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    Home » Dessert Recipes » Homemade Candy

    Turkey Truffles

    Published: Nov 3, '14 · Modified: Apr 20, '21 · By: Beth · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Indulge in something this Thanksgiving that is rich and creamy but is also irresistibly adorable. Make these Turkey Truffles and have your taste buds go wild when you bite in and taste the delicious pumpkin spiced ganache.

    Turkey Truffles

    This post is sponsored by Collective Bias on behalf of Nestle. What started as an experiment using Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin and Edy's Slow Churned® Pumpkin Patch Ice Cream turned into one of the most amazing pumpkin recipes, I've ever made.

    I never imagined I'd be this excited to share a new post just a few days after my favorite holiday ended. Moving past Halloween and transitioning into Thanksgiving isn't as exciting for me as it is for most people. I'm actually quite sad now that my party is over, my pumpkin decorations are all taken down and the trick-or-treaters have come and gone.

    Luckily for me, spending an afternoon making these Turkey Truffles has really lifted my spirits. Not only did I develop the best tasting, most amazing pumpkin-flavored ganache for inside these truffles, but the turkeys turned out so cute, that I can't stop smiling when I look at them.

    Chocolate Thanksgiving Turkey Truffles filled with Pumpkin Ganache | HungryHappenings.com #Feast4All #Shop

    When I accepted the challenge to create a recipe using Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin and Edy's Slow Churned® Pumpkin Patch Ice Cream, the first recipe that came to mind was my Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Truffles where I melted ice cream and used it in place of whipping cream in my chocolate ganache recipe. I knew I could do something similar using pumpkin.

    I already have a recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Truffles on this blog and decided to start there and make some changes. Wow, am I glad I did. The new recipe made a silky smooth ganache with an intensified pumpkin flavor with hints of custard thanks to the Pumpkin Patch Ice Cream.

    The ice cream is wonderful all on its own but made into these truffles, it's over the top. I found it at Walmart and need to go back and get another carton or three. It's only available during the holidays, so you'll want to go grab some so you can make these truffles.

    Note: In other areas of the country, it's called Dryer's Ice Cream.

    Also at Walmart, I found Libby's 8-ounce cans of pumpkin. I'd never seen cans that small before and was so happy to find them, as that's exactly what this recipe calls for.

    Thanksgiving Treats - Turkey Truffles | HungryHappenings.com

    This recipe does make a lot of pumpkin ganache. It is enough to make 60 Turkey Truffles using the 2 ½ inch egg molds that I used. I know that is a lot of chocolate turkeys.

    I actually only made 16 turkeys. I just weighed everything to calculate the total number of truffles it would make.

    I plan to use the rest of the pumpkin ganache on some cheesecake tarts that I'll be sending in to work with my husband for his Veteran's Day luncheon. That is if I don't just eat it all by the spoonful.

    Chocolate Turkey Truffles | HungryHappenings.com

    Chocolate Turkey Truffles filled with Pumpkin Ganache

    Ingredients: (makes 60)

    Pumpkin Ganache:
    8 ounces (1 cup) Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
    ¼ cup packed brown sugar
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
    1 cup packed Edy's Slow Churned Pumpkin Patch Ice Cream*
    18 ounces good-quality white chocolate (with cocoa butter in the ingredients)
    ⅓ cup Nestle Butterscotch Morsels

    *Edy's (or Dryer's) Slow Churned Pumpkin Patch Ice Cream is available at Walmart through the holiday season. You can also use Edy's Slow Churned Classic Vanilla or Vanilla Bean Ice Cream for this recipe, just increase the spices to 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon ginger, and ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg.

