Chocolate Anise Truffles

• 1/4 cup Anise liquor
• 1/2 cup butter
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 cups pulverized anisette cookies

In a double boiler melt the chocolate, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon. When the chocolate has melted, add the butter and slowly stir it into the chocolate as it melts. Continue to stir for another minute until it is well mixed and smooth. Add in the Rum and stir until well mixed, then sprinkle in the pulverized anisette cookies (a little at a time, as sometimes it takes less) until the mixture is slightly thickened but still smooth. You want the mixture to remain as a thick sauce at this point.


When you have thoroughly mixed in the anisettes, rest the top of your double boiler in a bucket of ice and WHISK the truffle mixture slowly until it has cooled (about 15 minutes). Do not stop whicking or the butter and rum will separate out of the chocolate-anisette. When the sauce is completely cooled it should have a soft but solid consistency which you can then spoon out and form into truffles and coat with chocolate powder or confectioners sugar.

Cognac Truffles

• 3 1 oz square of unsweetened chocolate
• 1 1/4 c confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 c butter
• 3 egg yolks (I use the whites to make macaroons or meringue cookies)
• 1 tsp vanilla or 2 TBSP of cognac

Melt chocolate. Combine sugar and butter in bowl. Cream together. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time. Stir in melted chocolate and flavoring. Chill mixture. Break off pieces and form into balls. Roll in coating.

Air-dry 1 hour. Store in air-tight container in very cool place.

Makes about fifty truffles.

Suggested coatings: ground almonds or other nuts, cocoa, more melted chocolate, confectioners' sugar, coconut, chocolate or coloured jimmies.

Note that this uses raw egg yolks. I find a melon baller to be very handy in forming the truffles.

Easy Truffles

8 oz Semi-sweet chocolate
1/3 c Milk
1/3 c Unsalted butter
2 ea Egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/4 t Vanilla extract
1 x Unsweetened cocoa


In saucepan, melt chocolate with milk and butter over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir 1/4 cup hot mixture into egg yolks, the whisk yolks into chocolate mixture in saucepan. Add vanilla; beat well. Pour into small bowl; cover and refrigerate until firm. (You can store in refrigerator for up to 2 days at this point.)

Form teaspoonfuls into balls; roll in cocoa and shake off excess. Makes 1 pound (about 2 dozen). About 75 calories each.

For gift-giving: use a glass jar with lid or candy dish covered with plastic wrap. Store covered in refrigerator for 3 weeks and in freezer for up to 2 months.