Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Chowhound Gift Guide 2018: Kitchen Tools That Eliminate an Annoying Step

As avid food explorers, it’s not as if we don’t enjoy our time in the kitchen. But what if there’s a way to minimize some of the prep, or totally eliminate an annoying step that seems like such a time waster (buttering a muffin tin, anyone?). These kitchen accessories are designed to not only save you minutes, but make cooking more enjoyable. Think of how many more sips of that sauvignon blanc you can take if you’re not still stripping cilantro from the stem? Below, the products that make it easier on us in the kitchen and at the stove.

Microplane Stainless Steel Herb Mill 2-In-1 with Herb Stripper, $24.95 on Amazon

Amazon

This strips rosemary and thyme, and then also grinds them up so you can season your chicken with fresh herbs minus all that chopping and stripping.See It

Silpat Silicone Muffin Pan, $49.95 on Williams Sonoma

Williams Sonoma

Never grab a stick of butter to grease that muffin tin again, thanks to Silpat, the go-to source for silicone mats and baking pans for French patisseries.See It

Kasain House 5-Section Cast Iron Skillet, $59.99 on Amazon

Amazon

The one-pan meal takes on a whole new meaning with this ingenious skillet, which allows you to cook eggs, bacon, and pancakes at once and not dirty two other non-stick pans just to feed a crowd at breakfast time.See It

Serrated Warming Knife and Spreader, $19.95 on Amazon

Amazon

You don’t have to nuke your butter anymore to spread it evenly. This warming knife is made of heat-conducting technology, so the warmth of your hands transfers to the blade, making it simple to spread peanut butter, cold butter, or cheese without gouging your toast.See It

Chef’s Planet Clip & Drain, $15 on Sur La Table

Sur la Table

Don’t bend over to get that bulky colander out. Just clip this handy tool to any pot or pan and drain pasta, veggies, and meat. A lifesaver when your dishwasher is already full.See It

Defrosting Tray with Drip Plate, $21.49 on Amazon

Amazon

Using heat-conducting technology, this defrosting tray unthaws meats and fish eight times faster than just putting it on the counter — and a drip plate minimizes any mess.See It

Recipe Cocktail Shaker, $20 on Sur la Table

Sur la Table

Forget what goes in a Manhattan or a really dry Martini? Just look to this amateur bartender’s dream, which has go-to cocktail recipes (and handy measurements) printed right on the shaker.See It

KitchenAid Spiralizer Attachment, $74.96 on Sur la Table


If you’re big into spiralizing zucchini and squash, this is the KitchenAid attachment for you. It also peels, cores, and slices fruit.See It

OXO Pour Over Coffee Maker with Water Tank, $15.99 on Amazon

Amazon

Pour-over coffee is delicious, yes. But also kind of complicated if we’re being honest. This coffee maker from OXO makes pour over a breeze and features an auto-drip tank that controls the water flow so you don’t have to sit there with a kettle in hand.See It

Bialetti Pasta Pot with Strainer Lid, $29.99 on Amazon

Amazon

No more straining your pasta in the sink — this two-in-one lets you automatically strain (and easily reserve pasta water) from the same pot you’ve cooked in.See It

For more great gift ideas, see our Gourmet Food and Drink Gift Guide, and our Best Kitchen Gadgets, Tools, and Appliances Gift Guide.

Related Video: The 25 Greatest Cooking Hacks Every Cook Should Know

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.



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Chowhound Gift Guide 2018: 10 Gifts That Make A Cook’s Life Easier

Holiday gift buying for home cooks is not a simple task. There are presents that seem like a good idea at the time, but are a total hassle in reality (hello, ice cream maker). Then, there are those go-to kitchen tools ambitious cooks will actually use (hopefully, to make you dinner). Below, what to buy for those amateur chefs in your life (and maybe yourself).

