Make cute and tasty Pumpkin Truffles for Halloween or Thanksgiving. Each of these bite-sized chocolate pumpkins is filled with creamy pumpkin ganache.
The smell of pumpkin mixed with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger wafting through the house brings up warm memories of childhood. My mom didn't bake too often, but she always made pumpkin bread each year. The bread was always so moist and tender and full of spicy goodness.
My husband's favorite dessert is pumpkin pie, so we have it often throughout the fall.
As a chocolatier, I am always looking to create new flavors. I wanted to make a filled chocolate truffle that encompassed all the wonderful flavors of pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread. I think this recipe is just right.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Ganache
pumpkin puree - Canned pumpkin is fine. Do not use a can of pumpkin pie filling. That is already flavored.
brown sugar - This will add a rich caramel flavor to the ganache.
spices - Use cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg.
vanilla extract
freshly squeezed lemon juice - This helps to brighten up the flavor of the pumpkin ganache.
salt - Just a pinch to balance out the sweetness.
heavy whipping cream - Makes your ganache rich and creamy.
good quality white chocolate - I used bars of Lindt White Chocolate.
Hershey's cinnamon chips - I found adding a ¼ cup of these cinnamon-flavored chips really adds an amazing cinnamon flavor. If you can't find them, you can add more white chocolate instead and add a little more cinnamon.
Chocolate Pumpkins (the outer shells)
semi-sweet chocolate or dark cocoa candy melts or almond bark - I created the outer shells from pure-tempered chocolate. If you aren't experienced at tempering, you can use compound chocolate, also known as confectionery coating, candy melts, melting wafers, or almond bark.
Check out my chocolate-making tips page for detailed instructions on choosing the right chocolate, melting chocolate or candy melts, and tempering pure chocolate.
Supplies
double boiler (saucepan and bowl)
shallow glass dish
plastic wrap
disposable pastry bags or zip-top bags
plastic pumpkin candy mold (or use silicone or polycarbonate chocolate molds)
Instructions
Make pumpkin ganache.
Prepare a double boiler. Set the bottom pot of the double boiler, filled with 1" of water, over low heat.
Set the top bowl on the bottom pot, making sure that water does not touch the bowl.
Combine all the pumpkin ganache ingredients in the top bowl. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.
Let it cool.
Pour ganache into a bowl.
Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the top of your ganache, so a crust won't form. Let cool to room temperature.
Create the chocolate pumpkins.
Melt and temper (heat and cool to exact temperatures) pure semi-sweet chocolate or melt dark cocoa Candy Melts, almond bark, or melting wafers. For instructions, check out my chocolate-making tips page.
Pour melted chocolate into a disposable pastry bag. Cut off the tip of the bag.
Pipe chocolate into the cavities of a pumpkin-shaped candy mold filling them all the way up to the top edge.
Remove air bubbles.
Tap the mold on the table several times to allow air bubbles to rise to the surface. I use a small vibrating table to do the work for me.
It's not that I'm lazy, it's just that at times I fill hundreds of molds a day, and this machine just makes it easier.
Pour out excess chocolate.
Turn your filled mold upside down over your bowl of melted chocolate. Allow most of the chocolate to drip out of the mold, leaving only a thin shell of chocolate.
Scrape the chocolate off the mold.
Use an offset spatula or a putty knife (from the hardware store) to scrape off the excess chocolate. You want the top edge of each cavity to be clean.
Chill the chocolate.
Once cleaned, put mold in the refrigerator if you are using tempered chocolate, or the freezer if using confectionery coating.
Allow the chocolate to set completely. This should take 5-10 minutes.
Pipe pumpkin ganache into chocolate pumpkins.
Spoon the pumpkin ganache into a disposable pastry bag. Cut off the tip and pipe the ganache into each chocolate-filled mold.
Once you fill the mold, set it aside for about an hour so that the ganache can firm up.
Cover the ganache with chocolate.
Sorry, I missed snapping a picture of this step, so I'm sharing a picture from my Chocolate Raspberry Eggs recipe.
Pour a thin layer of chocolate over the top, spread it over the opening to ensure it is completely covered, and then scrape across the mold using the scraper to remove any excess chocolate.
Chill until set.
Unmold the chocolates.
Turn the mold upside down and allow the chocolate to fall out of the mold.
If the pieces don't come out easily, you can press the backside gently until the chocolates come out.
I hope you can excuse the ugly photos of these chocolate pumpkin truffles.
I made this recipe in 2010 for my Hungry Halloween website (which has been forwarded to Hungry Happenings), and I was not a very good photographer back then.
However, the candies taste amazing. I do hope enjoy making them.
Related Recipes
Be sure to check out all the Halloween recipes here on Hungry Happenings.
Recipe
Chocolate pumpkins are filled with creamy pumpkin ganache flavored with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 18 ounces good quality white chocolate
- ¼ cup cinnamon chips (Hershey's)
- 36 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (melted and tempered) OR dark cocoa candy melts or almond bark (melted)
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Prepare a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 1 inch of water and setting a bowl on top.
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Combine all the pumpkin ganache ingredients in the bowl.
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Stir occasionally until everything is melted and smooth.
