This Christmas, delight your guests with cute little Gingerbread Man Truffles. They are sure to warm your heart and they taste just like gingerbread. Your kids can even decorate them with frosting or candy for a fun food craft day.
The sun finally came out yesterday after a week of gray and dreary skies. My window filled home has been so dark that even though I made these gingerbread truffles quite a few days ago, I couldn't get a good picture of them until yesterday. I usually try to work on blog projects when it is sunny, so that I can use natural light to take my pictures. I've never been a fan of gloomy weather, but now that I am even more dependent on sunshine, my disdain for cloudy days had grown.
I did go ahead and shoot all my step-by-step images and even with lots of editing, some of them look terrible. Sorry about that! These little gingerbread truffles not only look like gingerbread men, but they taste like gingerbread.
I adapted this recipe from Peter's Chocolate and love how the spice and molasses flavor compliment the milk chocolate. If you don't have a gingerbread man silicone mold you can just scoop and roll these in some cocoa powder or even dip them in chocolate. Any way you make them they are really a nice Christmas treat.
Gingerbread Truffles (makes 24)
- ⅔ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 16 ounces good quality milk chocolate finely chopped
- small saucepan
- disposable icing bag or heavy duty zip top bag
- Wilton Silicone 24 Cavity Gingerbread Mold
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Pour heavy whipping cream, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg into a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until it just begins to boil.
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Remove it from the heat and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
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Once again heat it over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan.
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Remove it from the heat and add the finely chopped milk chocolate and vanilla.
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Stir it just until the chocolate is completely submerged in the cream, then let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Stir until smooth and creamy. If you still have any chunks of chocolate remaining, you can gently heat it over low heat until melted.
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NOTE: Do not over heat this ganache (the chocolate mixture) or the cocoa butter will rise to the surface and your truffles will be oily. If this happens, you can stir in a tablespoon of cold cream which will help bring the mixture back together, just be aware that your truffles will be softer.
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Fill a disposable pastry bag or a zip top bag with the gingerbread ganache.
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Pipe it into the gingerbread mold filling the cavities about ¾ of the way full.
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Refrigerate for one hour, then freeze for another hour.
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Un-mold the gingerbread men truffles. If they are sticking at all, freeze for a while longer.
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Allow truffles to come to room temperature before serving.
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If desired, decorate gingerbread men with frosting, melted chocolate, and candies.
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Keep them stored in an airtight container.
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If kept in a cool dry place they will keep up to two weeks.
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If you keep them refrigerated they will keep for about three weeks.
Wilton Silicone 24 Cavity Gingerbread Mold
Instructions:
Pour heavy whipping cream, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg into a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until it just begins to boil. Remove it from the heat and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
Once again heat it over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, remove it from the heat and add the finely chopped milk chocolate and vanilla. Stir it just until the chocolate is completely submerged in the cream, then let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Stir until smooth and creamy. If you still have any chunks of chocolate remaining, you can gently heat it over low heat until melted.
NOTE: Do not over heat this ganache (the chocolate mixture) or the cocoa butter will rise to the surface and your truffles will be oily. If this happens, you can stir in a tablespoon of cold cream which will help bring the mixture back together, just be aware that your truffles will be softer.
Fill a disposable pastry bag or a zip top bag with the gingerbread ganache. Pipe it into the gingerbread mold filling the cavities about ¾ of the way full.
Refrigerate for one hour, then freeze for another hour.
Un-mold the gingerbread men truffles. If they are sticking at all, freeze for a while longer. They should come out clean.
Allow truffles to come to room temperature before serving. You can place them in a candy dish or on a serving tray for your Christmas celebration. If you have time and the inclination, you can even decorate these gingerbread men with frosting, melted chocolate, and candies. Have fun!
Keep them stored in an airtight container. If kept in a cool dry place they will keep up to two weeks. If you keep them refrigerated they will keep for about three weeks.
Be sure to check out all my fun Christmas Recipes!
Items used to create this project that are available on Amazon.com (commission earned for sales)
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Allison
Hi Beth, would this truffle mixture work as filling in your white chocolate Christmas mice? Or, do you think that the Oreo truffle would be a better choice since there is milk chocolate in the gingerbread? Also, should I "line" the white chocolate shell with some melted white chocolate to get the filling to adhere better - if that makes sense?
Beth
Either filling would work well. I do think the gingerbread filling might be a little sweet with the white chocolate shell, but I'm sure it would taste great. I don't think you need to bother to make the filling stick. It will be fine just pressed into the mold. Enjoy!
Elizabeth
Um, so I know it is a year later, but I tried these and it was an epic failure!! They are soft and gooey. I even froze them overnight. Any advice? Maybe I didn't heat the mixture hot enough?
beth
I'm so sorry this recipe didn't work out for you, Elizabeth. It was my fault and I apologize. I realized as I looked back at this recipe, that it should have had 16 ounces of milk chocolate not 12 ounces. I reduced the quantities in this recipe when I wrote it up and made a mathematical mistake. Oh, I really am very sorry. I wish I would have caught this last year. I did actually use the recipe with the 12 ounces, to make chocolate shells filled with the gingerbread truffles, but the filling is soft. I hope you found a use for the filling and it didn't go to waste.
Flash
I'm drooling over these. I'm not a fan of chocolate so I get excited when I find a yummy new recipe like this.
CuteEverything.com
Totally cute! Love them, they'd also be really fun to decorate!
ec
so cute.
Lisa
These are soooo cute! You could even make little buttons out of candy!
The Partiologist
Wow Beth! These are as cute as they sound delicious and boy oh boy do they sound delicious! 🙂
Michelle | Creative Food
These seriously look and sound delicious! I love truffles so cute truffles make me super happy! 🙂
Pixel Pixie
These look great and I think I'll make a batch. Do they need to be stored in the fridge?
Beth Jackson Klosterboer
Thanks. The truffles will keep at room temperature if stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks, but can be kept in the refrigerator even longer.
Pixel Pixie
Super. In my house, I doubt any truffles would be left in one week, let alone two.
Lori Stilger
How cute, Beth! I think I'll add these to my to-do for my Christmas Open House next year! 🙂 MERRY CHRISTMAS!