Oxo Handheld Mandolin, $25 on Sur La Table

Sur la Table

Slicing carrots for stew, or apples for pie is infinitely faster with a mandoline. It’s also more precise, meaning everything will cook more evenly when it’s chopped within the same quarter-inch. This one comes with a guard too, which protects all digits.See It

Aunt Martha’s Gray Striped Dish Towels, $7.75 on Amazon

Amazon

One can truly never have enough clean dish towels, which double as oven mitts, a mat for sliding cutting boards, and napkins in a pinch. They’re also a pain to launder, so trust us when we say that no one will turn away clean dish towels. No. One.See It

Farberware Stainless Biscuit Cutters, $11.87 on Amazon

Amazon

Even if you don’t make biscuits that often, this set of three cutters will surely come in handy when it’s time to cut sugar cookies or make ravioli.See It

Cuisinart SmartStick Immersion Blender & Chopper, $45.36 on Amazon

Amazon

Blenders and food processors aren’t a bad thing to have, but nothing is easier than an immersion blender, which can be dipped into soups, salsas, and smoothies. And the clean-up is a total breeze. Tell that to your giant plastic food processor that came with a million attachments.See It

Oxo Good Grips Pop-Up Cookbook Holder, $16.70 on Amazon

Amazon

Not only does this sleek cookbook holder keep your recipes from falling over, a splatter-proof guard means that your bolognese won’t ruin your pages, or worse, your iPad.See It

Jenaluca Herb Scissors, $14.87 on Amazon

Amazon

Even though single-use items aren’t the most economical things to keep in a crowded kitchen drawer, this one is worth having on hand. From slicing through chives to mincing cilantro fast, herb scissors elevate any salad, and in record time.See It

Stainless Steel Splatter Screen, $14.95 on Sur la Table

Sur la Table

It seems like something you don’t really need—until you take a look at your stovetop after whipping up some stir-fry. This splatter screen is simple and uncomplicated, and you’ll be glad you have one when it’s time to deep fry, well, anything.See It

Silpat Perfect Cookie Baking Mat, $26.95 on Sur la Table

Sur la Table

Anyone who’s ever baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies knows how important spacing is—and how expensive and wasteful rolls of parchment paper can be. This non-stick silicone mat is a must for even the occasional cookie-maker.See It

Columela Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $22 on Sur la Table

Sur la Table

Nothing’s more annoying than running out of olive oil while you’re in the middle of making a dish. Save the day by gifting your favorite home chef a bottle of the good stuff.See It

Bee’s Wrap, $18 on Amazon

Amazon

It’s more eco-friendly than plastic wrap, and the warmth of your hands helps makes it mold to almost any food item. It’s a total lifesaver for a chef who always has leftovers.See It

For more great gift ideas, see our Gourmet Food and Drink Gift Guide, and our Best Kitchen Gadgets, Tools, and Appliances Gift Guide.

Related Video: 15 Italian Recipes Every Beginner Chef Should Master

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What’s the Difference Between Challah and Babka?

Although they’re both delicious yeast-based breads, challah and babka have very different textures and babka often contains the addition of raisins, nuts, or chocolate which add another level of sweetness. Challah is a traditional bread made from eggs, water, yeast, flour, sugar, and salt and is often braided and can be baked in varying shapes for different holidays. Challah is often served on the Jewish Sabbath and at many other holidays celebrations and the texture of the loaf is similar to an egg-based brioche. It also freezes well and is a great pick if you’re making several loaves at once and want to stock your freezer.

Babka is a yeast-based dough of Eastern European origin that is baked in a loaf pan and has swirls of chocolate or cinnamon. A cake-bread hybrid, babka has grown in popularity (it’s now available at Trader Joe’s for instance) and there are many variations. But the most popular is the twisted bread with ribbons of filling. Babka is sweet, buttery, and goes well with coffee for breakfast or dessert.

Try out these recipes for babka and challah for yourself and find out the differences between these two breads—with the aroma of fresh-baked bread filling your kitchen, you won’t be sorry.

  1. Challah

Chowhound

This is a classic, easy challah recipe that offers step-by-step instructional photos on how to braid challah bread. Cover with egg wash and poppy seeds or sesame seeds for an added crunch. Get our Classic Challah Recipe.

  1. Raisin-Walnut Babka

This sweet babka is packed with golden and dark raisins (soak them in warm water to make sure they’re rehydrated), toasted walnuts, and cinnamon, and topped with a cinnamon glaze. Get the Raisin-Walnut Babka recipe.

Victorinox Fibrox Pro Serrated Bread Knife, $54.95 on Sur la Table

Get the perfect challah or babka slice with this dashing bread knife!
See it
  1. Whole Wheat Challah

Measure and Whisk

This whole wheat challah recipe adds two tablespoons of vital wheat gluten, which adds elasticity to the dough. Get the Whole Wheat Challah recipe.

  1. Challah French Toast

Chowhound

When you’ve mastered the art of homemade challah, you’ll need this French toast recipe to use up your day-old slices. Serve with fresh strawberries and powdered sugar. Get our Challah French Toast recipe.