    Pumpkin Truffles Recipe Ingredients

    Chocolate Truffle Shells:

    24-28 ounces melted and tempered pure milk chocolate
    18-20 ounces melted and tempered pure dark chocolate

           OR use melted light and dark cocoa confectionery coating/candy melts**

    **For instructions on melting chocolate or confectionery coating, see my Chocolate Making Tips Page.

    Decorations:
    120 candy eyes (⅜ inch look best)
    60 orange candy-coated sunflower seeds
    60 red candy-coated sunflower seeds

    Supplies Needed:

    2 ¼ or 2 ½ inch egg-shaped candy molds
    small squeeze-it mold painters or squeeze bottles, pastry bags or zip-top bags

    Instructions:

    Pumpkin Ganache Recipe

    • Pour the pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg into a small non-stick skillet.
    • Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally for five minutes.
    • Continue to heat stirring constantly for 3 more minutes, until the mixture thickens, turns deep golden brown, and reduces by about half.
    • Remove the pumpkin from the heat and allow it to cool for 15 minutes.

    Pumpkin Truffle Recipe

    • Meanwhile, set up a double boiler, with 1 inch of water in the bottom pan and the ice cream, white chocolate, and butterscotch morsels in the top pan.
    • Set over low heat. Stir occasionally.

    I put my pumpkin through a fine-mesh strainer before adding it to the melting chocolate to make sure there were no lumps. I'm not sure this is absolutely necessary, but I really wanted to make sure I ended up with a smooth ganache.

    • Continue to stir the ganache, occasionally, until almost all of the chocolate is melted.
    • Turn off the heat and allow the remaining chunks of chocolate to melt.
      • The butterscotch chips will be the last thing to melt. I had to smash them with a spoon to get them to melt completely.
    • Pour the hot ganache into a glass measuring cup or bowl. Cover it and allow it to cool to room temperature, at least one hour.

    How to create a chocolate shell using a candy mold

    • Combine 16 ounces of milk chocolate with 16 ounces of dark chocolate.
    • Paint a thin layer of chocolate into each egg-shaped cavity in your candy molds.

    NOTE: I combined the two types of chocolate to get a nicely flavored yet not so dark chocolate egg for my turkeys. I wanted the flavor of semi-sweet chocolate to contrast the sweet pumpkin ganache, but it was just too dark in color, so adding the milk chocolate lightened it while maintaining a rich flavor. I tried using all milk chocolate, but I found the truffles to be too sweet.

    If using tempered chocolate, you'll need to re-temper it to use it for various stages of this recipe.

    Homemade Chocolate Eggs

    Make sure you fill in any thin spots or holes and be sure the chocolate goes all the way up to the edge of the egg cavity. Wipe the excess chocolate off around the edge of the eggs.

    If using pure chocolate pop the molds in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes.

    If using confectionery coating, place in the freezer for about 5 minutes.

    Pumpkin Truffles

    • Pipe pumpkin ganache into the chocolate shells, leaving enough room to top the ganache with a thin layer of chocolate.
    • Let the eggs sit for 1 hour at room temperature until the ganache thickens and drys on top.

    Chocolate Pumpkin Truffles

    Spread a layer of chocolate over top of the ganache and scrape off any excess chocolate.

    • Pop them in the refrigerator for pure chocolate and freezer for confectionery coating for 5 minutes until the topcoat is hardened.

    Homemade Chocolate Truffle Eggs

    • Carefully turn the mold upside down over a baking sheet or countertop and allow the chocolate eggs to fall out.

    How to make Chocolate Truffle Turkeys

    • Put a teaspoon size dollop of the blended milk and dark chocolate on a piece of parchment paper.
    • Allow it to thicken a bit, then set one chocolate truffle egg, with the rounded side down, in the middle of it.
    • Hold it until it hardens in place.
    • If the chocolate is thick enough, you can just set the egg on top and it will stand up.
    • Repeat creating little chocolate stands for all of your truffle eggs.

    Chocolate Turkey Feathers

    • Use the remaining dark chocolate to pipe the outline of turkey tail feathers onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    • Fill in with the remaining milk chocolate.
    • Once you have piped in the milk chocolate, tap the tray to remove air bubbles. Do this as you make each one.
    • Refrigerate (pure chocolate) or freeze (coating) for 5-10 minutes until set.

