Carey Neff's Chocolate Truffles
"Using his espresso cake as a base, here is a low fat truffle that is still yummy. Nutrition info at the bottom of the directions."
photo by justcallmetoni
- Ready In:
- 45mins
- Ingredients:
- 15
- Yields:
-
50 truffles
ingredients
-
espresso cake
- 2⁄3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1⁄4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup raw sugar
- 2⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 cup pureed prunes or 1/2 cup applesauce
- 3 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup coffee
-
truffles
- 1⁄4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese or 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
-
Coatings
- unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
- finely chopped nuts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios (optional)
- finely chopped toasted coconut (optional)
directions
-
Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Spray a 9-inch square cake pan and dust with additional cocoa powder and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In another bowl combine the prunes, egg whites, vanilla and coffee. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Pour into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
-
Truffles:
- Allow cake to cool to room temperature. Cut the cake into small cubes and place in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the ricotta cheese and mix to a smooth consistency. Chill the mixture before portioning.
- Portion into 1/2-ounce balls and roll in cocoa powder or finely chopped nuts or toasted coconut.
-
Nutrition info for each topping:
-
Per plain truffle or 1 truffle dusted with 1/2 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder:
- Calories 25; Protein 1g; Total Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 5g; Dietary Fiber less than 1 gram; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 30mg.
- Per 1 truffle rolled in 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped nuts.
- Calories 30; Protein 1g; Total Fat 1g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 6g; Dietary Fiber less than 1 gram; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 30mg.
- Per 1 truffle rolled in 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped coconut.
- Calories 30; Protein 1g; Total Fat 0.5g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 5g; Dietary Fiber less than 1 gram; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 35mg.
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Reviews
-
I loved the cake on which this recipe is based and that was enough to inspire me to try the truffle. As noted there, curious to try variations, I replaced the coffee with water with a 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract added. Perfect cake for the holidays when you want to join the festivities without looking like Saint Nick. I rolled my truffles in cocoa with some red and green non-pariells to match the holiday. On the first day i was a little disappointed with the results as the seemed dry and tasted more like mashed cake than a confection unto itself. Left overnight to chill, they developed really nicely and developed a denseness to mirror truffles - but without the guilt. I think I like the cake best without the added effort, but these were delicious and enjoyed at our party.
Tweaks
-
I loved the cake on which this recipe is based and that was enough to inspire me to try the truffle. As noted there, curious to try variations, I replaced the coffee with water with a 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract added. Perfect cake for the holidays when you want to join the festivities without looking like Saint Nick. I rolled my truffles in cocoa with some red and green non-pariells to match the holiday. On the first day i was a little disappointed with the results as the seemed dry and tasted more like mashed cake than a confection unto itself. Left overnight to chill, they developed really nicely and developed a denseness to mirror truffles - but without the guilt. I think I like the cake best without the added effort, but these were delicious and enjoyed at our party.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
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I am a middle aged foodie who has had the luxury of living all over the world except asia. Lived in or grew up in Nigeria, Kenya, Chicago, Russia,and haiti. born in New Zealand, brother born in Austria and many more.
I have chronic medication resistant depression after 10 years on anti depressants that worked well but would stop working after a year or two, so now do my best at home living on disabilty. Not a bad thing, many have far worse health issues but i have been able to concentrate on food/cooking.
My main passions are my cats. I live in the woods and somehow many starving strays or "dumps" have found the message babies who passed on left in the woods saying "suck lives at xxxx road. Most arrive sick and/or starving. Right now i have 2 that arrived with feline herpes and their attendant 2ndry bacterial infections but are doing beautifully. One old man who was going to be euthanized bc a lady who found him as a stray was moving and didnt want him...well he was a biter and rather grumpy who was in ICU for 3 days with a deadly gut infection which was fixed but he left with a diagnosis of diabetes. 3 months on insulin and finally diet controlled and he caught the herpes virus, respiratory symptom version and turned into a cuddler. Butterscotch must think "why didnt i figure out this cuddle stuff was great before i got sick!" Doing wonderfully even though he has bouts. he and the other kids are my babies. Sadly Butterscotch died of Lymphatic cancer in winter of 2008. A year before Big Boy arrived in my life, starving and weak. Full of affection he jumped into my arms and stayed, turns out he has FIV (cat hiv) so he needs to be watched closely. I love him dearly
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