Salted Caramel Chocolate Truffles (Vegan Option)
These incredibly simple salted caramel chocolate truffles are rich and creamy with a perfectly silky texture. Only using a few ingredients, these are a great last-minute dessert or gift for loved ones!
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Ugh, February. The shortest month that feels the longest. I don’t know why I don’t particularly care for this month. I mean, my husband and I started dating in February. I found out I was pregnant with my daughter in February (four years ago, wow!). And I do love Galentine’s Day. Valentine’s is even growing on me, now that I see it as fun and cute instead of some status symbol for my relationship.
But February always feels droll and dreary. In fact, Don Pedro said it best in Much Ado About Nothing. “Why, what's the matter, / That you have such a February face, / So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?” I mean, come on. A February face? So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness? Pretty spot on.
But no bother. Enter chocolate. Part of me wonders if Valentine’s was placed in February to cheer up this month. Because nothing heals quite like chocolate.
Why this recipe works
I’ve spent time experimenting with the ratios of chocolate and coconut cream and find this one to be perfect for truffles. It’s a little messy to roll them out, but afterward the result is a perfectly soft, delicious candy! As well, these can easily be made vegan, with vegan chocolate and vegan caramel sauce.
Key ingredients
Baking chocolate. Use a high quality one, which will melt better and create a smooth outer coating.
Coconut cream. No milk! Use full fat, canned coconut CREAM to ensure the perfect texture.
Salted caramel sauce. You can make some or use store bought. Just be sure it’s one you really like, as the flavor really shines through here.
Flaked sea salt. This is optional, but I love the extra pop of salt that it adds and the look as well!
How to make vegan chocolate truffles
1. Melt vegan chocolate chips, caramel, and coconut cream (NOT milk).
2. Chill until firm.
3. Form into truffle-ish shaped balls. Be sure to have a lined tray at the ready for this or things get messier than they already are.
4. Freeze while you melt more vegan chocolate. You may need to add a teaspoon of coconut oil, depending on the chocolate you use. Most vegan baking chocolate should melt to a nice and thin consistency.
5. Dip frozen truffles in the melted chocolate. Let the excess drip off or “guide” it off with a knife.
6. Decorate as desired then freeze again to set. I just drizzled some caramel on top and sprinkled flaked sea salt, but you can decorate however you want!
Enjoy!
Tips and notes for this recipe
Take your time forming the filling
I made three different flavors (check back in a few months for my vegan toasted coconut truffles!), and some were easier to form into truffle shapes than others. This plain chocolate flavor was fairly easy to mold, but not at first. It took some practice, and depending on how warm your house and/or hands are, you may want to try what I did: roll all of the filling into roughly round shapes. Don’t spend too long on one piece—the goal is just to get it into a solid mass that won’t crack or separate. Set it on your tray. Then, once all the filling is formed, start with the first one you made and go back through, re-shaping each one.
Don’t be afraid to get messy!
Your hand will get messy with this, unless you have a very high-end cookie scoop or melon baller that has a release mechanism. Mine was the perfect size but wasn’t keeping things nicely shaped as I scooped. So, I just used a spoon, grabbed a glob, and embraced the mess. My daughter was helping me and loved the mess, so I went with it.
Don’t worry about perfectly shaped filling
The coating chocolate will help round these out quite a bit, so don’t worry if it’s not perfectly round. Each chocolate brand is different, and some may not be as malleable as others. But between the coating and any decorations you use, you’ll get a pretty round finished truffle.
Refrigerate until serving
These can last on the counter for a few hours at a party, but it’s best to store them in the fridge to avoid them melting. Plus, the coconut milk will eventually spoil at room temperature. Luckily, they can last 1-2 weeks in the fridge!
How to make it vegan
This part is easier than I expected! You just need vegan chocolate, which can be found at many stores. Trader Joe’s chocolate chunks are vegan, as is Guittard semi-sweet chips. There are many other brands out there, so use your favorite! As for the caramel sauce, you can either make or buy a vegan version. While I’ve never made one myself, I’ve heard great things about this brand!
Where to find vegan chocolate
I lucked out and discovered that Trader Joe’s chocolate chunks (one of my favorite chocolates) is vegan! Guittard is another great brand that’s vegan as well, and can be found at most grocery stores. I’ve found that most vegans already have their favorite brand of choice, so if this is new to you, just check the ingredients and make sure there are no dairy products, including whey.
Only use coconut cream!
Coconut milk is too thin to help these set up correctly. If you’re counting calories, just remember that a vegan diet is good for the environment and that moderation is key to any successful diet. Also, know that you are beautiful/handsome/amazing as you are and are allowed to eat truffles. :)
Salted Caramel Chocolate Truffles
- prep time: 25-30 minutes
- chill time: 1-2 hours
- total time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
servings: 36 large or 48 medium truffles
Ingredients:
- 42 ounces semi-chocolate, separated*
- 1 can (14 ounces/397g) coconut cream
- ½ cup (about 160g) salted caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)*
- optional: 1 teaspoon (5g) coconut oil (only use if needed to thin out the coating chocolate)
- flaked sea salt and a little extra caramel sauce, to decorate
Instructions:
- First, you’ll need a double boiler. If you don’t own one (I’ve only ever seen them in the store and never in a person’s house), create one by placing 1” to2” water in a medium to large-ish saucepan and finding a bowl that can sit on top without the bottom touching the water. Bring the water to a boil then turn down to low and place the bowl on top.
- Combine 30 ounces of the chocolate, coconut cream (watery part and solid part), and ½ cup caramel sauce in your double boiler bowl. Stir constantly, until the chocolate is 75% melted. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir vigorously until smooth. If it doesn’t smooth out as it cools, you can place it back on the saucepan for another 30-60 seconds. It’s best to remove it too soon than let it cook too long and ruin the chocolate.
- Refrigerate the chocolate until firm, at least 1 hour. If you’re not going to be able to finish the truffles right away, cover with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out or absorb the smells from the fridge.
- Once firm, roll your truffle filling. First, place a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on a rimmed baking sheet (rimmed is important because these tend to roll around).
- Using a melon baller, small cookie scoop, or spoon, scoop out about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of filling. If it’s too hard to scoop out, let it sit 5 minutes. If it’s too soft, place back in the fridge for 30 more minutes, or until firmed up. Work quickly and form into a ball, rolling it firmly between your palms without squishing it. You want to be sure it sticks together but don’t want to melt it or create a pancake. If it starts melting as you roll, just place it on your baking sheet and move on. Once all of the filling is shaped into rough balls, go back to the first one and start re-shaping them a little, fixing any that are wildly not truffle shaped. But don’t worry about perfection.
- Freeze on your tray for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to coat and decorate, melt the remaining chocolate in in your clean double boiler, just like in steps 1-2. If the chocolate is too thick, add 1 teaspoon coconut oil to thin it out. It should be somewhere between the consistency of chocolate syrup and hot fudge. Let it cool for a few minutes before using.
- Once the coating chocolate is warm but not hot, remove the tray from the freezer. Using a fork, dip each truffle in the coating chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off before sliding it back onto your lined tray. If needed, use a knife to do this. Also if needed, use the knife to shape the chocolate a bit, if it’s a bit thick.
- Drizzle some more caramel sauce on top of each truffle then sprinkle a pinch of flaked sea salt on each one.
- Freeze chocolates at least 20 minutes, until firm to the touch.
Enjoy!
Truffles can stand at room temperature for a few hours, but should otherwise be refrigerated in an airtight container. They should last 1-2 weeks, if well-sealed.
*To make these vegan, use vegan chocolate (such as Guittard) and vegan salted caramel sauce.
