German Chocolate Truffles takes the best part of the classic cake (the frosting), and prepares it as a single-serving cake ball. Perfectly portable for parties and holidays.
15.25ouncebox German Chocolate CakeDuncan Hines Brand (plus ingredients listed on box to prepare the cake - 1 cup water, 3 large eggs and ½ cup vegetable oil - baked and cooled according to package directions in a 9x13 pan)
Filling
½cupunsalted butterroom temperature
14ouncescan sweetened condensed milk
3large egg yolksroom temperature
4ouncesGerman chocolate baking barfinely chopped
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1¼cupssweetened shredded coconut
¾cupfinely chopped pecans
Chocolate Coating and Garnish
16ouncepackages milk chocolate almond bark
¼cupsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
Cake
Preheat oven to 350* F. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with baker’s spray.
15.25 ounce box German Chocolate Cake
Prepare the German Chocolate cake mix according to box directions for a 9x13 pan. Bake and cool the cake completely.
Once cooled, crumble the cooked cake into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Filling
In a medium saucepan (3 quart) on medium-low heat, add the unsalted butter, sweetened condensed milk and large egg yolks. Whisk to combine as the butter melts. Be sure that you are whisking often to keep the egg yolks from scrambling as the mixture heats up.
½ cup unsalted butter, 14 ounces can sweetened condensed milk, 3 large egg yolks
Once the butter is melted, increase the heat to medium and cook the mixture, while whisking constantly, for 6-9 minutes or until it reaches a very thick consistency (similar to warm fudge or thick pudding). Be sure to whisk constantly to avoid burning the filling mixture.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the finely chopped german chocolate baking bar and vanilla extract. Whisk until the chocolate has melted completely into the warm filling mixture and the mixture is smooth.
4 ounces German chocolate baking bar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To the german chocolate filling add the sweetened shredded coconut and finely chopped pecans. Stir to combine all the ingredients together.
1¼ cups sweetened shredded coconut, ¾ cup finely chopped pecans
Add the warm filling mixture to the large bowl of crumbled german cake. Using a large spoon or rubber spatula, combine all the ingredients being sure to completely incorporate all the cake with the warm german chocolate filling. You should have a uniform texture for the truffle filling.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour. This will allow the mixture to cool enough to scoop and roll into balls.
Line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
Remove the bowl of German chocolate truffle filling from the refrigerator and, using a small cookie scoop, scoop out a 1 tablespoon sized amount of filling. Place the scoop of filling into the palm of your hand and roll into a smooth ball.
Place the truffle onto one of the prepared baking trays. Repeat until all the german chocolate truffles have been scooped and rolled into smooth balls. Cover the baking tray with plastic wrap and refrigerate the truffle balls for 1 hour.
Chocolate Coating and Garnish
In a medium, microwave safe, bowl add the chocolate almond bark. Heat on high for 1 minute, stir, then heat in 30 second intervals until the chocolate almond bark is stirred into a smooth consistency. (see tips for additional heating methods)
16 ounce packages milk chocolate almond bark
Place a german chocolate truffle onto a fork and gently dip the truffle into the melted chocolate. Turn to coat all the sides of the truffle, then gently lift the truffle from the chocolate allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. You can gently tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to help any excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
Using a toothpick, or second fork, gently place the chocolate coated german chocolate truffle onto the second prepared baking tray. Top the truffle with a little of the sweetened shredded coconut while the chocolate is still wet and not set.
¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut
Repeat steps 14 and 15 until all the german chocolate truffles have been coated in chocolate almond bark and topped with sweetened shredded coconut.
You can allow the german chocolate truffles to sit at cool room temperature for 15 minutes, or place them into the refrigerator for 5 minutes, to allow the chocolate almond bark to harden and set before placing them onto a serving platter to enjoy.
Notes
Storage:
To Store: Store these in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.
To Freeze: Once the chocolate coating has fully hardened, you can store these german chocolate truffles, in a single layer in an airtight container, in the freezer for 5-6 weeks. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before serving.
Tips:
Melting In The Microwave:
When melting the chocolate almond bark, be sure to follow the directions or your brand's packaging for best results. Some brands of chocolate almond bark provide a melting tray with their packaging to be used in the microwave. A 1000 watt microwave was used for this recipe.
Since is recipe makes so many truffles, you can melt one of the 16 ounce packages of chocolate almond bark and dip to coat 24 of the german chocolate truffles. Once that first amount of chocolate is used, you can melt the remaining 16 ounces of chocolate to finish coating the remaining 24 truffles. Alternately, you can heat the chocolate in 30 second intervals, being sure to stir well, if your chocolate starts to harden back up as you are working through coating all your truffles.
Choose Your Chocolate: Chocolate almond bark is readily found in the baking aisle of your grocery store however, good quality chocolate melting discs can also be used to dip your german chocolate truffles. I like Ghirardelli brand melting discs as they melt nicely and are easy to use. Be sure to follow the melting instructions of the package for the brand you are using.
Prepare As Cake Pops: You can make your truffles into German chocolate cake pops by pressing a lollipop stick into the center of each ball.