Cinnamon Crunch Truffles

What do you get when you combine rich white chocolate truffles, several heaping spoonfuls of cinnamon, and a crunchy coating of crushed cinnamon cereal? Only the best truffles this side of the Mississippi! (And by "this side of the Mississippi" I mean whichever side you're on.) I used Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal to give these Cinnamon Crunch Truffles a sweet, crispy coating that's a perfect contrast to the silky smooth truffle filling inside. The only downside to these truffles is that the cereal coating gets soggy after a few days...but that's all the more reason to eat them quickly!

Get the recipe: Cinnamon Crunch Truffles

---

Get my Weekly Newsletter | Connect on Facebook | Find me on Twitter.

Cinnamon Crunch Truffles Photo c2012 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

View the original article here

Cinnamon Truffles

Cinnamon truffles made of cinnamon-scented cream and deep, dark chocolate. A delicious combination and a sinfully rich candy. As an alternative to rolling them in cocoa, you could try dipping them in chocolate and topping them with a Red Hot or other cinnamon candy.

Prep Time: 30?minutes

Total Time: 30?minutes

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Place the cinnamon stick with the cream in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, and simmer until the cream just starts to boil. Remove from heat, and remove the cinnamon stick from the cream with a fork or spoon.

3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow to sit for one minute. After a minute, whisk the mixture steadily but not too vigorously—you want it to be well-combined but without air bubbles. Whisk until the mixture is entirely smooth. This is your ganache.

4. Cover the ganache with cling wrap, placing the cream wrap directly on top of the ganache so that it is not exposed to air. Allow the ganache to set at room temperature for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight. The ganache should not be refrigerated, because it might harden too rapidly and the texture will be spoiled.

5. When your ganache is firm enough to shape, scoop teaspoonfuls of ganache and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat until you have formed as many truffles as you desire. Place the truffles in the refrigerator to harden for at least an hour.

6. Combine the cocoa powder and the cinnamon in a shallow bowl or pie tin. Once the truffles are firm, coat your hand in cocoa powder and roll a truffle between your hands to make it round. Roll the truffle in the cocoa-cinnamon mixture and place back on the baking sheet.

7. Once all the truffles are done, they can be stored in a single layer in a refrigerated airtight container for up to a week. They are best served at room temperature when their flavor and texture

View the original article here

Cinnamon Pumpkins

(c) 2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

These petite white chocolate pumpkins, scented with ground cinnamon, make the perfect autumn candy. I prefer to use white molding chocolate (as opposed to real white chocolate) for this recipe, so that these candies are less delicate and can be used as party favors, decorations, or garnish for baked goods.

The exact amount of chocolate you’ll need depends on the type of candy molds you have. This recipe was tested using plastic molds with 18 small 1-inch pumpkin cavities. Remember also that since these candies are small, they will set quickly, so you can re-use your molds in a fairly short period of time.

Prep Time: 10?minutes

Total Time: 10?minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces white chocolate candy coating
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Orange and green oil-based candy colors
• Small food-safe paintbrush
• Pumpkin candy molds

Preparation:

1. Make sure that your candy molds are clean and dry.

2. Place the white chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the chocolate is melted, stirring after every minute to avoid overheating. Stir in the cinnamon and blend until well-combined.

3. Remove a tablespoon of chocolate and place it in a small bowl. Stir in a small amount of green candy coloring, and continue to add color until you achieve the green you want.

4. Add orange coloring to the remaining melted chocolate, and stir until smooth.

5. Using a small paintbrush, brush the green coloring in the “stem” portion of the pumpkin cavities. Allow the green chocolate to set for a minute, then spoon small amounts of orange chocolate in the cavities. Using a bench scraper or metal spatula, scrape along the top of the candy mold, to spread the chocolate evenly and remove any excess chocolate from the pumpkins.

6. Place the pumpkins in the refrigerator to set. If your pumpkins are small, this should only take about 10 minutes. Once they are set, you can pop them out of the molds, clean the molds, and re-use them to make more pumpkins. Briefly re-heat your chocolate, if it has started hardening.

7. Store the candy pumpkins in an airtight container. If you have used chocolate candy coating, they will be stable at room temperature and will not require refrigeration.

View the original article here