  1. Chocolate Babka

David Lebovitz

This chocolate babka recipe has cocoa powder, bittersweet chocolate, toasted nuts, and the surprise addition of crumbled brownie bits to add an extra decadent touch of chocolate. Get the Chocolate Babka recipe.

  1. Pumpkin Spice Babka

Tasting Table

If you’re a big fan of pumpkin spiced lattes, try this pumpkin spice babka recipe with cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, brown sugar, and pumpkin puree. Get the Pumpkin Spice Babka recipe.

  1. Chocolate and Espresso Babka Muffins

The Lemon Apron

These mini babkas—baked in a muffin tin—are flavored with bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, brown sugar, dark rum, honey, ground espresso, cocoa nibs, and finely ground chocolate wafer cookies for a perfect chocolate-coffee blend. Get the Chocolate Espresso Babka Muffins recipe.

  1. Dill Pickle Challah

My Jewish Learning

If you’re looking to get creative and build on the traditional challah recipe, this rendition with pickle juice in the dough is an amazing pick for an inspired sandwich. Red pepper flakes, dill, sea salt, and minced dried garlic are added into the traditional egg wash for an extra dose of flavor. Get the Dill Pickle Challah recipe.

  1. Pistachio Babka

My Three Seasons

The filling is made with unsalted pistachios and pistachio cream, which has the same texture as Nutella, keeping the bread moist while baking. Get the Pistachio Babka recipe

Related Video: Challah Bread 

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What Your Favorite Christmas Cookie Says About You

It’s finally time for holiday baking, but there are so many choices! If you’re stuck trying to figure out which holiday cookie recipe to try out, fear not. Check out our (clearly scientific and data-backed) personality-based recommendations for your favorite cookie and you’ll surely be on the right track for a sweet treat.

Traditionalist: Sugar Cookies

If you’re risk-averse and want to be a crowd-pleaser, you should go with the most classic holiday cookie of all time: the sugar cookie. Check out our recipe that can easily be adapted to make a larger batch, and experiment with different shaped cookie cutters and colored icing. You can make this dough in advance and freeze if for up to a month. Get our Sugar Cookie recipe.

Christmas Cookie Tins, Set of 12, $33.99 on Amazon

The perfect way to gift holiday cookies!
See It

The ESFP: Chocolate Chip Cookies

This Myers-Briggs classification (Extrovert, Sensing, Feeling, Perception) includes celebrities such as Katy Perry, Elvis Presley, Adele, and Jamie Oliver—and what do these people have in common? ESFP’s love the spotlight and this iconic and attention-loving chocolate chip cookie is the perfect match. Check out this easy chocolate chip cookie recipe that will be the star of the show.

Social Justice Warrior: Gingerbread People

Gingerbread men? That’s so heteronormative. Spend this holiday season making a batch of gingerbread people or flip the cookie cutter around and make a festive reindeer face with antlers and leave the whole gender binary in the dust. This dough is packed full of spices and features a full cup of molasses for extra flavor. Get this recipe for gingerbread cookies.

Loyalist: Peanut Butter and Chocolate


There is no truer love (or combination) than that of peanut butter and chocolate, and if you’re known for your loyalty than this is a great pick. These peanut butter and chocolate cookies are filled with a delicate ganache and make a great holiday gift! Get our recipe for peanut butter chocolate cookies.

Optimist: Rainbow Cookies


The perfect pick for a baker that sees every glass as half full? These rainbow Christmas cookies are as colorful as they are delicious! They make a great holiday party gift to bring along and you can slice them in any size that you wish. Get the recipe.

Trendsetter: Macarons


These French cookies are the right choice for any fashionista or Parisian-inspired glamour girl. Try making our delicate macarons with pomegranate ganache and edible gold leaf for the most beautiful holiday treat.

Rebel: Christmas Wreaths

The First Year

If you’re sick of the holiday fuss and want to branch out and try something different, these Christmas wreath cookies are incredibly simple and can be made in an hour or less. Use corn flakes or rice krispies and garnish with Twizzler’s pull-and- peels for a classic holiday look. Get the recipe.

Midwest Maven: Snickerdoodles



You can take the girl out of the Midwest, but you can’t take the Midwest out of the girl…these snickerdoodles are a favorite of every PTA mom and these buttery cookies sell out instantly at bake sales for a reason: they’re addictive and delicious. Use holiday cookie cutters and make extra to give away to your neighbors. Get our snickerdoodle recipe.

