the game. Check out what’s in stock in the marketplace for other great options.
Tea Truffle Recipe
What You Need
4 oz. dark chocolate
(chopped into small pieces)
6 oz. heavy cream
2 TB. tea
cocoa powder
small saucepan with lid
cheesecloth
measuring cup
whisk
rubber spatula
Step 1: Infuse the Cream
- Scald 6 oz. of heavy cream in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the tea.
- Cover the pot and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Strain the mixture through a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a measuring cup.
Step 2: Make the Ganache
- Wipe the saucepan with a paper towel to remove any loose tea.
- Pour 4 oz. of the tea-infused cream back into the saucepan and reheat (do not boil).
- Turn off the heat and add the chocolate, making sure it’s covered by the cream.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes on the stovetop.
- Briskly whisk the mixture, starting in the middle and moving toward the edges only after the chocolate and cream have begun to thicken and emulsify.
- The mixture should become smooth and shiny. Use a rubber spatula around the edges and bottom to make sure all the cream is incorporated.
- Transfer the ganache into a bowl and let it cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Step 3: Make the Truffles
- Use a spoon to scoop out rough (3/4”) balls of the ganache and place them on a plate. Give them a quick roll in your hands and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
- Roll each into more evenly-shaped balls. (If the ganache gets too soft to roll, put the truffles back in the fridge for 10 minutes and try again).
- Pour cocoa powder into a bowl.
- Drop each ball gently into the cocoa powder and roll it around to coat. Place it on a clean plate and continue with the rest of the truffles.
- Now enjoy a few—with a cup of tea!
(Makes about 20-25 truffles. Store in the fridge, uncovered. Remove them about 15 minutes before serving. Eat within a few days.)
You Can Also Try…
- Instead of steeping the tea in hot cream, let it steep overnight, covered, in the fridge (this requires a few more ounces of cream).
- Omit the tea, and just use 4 oz. of scalded cream with the chocolate to make dark chocolate truffles. You can mix in some cocoa nibs for a crunchy texture.
- For vegan truffles, use coconut cream instead of heavy cream.
- If you prefer milk chocolate, use half the amount of cream to make the ganache.
- Instead of cocoa powder, try grated chocolate, chocolate sprinkles, finely chopped nuts, toasted coconut, or other toppings. Roll the truffles in your hands to warm them before rolling in the toppings, pressing gently for them to stick.
- Add a dusting of confectioner’s sugar, freeze-dried fruit powder, cinnamon, or cayenne.
Try it out and let us know what you think and what amazing tea and chocolate pairings you came up with! Don’t forget to share your photos with us on social media @myteahive!
About Beth’s Chocolate
My goal when making artisan chocolates is to create confections that look beautiful, taste extraordinary, and offer a moment of pure bliss when you experience them. I use high-quality French chocolate and fresh ingredients, and I make everything in small batches, all by hand. My chocolates have won more than 10 awards, including 6 International Chocolate Awards (Americas competition), 3 international awards from the London-based Academy of Chocolate, and a Gold Truffle Artistry award from the International Chocolate Salon. Explore my selection of chocolates at: https://www.bethschocolate.com/ and follow me on Instagram (@bethschocolatenewton) and Facebook (@pureblisschocolate).
Tea Hive 