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Remove the bowl from the heat.
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Pour the pumpkin ganache into shallow dish, cover it directly with plastic wrap, and set aside to cool.
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All the ganache to coo for about an hour before piping it into your chocolate pumpkins.
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Create the chocolate pumpkins.
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Pour your melted (and tempered) chocolate into a disposable pastry bag.
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Cut a small bit of the tip off so your chocolate will flow out easily but not too quickly.
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Pipe chocolate into the cavities of a pumpkin-shaped candy mold filling them all the way up to the top edge.
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Tap the mold a few times to remove air bubbles.
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Then, turn your filled mold upside down over your bowl of melted chocolate and allow most of the chocolate to drip out of the mold, leaving only a thin shell of chocolate.
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Use an offset spatula or a putty knife to scrape off the excess chocolate leaving the top of your free of any chocolate.
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Put the chocolate-filled mold in the refrigerator if you are using tempered chocolate, or the freezer if using confectionery coating.
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Allow the chocolate to set completely. This should take 5-10 minutes.
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Once all of your chocolate shells are ready, you can fill them with pumpkin ganache.
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Spoon the pumpkin ganache into a disposable pastry bag. Cut off the tip and pipe the ganache into each chocolate-filled mold.
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Once you fill the mold, set it aside for about an hour so that the ganache can firm up.
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When the ganache no longer feels wet to the touch, pour a thin layer of chocolate over the top, spread it over the opening to ensure it is completely covered, and then scrape across the mold using the scraper to remove any excess chocolate.
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Chill in the refrigerator or freezer for 3-5 miutes just until that chocolate is set.
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Unmold the chocolates.
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Let the chocolate pumpkin truffles come to room temperature before eating.
Store your chocolates at room temperature for up to 5 days or place them in a cardboard box in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Remove them from the refrigerator and leave them in the box for an hour before removing them. This should keep condensation from forming on the chocolate.
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Jenna Wood says
Tagged, Halloween Ideas 23
six_one_nine_girlie86 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Jenna Wood says
Shared on FB Jenna Marie Wood
six_one_nine_girlie86 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Jenna Wood says
I'm a new follower and I love a good pumpkin spice shake!
six_one_nine_girlie86 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Reanne says
Tag 44 for cookbook!
bringhamsweeps (at) yahoo *dot* com
Reanne says
I'm following you!
My favorite use for a pumpkin is for general fall decor.
bringhamsweeps (at) yahoo *dot* com
mensa63 says
Am public Google follower of this blog.
Firstly I want to thank you for the great instructions for tempering chocolate. They are the first I have found that really explains it and gives instructions that are easy to follow.
As for Halloween who doesn't like the opportunity to become someone else, maybe a dream person. Such fun. Only problem is that I usually end up eating too much treats but what the hey it is only once a year. Hee! Hee!
AmandaG says
I'm a public Google follower of Hungry Halloween
My fave use for a pumpkin is a tradition of my boyfriend and I. We get a pumpkin and carve it together, roast the seeds, and then fill him with hay and call him Lil' Pump, and once Halloween is over, we put him out so the deer can destroy him.......destructive eh? lol
Dawn says
I follow you on google friend.
My favorite use of a pumkin is to play a fortune telling game with it at our yearly Halloween party. I carve slots into the pumpkin and place fortunes inside of the pumpkin and have a tiny bit of the fortune hanging out a slot. The guests take turns pulling their fortunes from the slots cut into the pumpkin.
aajacques says
I'm a hungry halloween blog follower and my favorite thing to do with a pumpkin is to carve it and toast the seeds.
Steph says
Tweeted
Crystal says
Hi Beth
Fun blog..we love Halloween!
We enjoy carving pumpkins and also roasting pumpkin seeds. 🙂
I am a new follower
cyclona66(At) aol dot com
Allie says
I am a follower 🙂
I love using pumpkins as a centerpiece to hold flowers and then I like using the plup in a soup.
Steph says
I Tagged the book on Amazon:
cookbook(41)
The book looks fantastic. I love making Halloween goodies.
Steph says
My favorite use for a pumpkin is to carve it. I have made some really cool ones in the past. I love the looks on my kids faces when one turns out spectacular. As far as eating pumpkins it would be pumkin bread or pie. Both are delicious.
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Hi Debbie,
Oh, I love pumpkin cookies and have been searching for the perfect recipe. Would you be willing to share the recipe with me? I'd love to try them out.
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Hi dmr301, I am so happy to hear you love the book. I'd be thrilled if you wrote a review for the book and posted it on Amazon.com.
dmr301 says
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
dmr301 says
Hmmm tag #40.
Love this book. Anyone who loves Halloween will. Great ideas.
The truffles look amazing. The step by step photo log is wonderful!
dmr301
debbie says
I am a gfc follower. I am going to try these truffles, they look really good. My favorite use for pumpkins is in a pumpkin cookie recipe that I found. It is from boston, and is over a hundred years old. I have never had a cookie that tastes anything like it.
debbie
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
Cassie says
I love Halloween and it was a "treat" finding this site. I have bookmarked it. I have a site about having a dinosaur halloween for little ones so I have been doing some searches on the subject. I like your handburgers!!