Daredevil: Double Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate With Grace

When you’ve got nothing to lose and you’re living on the edge, these caramel-stuffed double chocolate chip cookies throw caution to the wind. “If you’re going to eat double chocolate cookies, why don’t you just eat a brownie?” a recent passerby asked. Because you haven’t lived until you’ve tried these soft, chocolate-flavored treats packed with chocolate chip cookies and dripping with melted caramel. Get the recipe.

Related Video: Healthier Versions of Your Favorite Christmas Cookies

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How to Make Easy and Impressive Holiday Truffles

chestnut christmas truffles rolled in matcha powder

Sweets of all sorts abound during the holidays, from Christmas cookies to Hanukkah gelt, but chocolate truffles hit the elusive trifecta of easy, impressive, and delicious.

Sure, sugar cookies are classic. They can also be labor intensive and fairly easy to mess up; they burn, they break, they come out too crunchy or too soft. People are tired of pies after the onslaught at Thanksgiving. Cakes are a lot to take on when you’ve already got so much on your plate—and speaking of plates, many people are so overstuffed they don’t even want to think about dessert. But few can resist at least a single, perfect piece of chocolate. And if you’re looking for something almost effortless to make, pretty much foolproof, and always greatly appreciated, you’re looking for truffles.

In their purest form, they’re incredibly simple—just an amalgam of chocolate and cream, though they can be made more elaborate if you’re up for it—and even the most basic truffle is super impressive and immensely satisfying. They’re easy to adapt for vegans and dairy-free folks, and easy to infuse with a range of seasonal flavors—plus, you get to dress them up however you like, so you can feel like a kitchen alchemist without actually having to perform any difficult tasks. Best of all, even totally frills-free truffles are decadent and delicious, and a plate at a party is just as welcome as a box presented as a homemade Christmas gift. Basically, they can be your saving grace and secret weapon this holiday season. Here’s everything you need to know about making them:

The Classic Formula

bittersweet chocolate truffles rolled in cocoa powder

Chowhound

Traditional chocolate truffles are basically just little balls of firm ganache. The classic recipe is simply to warm heavy cream and pour it over chocolate and vanilla (and sometimes a little butter), let it melt and mix it well, then allow it to set before scooping out little spheres and rolling them in some sort of coating, like cocoa powder or finely chopped toasted nuts. They take almost no skill and are nigh impossible to screw up—yet, like anything made by hand, they seem extra special and they’re definitely luxurious in taste and texture. No coincidence, then, that they were named for that other truffle, the high-end gourmet fungus that can fetch $200 per ounce. Louis Dufour, the inventor of the chocolate truffle, called them that because their irregular round shape and dark cocoa coating made them resemble black truffles.

Get our Charles Chocolates Bittersweet Chocolate Truffles recipe.

Adding Other Flavors

orange chocolate truffles with orange marmalade and Grand Marnier orange liqueur

Chowhound

You can tweak the classic formula without getting too elaborate by simply adding different flavorings. Use extracts, like peppermint; spices, like cinnamon or five spice powder; or splashes of booze, like orange liqueur, rum, or even beer (chocolate stout truffles, ahoy). You can stir in a little jam or orange marmalade for a fruity truffle, or a little crème de marrons (vanilla chestnut paste), even some harissa or curry paste for a kick. Or you can infuse the cream itself by steeping things in the pot; just place your chosen ingredient, like toasted dried chiles, pine needles, tea bags or loose tea leaves, or fresh herbs like rosemary or lavender in the cream while it’s heating and let it sit for 10 minutes or so, then remove or strain out the solids before mixing the flavored cream with the chocolate.

McCormick Ground Cinnamon, $5.28 on Amazon

Add some spice to your truffles.
See It

Get our Orange Marmalade Truffles recipe.

Special Equipment (Not Required!)

You don’t need any special equipment to make truffles, which only adds to their beauty! However, if you have a melon baller, they’re good for lots of other things, including scooping out truffles. This makes them more uniform, and can allow you to skip the step of rolling the chilled truffles between your palms to make them rounder if you really don’t want ganache all over your hands, although the variations in size and surface area you get from hand-rolling them only add to their charm. If you have a pastry bag, you can also pipe your truffles into place before you roll them. Otherwise, just use a teaspoon to scoop them out.

