Hojicha Truffles Dark Chocolate (Printable version)

Elegant bite-sized dark chocolate truffles with creamy hojicha-infused ganache centers, finished with roasted green tea powder dusting.

# What You Need:

→ Ganache

01 - 7 oz good-quality dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), finely chopped
02 - 4 fl oz heavy cream
03 - 0.35 oz hojicha tea leaves (roasted green tea), or 2 tbsp loose leaf
04 - 0.7 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 1 tsp honey (optional, for subtle sweetness)

→ Coating

06 - 3 tbsp hojicha powder (finely ground roasted green tea, for dusting)

# How to Make It:

01 - Place the finely chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
02 - In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, add hojicha tea leaves, cover, and let steep for 7 minutes.
03 - Strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing gently on the tea leaves to extract maximum flavor. Reheat if needed until just warm.
04 - Pour the infused cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes, then gently stir until smooth and fully melted.
05 - Add the butter and honey (if using), stirring until glossy and well incorporated.
06 - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the ganache is firm enough to scoop.
07 - Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out portions of ganache (about 0.5 oz each) and roll into balls between your palms.
08 - Place the hojicha powder in a shallow bowl. Roll each truffle in the powder to coat evenly.
09 - Arrange on a parchment-lined tray. Store truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving for optimal texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste elegant and complicated but come together in about three hours, mostly hands-off chilling time.
  • The hojicha flavor is subtle and sophisticated, nothing like the sweet chocolate you'd expect.
  • You'll have exactly 24 little bites to share, hoard, or gift away.
02 -
  • If you rush the chilling step, your ganache will be too soft to roll and you'll end up with a mess; patience is genuinely important here.
  • The hojicha powder coating looks subtle but tastes incredible, so don't skip it thinking it's just decoration.
  • Temperature matters more than you'd think; cold hands and a cool kitchen make the rolling process so much easier.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is warm, wear cold gloves or briefly chill your hands under running water before rolling each batch of truffles.
  • Leftover hojicha powder keeps in an airtight container and can dust ice cream, yogurt, or even toast with butter for a sweet breakfast moment.
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