    How to make Chocolate Thanksgiving Turkey Truffles | HungryHappenings.com

    • To assemble, use melted chocolate to attach two eyes, one orange candy-coated sunflower seed beak, one red candy-coated sunflower seed waddle (the thing that hangs down around the beak,) and one tail feather.
    • The backside of the tail feathers (pictured on the right) looks nicer and is flat, so brush on some chocolate and press it onto the back of the chocolate egg.

    How to make Chocolate Turkey Truffles | HungryHappenings.com

    • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

    I was compensated by Collective Bias and it's Advertiser to create this recipe, but all opinions expressed here are my own.

    This pumpkin ganache recipe is one of my new favorites. Even if you don't make these time-consuming turkeys, make the ganache. You'll love it, I'm sure.

     
    Items used to make this project that are available on Amazon.com (commission earned for sales)

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    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Beth
    Beth
    Hi, I'm Beth Jackson Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com
    Beth
    Latest posts by Beth (see all)
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    1. Pamela

      October 05, 2015 at 11:11 am

      Now far in advance can an ordinary chocolate, not ones filled with ganache or anything that might spoil, be made and kept before it will show signs of age? I have fibromyalgia and I need to work as far in advance as possible to accomplish things to be ready for an event or holiday.

      thanks

      Reply
      • Beth

        October 05, 2015 at 11:31 am

        Chocolate, itself, has a pretty long shelf life. If you are using pure semi-sweet, bittersweet, or milk chocolate, it will keep for well over a year if stored properly. White chocolate and candy coating will stay fresh for about 6 months from the time it was manufactured. For some reason though, the candy coatings seam to lose some of their flavor after a month or so. If you were to make these turkeys, with the ganache in the center, they should be eaten within 2 weeks. If you fill them with something like caramel or peanut butter fudge, you could make them now for Thanksgiving and they'd be fine.

        Reply
    2. oscar thomas

      January 16, 2015 at 6:28 am

      Wow, marvelous post. How long have you been doing this? you made thanksgiving is special to look easy. The overall look of your thanksgiving chocolate is excellent, as well as the content of this. Could you have any thanksgiving outlines. I wants some. Thanks.

      Reply
    3. Deb Attinella {CookingOnTheFrontBurner}

      November 21, 2014 at 1:46 am

      Beth, so cute - thanks for linking with us at Best of the Weekend - these are being featured on my blog tomorrow (along with a couple others!)

      Reply
      • beth

        November 21, 2014 at 2:21 am

        Thanks so much for featuring my truffles. I appreciate it. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

        Reply
    4. ariana

      November 12, 2014 at 3:49 pm

      a wonderful idea, and the execution very explicit, I'll try to reproduce and I this wonderful, precise my girls will love. thanks

      Reply
    5. Vanessa @Vanessa Baked

      November 12, 2014 at 2:57 pm

      These are seriously the cutest chocolate turkeys! Very talented and creative!

      Reply
      • beth

        November 12, 2014 at 3:03 pm

        Thank you, Vanessa. I'm happy you stopped by to check them out.

        Reply
    6. Claudia H

      November 12, 2014 at 1:37 am

      These are so amazingly adorable, ohmygosh!!!

      Reply
      • beth

        November 12, 2014 at 3:02 pm

        Thanks, Claudia. I'm happy you like them;)

        Reply
    7. Danielle Simmons

      November 11, 2014 at 6:11 pm

      Seriously adorable!! I can't get over how cute these turkeys are. I may need to start brushing up on my chocolate making and try these. #client

      Reply
      • beth

        November 12, 2014 at 3:02 pm

        Thanks, Danielle. Making chocolate is so much fun and end results are always a treat.

        Reply
    8. Anonymous

      November 10, 2014 at 6:34 am

      where do you get the candy sunflower seeds?

      Reply
      • beth

        November 10, 2014 at 12:46 pm

        There are picture links above to purchase them from Amazon, but I usually find them at Jo Ann Fabrics near the check out. Candy stores would probably carry them too. Some Hallmark stores have candy counters and they might sell them as well.