Coating Your Truffles

Once formed, roll your truffles in any coating that calls to you: confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, matcha powder, turbinado or other raw sugar for a bit more crunch (sanding sugar gives you lots of colorful options—even sparkling black if you’re going for the lumps of coal look). Other crunchy coatings include toasted chopped nuts (pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds…), toffee bits, and crushed candy canes. You could use sprinkles, shredded coconut (toasted or not), cocoa nibs, chopped chocolate covered espresso beans, pulverized gingersnaps or other crisp cookie crumbs, even toasted sesame seeds. For extra fancy presentation, consider luster dust, or if you’ve got a bigger budget, edible gold or silver leaf. Or, if you want to embrace the sweet-salty combo, you might try rolling your truffles in bacon bits, or crushed pretzels or potato chips…

Chocolate Covered Options

The easiest method of finishing truffles is to roll them in something and call it a day, but adding a chocolate covering makes for a sleeker look and a slightly more durable treat. You can take a shortcut to a proper shell by using chocolate candy melts, though they often contain artificial ingredients you may not want, and real chocolate always tastes better. However, if you want a high-quality shell that’s smooth, shiny, snappy, and melt-resistant, you will have to temper that chocolate. If you have a sous vide circulator, this is really easy, but the old-fashioned way is a bit more of a process, explained here. There is a far less fussy method here that requires no special equipment, although your results may not be quite so perfect, which is totally fine for many of us. There’s also a method that involves a hair dryer and a food processor if you want to look into that, but honestly, it sounds more like a neat party trick than a legitimate time-saver.

You can use non-tempered melted chocolate to coat your truffles, if the risk of blooming and smudging doesn’t bother you. If you go that route, you can also add a little coconut oil to the chocolate so it sets a little harder. Before the chocolate coating sets, you can gently press a few edible bits (like candied citrus peel, flakes of sea salt, dragées, or pretty much anything crunchy from the “coating” category) on top for flavor and finesse, or you can brush them with luster dust once they’re set.

If you are dipping your truffles in anything melted, this article has lots of great tips for doing it neatly–but if this is starting to seem too complicated and fraught with risk of failure, remember: rolling them in a coating is not only easier, it’s traditional (and allows you to get pretty creative too)!

Dairy-Free Adaptations

For those that don’t eat dairy, truffles are still totally doable. Simply use a dark, dairy-free chocolate and melt it with heated coconut milk instead of heavy cream. You’ll still get that rich, creamy, dense-yet-smooth texture and deep chocolate taste, and have a lot of options for coating and flavoring the truffles as you please. Just be sure to use a thick, full-fat coconut milk, or even coconut cream, and not light coconut milk. You can also try soy cream, though you’ll need slightly less of it.

Going Rogue

Classically, “truffles” are little balls of semi-firm ganache and nothing more (or less!), but the term has evolved to encompass other filled chocolates in various shapes, and when you search for truffle recipes, you’ll get results that include variations like Nutella truffles, Oreo truffles, and other things more akin to cake pops sans sticks. Peanut butter buckeyes and fudgy Brazilian brigadeiros are both similar enough to truffles to call them cousins, and would be totally at home in a box or on a plate with them. Rum balls and cream cheese truffles? Equally welcome to the table. We even stand behind goat cheese-chocolate truffles; try our Chèvre Truffles recipe and you will too. Then there are the myriad vegan, paleo, and raw truffle variations with ingredients like dates and avocado. We’d try any truffle (and by any other name), but some of them do stray farther from the simplicity and ease of the original. Still, if you’re willing to take on more of a project, try making an assortment of truffles and truffle-adjacent sweets. The recipes below cover a whole range of these.

Storing and Shipping

Truffles are a food best eaten as soon as possible (generally not an issue), but once the chocolate-cream mixture has fully solidified, you can store them in a cool, dry, dark place for up to two weeks if you must. Heat and light, both natural and artificial, are their enemy, so if in doubt, pop them in the fridge, but bring them back to room temp before eating them for the best flavor and texture. Since they’re a relatively delicate perishable item, you might not want to ship them, although you can chance it with ice packs, precision packing, and express shipping. Chocolate-covered truffles are a little hardier (at least when the chocolate coating is tempered), and the “truffles” that are made from cake and cookies are even sturdier, so those might be a better option to mail–still, be sure to pack them well and ship express.

Now all you need to do is decide which kind to make. Here are some holiday options to inspire you:

Baileys Christmas Truffles

Bailey's Irish cream chocolate Christmas truffles

Brit + Co

Okay, so this is technically termed a bon bon recipe, but it follows the classic truffle formula pretty closely, replacing some of the cream with Baileys liqueur, and coating the outsides of the sweets in Christmas sprinkles. Get the recipe.

