Strawberry White Chocolate Truffles Recipe by Mia P. Manansala

Strawberry White Chocolate Truffles

I’ve got a lovely, simple treat that is so delicious and pretty, it would make the perfect Valentine's Day gift for your loved ones. And because it uses the microwave, this would be a fun activity to do with kids!

I recently got my husband addicted to Lindt chocolate—he loves candy, but isn’t really a chocolate person. But then we made chocolate fondue with Lindt milk chocolate and white chocolate (he can’t stand dark chocolate, so I was easing him in) and he fell in love. He recently grabbed a bag of the limited edition strawberry white chocolate truffles and devoured them all in two days, so that’s what inspired this recipe. The ones I made are rather large, so you might want to to use half a tablespoon instead. These truffles are a wonderfully rich treat.

I used freeze-dried strawberry powder to flavor these, which is easily found online (you can also whizz freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor to make your own), so they're naturally colored and intensely flavored. I left a bit of a range so you can experiment with how strawberry-y you want your truffles.

The best part? You only need three ingredients. Four, if you include salt, but honestly, who counts salt?

Strawberry White Chocolate Truffles

Yield: About 16 tablespoon-sized truffles

Ingredients:

• 2-4 TBSP freeze-dried strawberry powder
• 11 oz good quality white chocolate chips, wafers, or chopped bar
• ½ cup heavy cream, evaporated milk, or coconut milk
• Pinch of salt

Possible toppings/decorations:

• Freeze-dried strawberry powder
• Powdered sugar
• Cocoa powder
• Sprinkles
• Melted white or semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Directions:

1. Put all the ingredients in a large, heatproof bowl.
2. Microwave the mixture in 30-second intervals, stirring the mixture with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted and there are no lumps.
3. Add the strawberry powder and stir until fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
4. Cover and place in the fridge for a couple of hours until firm.
5. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, scoop out the truffle mixture and form into balls.
6. Decorate as you wish.
7. Enjoy! 

Decorating options: You can serve the truffles as is, roll them in strawberry powder/powdered sugar/cocoa powder, or melt more white chocolate to dip and form a nice shell on the outside. They can be as simple or fancy as you like!

Cast of Characters: White chocolate chips, evaporated milk, strawberry powder

Put all the ingredients in large, heatproof bowl

Microwave in 30-second intervals until the chocolate is melted and mixture is thick and smooth

Add strawberry powder

Strawberry ganache

Truffle decorations: mini baking cups, strawberry powder, red sprinkles, powdered sugar, cacao powder

I wanted to save on dishes, so I put two toppings per container

Scoop the strawberry ganache

Roll into a ball

I used gloves because rolling the truffles can be a messy process, and since these were a gift, I wanted to keep it as sanitary as possible. If your ganache is too hard to scoop (as mine was, because I got distracted and left it in the fridge overnight), microwave on 30-second intervals until it is just soft enough to scoop--you don't want to melt it, so be careful.

Make sure to refrigerate the truffles in an airtight container. If stored properly, they should be good for up to two weeks in the fridge, longer in the freezer.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, Dear Readers! Just like the family in my debut novel, ARSENIC AND ADOBO, food is how I show love, so making gifts like this brings me such joy. What is your go-to homemade gift? Or what was the best homemade gift you received? Let me know in the comments!

If you liked this recipe, make sure you sign up for my newsletter! I include a Filipino-themed recipe every month, and this month's recipe corner features a delicious Filipino spin on these white chocolate truffles.

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