        Reply
    9. Erin @ Simple, Sweet & Savory

      November 08, 2014 at 3:29 am

      I saw these at the link party and they are the cutest little treats I've ever seen! Pinning to try on turkey day in just a few weeks!

      Reply
      • beth

        November 08, 2014 at 11:04 am

        Thanks, Erin. I'm happy you stopped by to check them out and I appreciate the pin.

        Reply
    10. Sarah Hook

      November 07, 2014 at 3:43 pm

      Hello from #FoodieFridays! These Chocolate Turkey Truffles are ridiculous (in a good way)! I love them! They are so cute and look delicious too! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • beth

        November 08, 2014 at 11:07 am

        Thanks for stopping by from the linky party. I'm so happy they attracted your attention!

        Reply
    11. Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake

      November 07, 2014 at 1:19 pm

      oh my gosh, these are so adorable! I'm british and I still want to make some little thanksgiving turkey truffles! They sound really yummy too.

      Reply
      • beth

        November 08, 2014 at 11:06 am

        That's so sweet=)

        Reply
    12. Michelle Nahom

      November 07, 2014 at 3:34 am

      How cute are those?!! Pinning - what a fun treat! Thanks for linking it up with us at Foodie Fridays!

      Reply
      • beth

        November 07, 2014 at 3:39 am

        Thanks for pinning and for stopping by!

        Reply
    13. Nicole Neverman

      November 07, 2014 at 3:20 am

      These are SO cute and such a fantastic idea! That pumpkin ganache sounds great too. I saw this on the Foodie Fridays link up! I would be delighted if you'd stop by http://picnicnz.blogspot.co.nz/ and add this to the Pure Blog Love link party too 🙂

      Reply
      • beth

        November 07, 2014 at 3:43 am

        Thanks so much for stopping by, Nicole. I just added this to your linky party.

        Reply
    14. The Bearfoot Baker

      November 05, 2014 at 10:19 am

      WOW! They are adorable! Pinning now!

      Reply
      • beth

        November 07, 2014 at 3:41 am

        I always appreciate pins! Thanks.

        Reply
    15. Anonymous

      November 04, 2014 at 4:48 pm

      Another great one. I just love these. Thanks again. Trish

      Reply
      • beth

        November 07, 2014 at 3:40 am

        Thanks, Trish :@)

        Reply
    16. The Partiologist

      November 04, 2014 at 3:58 pm

      I love these little guys and your video of you carving was superb!! I must make the ice cream pumpkin ganache, it sounds so intriguing.

      Reply
      • beth

        November 07, 2014 at 3:40 am

        You'll love the ganache. It really is amazing!

        Reply
    17. heather gilmour

      November 04, 2014 at 11:13 am

      These turkeys are too cute!

      Reply
      • beth

        November 07, 2014 at 3:40 am

        Thanks, Heather=)

        Reply
    18. Lynn

      November 04, 2014 at 9:30 am

      Absolutely adorable:@)

      Reply
      • beth

        November 07, 2014 at 3:39 am

        Thanks, Lynn.

        Reply
    19. Karen @ Sugartown Sweets

      November 03, 2014 at 8:12 pm

      I can surely see how these adorable little turkeys lifted your spirits. They lifted mine and I'm already on a Christmas high thanks to a weekend overload of Hallmark movies!!
      I can also see why you're sad to put away your pumpkins..they were all so cute!

      Reply
      • beth

        November 03, 2014 at 9:07 pm

        They sure did. They took a while to get them just how I wanted, but in the end, they make me smile.

        I watched my first Hallmark holiday movie last night too. I didn't do a marathon, like you must have, but even one was enough to move me past Halloween. It wont be long and I'll be posting Christmas. Time really flies.

        Reply

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    I'm Beth. I've been a professional chocolatier & baker for over 30 years, have written 5 cookbooks, and love creating fun food for holidays and special occasions.

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