Christmas Sugar Cookie Truffles

Christmas sugar cookie truffles

If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen

Here’s a prime example of the cake pop truffle style, where cookies and cream cheese form the centers, which are generally always covered in a melted chocolate (or almond bark, or candy melt) shell. These are obviously perfect for the holidays, and a great way to turn any too-fugly-to-serve-to-company sugar cookies into something both cute and delicious, though they’re also worth making a fresh batch of cookies for crumbling up. Get the recipe.

Peppermint Truffles

chocolate peppermint truffles

Foodie Crush

Chocolate and mint are a classic duo, and especially great during winter (aka candy cane season). If you don’t like semisweet, you could try a white chocolate Oreo truffle take on these instead. The polished appearance of these chocolate-shelled treats is certainly striking, but if you prefer an easier route, just roll them in finely crushed candy canes instead. Get the recipe.

Eggnog Truffles

white chocolate eggnog truffles

Le Creme de la Crumb

Winter white truffles with the iconic flavor of eggnog, these use cream cheese and white chocolate, so they’re not traditional, but they are definitely festive. Feel free to replace the rum extract with actual rum in these for extra holiday cheer. Get the recipe.

Gingerbread Truffles

chocolate covered gingerbread truffles

Lord Byron’s Kitchen

All the warm, spicy-sweet flavor of gingerbread men without the hassle of rolling and cutting them into humanoid shapes? Plus the addition of chocolate? Yes, please. You could also make a more traditional truffle with a touch of spice and a coating of crushed gingersnaps, or try a raw, vegan version with bourbon, but these are made from actual gingerbread cookies and cream cheese, with an extra dose of cloves, cinnamon, and ginger to warm you up. Get the recipe.

Cranberry Pistachio White Chocolate Truffles

white chocolate Christmas truffles with cranberry and pistachio

OMG Chocolate Desserts

Covered in a snowdrift of powdered sugar, these white chocolate truffles are speckled red and green inside from cranberries and pistachios, which give them extra texture in addition to the perfect combo of festive colors. Get the recipe.

Christmas Pudding Truffles

Christmas pudding truffles

Western Star Butter

If you can’t resist these adorable little truffles (which aren’t technically truffles either but are just so charming), you’ll want to use a delicious fruitcake, of course—and that is not an oxymoron. We have a few good recipes for it, but you could use the same technique with gingerbread or spice cake if you prefer. The melted chocolate is mixed directly into the cake crumbs before they’re formed into balls, and a bit of white chocolate joins glace cherries for the holiday decoration on top. Get the recipe.

Paleo Pistachio Truffles

paleo pistachio truffles

Well Plated

For a beautiful example of the raw/paleo style of truffles using dried fruit and nuts, check out these treats made with raw walnuts, toasted pistachios, and dates, with a dark chocolate shell. Get the recipe.

Red Wine Chocolate Truffles

red wine chocolate truffles

Away From the Box

Wine is a year-long favorite, but many people appreciate its effect even more around the holidays. Why not work it into your diet in the form of dessert as well? For a more traditional cocoa-coated version, try these dark chocolate red wine truffles, or make especially seasonally appropriate mulled wine truffles. These are covered in a chocolate shell with a festive yet subtle sprinkle of red sugar. Get the recipe.

Turtle Cheesecake Truffles

trurtle cheesecake truffles with chocolate, caramel, and pecans

Steamy Kitchen

If you can’t be trusted around an entire cheesecake, make cheesecake truffles instead (and then be sure to give most of them away ASAP, before you find you’ve nibbled them all). These add chocolate, pecans, and caramel sauce to the mix for a turtle twist. Toast the pecans to amp up their crunch and nutty flavor. Get the recipe.

Salted Caramel and Whiskey Truffles

salted caramel whiskey chocolate truffles

Bakers Royale

These are more classical cocoa-coated truffles that perfectly illustrate how you can easily add extra flavors to the standard recipe. Here, the warmly welcomed newcomers are salted caramel sauce and whiskey. These would be a great gift for your chocolate and booze loving friends and fam. Get the recipe.

For more tips, hacks, and recipes, check out our Ultimate Guide to Christmas and Holiday Entertaining Headquarters.

Related Video: How to Make Vegan Carrot Cake Truffles

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