How to Make Rum Raisin Truffles

Rum raisin truffles don't require the assistance of a French pastry chef, but your friends and family won't need to know how simple they are. The secret to success is to use delicious, high-quality chocolate. Just follow these easy steps.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup heavy cream or crème fraiche
• 14 oz. good quality dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa
• 8 oz. additional good quality dark chocolate
• 1 ½ cups good quality cocoa powder
• ½ cup dark rum
• 1 cup raisins
• 3 tbsp. butter
• Waxed paper or parchment paper

Instructions

1. Soak the raisins in the rum for about 2 hours, making sure that the rum completely covers the raisins. Drain the rum from the raisins and wrap them in a paper towel for a couple of minutes to absorb the extra rum.

2. Break 14 oz. of chocolate into small chunks and put them in a large mixing bowl.

3. Heat the cream or crème fraiche slowly until it begins to boil and pour it over the bowl of chocolate. Stir until the chocolate and cream are completely blended. This "ganache" is the base for most French truffles. It should be thick enough to form into balls.

4. Stir in the raisins and the butter.

5. Use two spoons to form the ganache into round, even balls, and place them on waxed paper or parchment paper.

6. Melt the remaining 8 oz. of chocolate in a double boiler, and dip each ball into the melted chocolate.

7. Roll the rum raisin truffles in the cocoa powder and chill them in the refrigerator until they're firm. Store them in a sealed container and serve at room temperature.