I say Ferrero, you say Rocher. I say Puppy, you say chow! Now, imagine those two decadent treats fused together into one amazing, can’t contain myself, need to eat the whole bowl, chocolate truffle. They’re addicting, they really are. I brought them to work yesterday and they were gone before lunch time (who says dessert can’t come first?).
These “Ferrero Rocher” truffles were made with ingredients I have lying around in my pantry and I promise are in your pantry too. It comes together in less than 15 minutes, which basically means that if you’re in a pinch and need a sweet fix or a dessert to bring to that potluck, it’s your lucky day. I’m not sure if anything else can top a 15-minute dessert, but these babies are also vegan and gluten-free! No, you don’t have to make them vegan or gluten-free, mine just happened to be, and they were delicious. No one complained, in fact, everyone was too busy trying to hide extras up their sleeves.
I’ve been pretty busy lately, which I guess, when you’re working two jobs, that can happen, so I apologize for the lack of new posts! I really can’t complain though because I get to learn about non-profits, and also write fun environmental health articles (check them out here!). I am always so happy and humbled when I think about the field that I’m in, there really isn’t anything better than being able to improve public health. Sometimes it does get stressful and I always find myself running back to the kitchen. There’s just something so calming about having flour up to your arms or fingers coated in melted chocolate (anyone else with me?).
Speaking of stress, with all the awful stuff that’s happening right now about separating children from their families, it’s hard to remember the good. But, we can’t forget that we each have a voice and there are things that we can do to help, starting from just a phone call. I can’t imagine the pain that these families are feeling, and if you’re also needing a little sweetness to help get you through the day, these truffles will definitely help! Make them tonight, you don’t regret it, and then share them tomorrow to help bring a smile to everyone 🙂
A word about melting chocolate: Chocolate is finicky, especially when melted. Here’s a pro-tip when it comes to melting chocolate, never zap it in the microwave for more than 30 seconds at a time. ALWAYS stop microwaving before all the chocolate has melted, otherwise you risk burning your chocolate and having to throw it all away. Instead, use the residual heat from the already melted chips to melt the rest of the chips just by stirring for a minute or so.
PUPPY CHOW FERRERO ROCHER TRUFFLES | Makes 12-15 truffles
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks*
- 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cup rice Chex – roughly crushed*
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate – melted*
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon and a pinch reserved separately
- 2 tbsp cashews – crushed
DIRECTIONS
- Place peanut butter and chocolate pieces into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals until chips are just beginning to melt. Mix together and let residual heat melt remaining chips
- Pour crushed rice Chex into melted peanut butter chocolate mixture and mix until evenly coated
- Add in powdered sugar and a dash or cinnamon into the Chex mixture. Mix until mixture starts to clump
- Roll Chex pieces into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 5 minutes.
- Mix 1/8 tsp cinnamon with melted chocolate
- Roll frozen balls into melted chocolate, place on parchment paper and sprinkle with crushed cashews
- Place in fridge until truffles are solidified, about 15-20 minutes
- Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to a week (if they last that long!)
*Both the melted chocolate and chocolate pieces can easily be substituted for your chocolate of choice (milk, dark, vegan). While I used rice Chex, regular Chex will work just as well, but keep in mind that the treat will no longer be gluten-free without the rice Chex!
Enjoy!
dumplings&donuts 