While brainstorming truffle flavors for Kelsey’s virtual shower, I knew I wanted some bright, fruity flavors that would be nice for springtime. Though lemon is pretty much never my first choice in the dessert realm, it is definitely a fresh flavor and I know Kelsey loves it. While creating this recipe I learned that the ratio of white chocolate to heavy cream for making truffles is very different than making traditional chocolate truffles. My first batch of filling was still basically soup even after chilling overnight. I wasn’t giving up so I whipped up a new batch with much more white chocolate and a lot less cream. This filling worked out much better and was the ideal consistency for rolling into neat balls. The filling has just enough lemon flavor to qualify as lemon but not so much that you are puckering up. I love the contrast of the dark chocolate coating with the creamy lemon filling. Just be sure to use a very fine grater for the lemon zest so the smooth filling isn’t disrupted with large pieces of peel.
As a matter of personal preference, I tend to keep my truffles refrigerated after dipping them until they are ready to be served. However, if you plan to store them at room temperature, you may want to consider tempering the chocolate to prevent it from blooming. You don’t want all your work to go to waste with funky looking coating! That said, the one time I tried tempering, it didn’t even work and I haven’t gotten motivated to try it again. I keep my truffles in the fridge and avoid the issue. You can use anything you like to give the truffles a little garnish on top. I used royal icing this time but melted chocolate works just as well. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, I named them “lemon chiffon” simply because it sounds nice than just “lemon” :) If you have lemon lovers in your life, I suggest bringing them a box of these little sweeties. I’m sure they would appreciate it!
