Cookie Dough Truffles

Coconut

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Yes, I know that I promised to give up sweets during the week. But the amazing thing about this dessert is that it keeps for two weeks in the fridge! So I made these last weekend, had a few, shared a few, and still have some (hidden) in my fridge to enjoy next weekend. If this isn't a true test of willpower, I don't know what is.

I made these to bring to Gina's house when she had Pat and me over for dinner this past weekend. She made an incredible spread of food (each course featured a recipe from a different Mediterranean country) and I brought the dessert. I liked the idea of making truffles that are served cold because they could be made in advance and they keep well. I get awful guilt about throwing away baked goods and usually end up eating a ridiculous amount, just so they won't go bad. Didn't your mother ever tell you that there are starving children who would be happy to eat that!?

The original recipe is for chocolate chip cookie dough truffles, which I made, but I also tried coconut. I love just about anything that has coconut in it, and the thought of cookie dough and dark chocolate with coconut was too much to resist. I'm glad I didn't.

Beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. I used my new mixing bowl from Pat, which greatly reduced the amount of butter and sugar flying through the air (less time cleaning up = more time enjoying truffles).

Add in the vanilla extract and beat.

Alternate adding the flour and the condensed milk, beating well between each addition.

Okay I think you get the idea...here's my dough.

I separated about 1/4 of the dough and added coconut.

Add chocolate chips to the remaining dough. Stir to incorporate.

Scoop out by 1 tbsp balls and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate about an hour until they are firm.

Prepare your melted chocolate. I used 60% cacao Ghirardelli chocolate chips (which one their own are quite addicting).

Put chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for about 2 minutes (keep an eye on this so you don't overheat and burn the chocolate). Stir well.

Roll the dough into balls. I rolled mine into balls but kept a flat bottom so they would stay upright without rolling around. Its up to you how you do this.

Dip your dough balls in the melted chocolate. I put the dough in the bowl of chocolate and used toothpicks to roll around, then stuck the toothpick in the bottom to transfer back to the cookie sheet (so the hole is on the bottom and you can't see it).

Its okay if this gets messy! Dip all of your dough balls in the chocolate, licking fingers when necessary.

For the coconut dough, immediately press some coconut flakes onto the chocolate after dipping.

Put truffles back in fridge to harden, and store in fridge until ready to serve.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Recipe adapted from here.

Makes 40 large truffles.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 (14 ounce) can fat free sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (for the dough)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut (for the dough and garnish)
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups 60% cacao Ghirardelli chocolate chips (for melting)
• 6 tsp shortening

Directions:

1. Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add in the vanilla and beat.
2. Alternate adding the flour and condensed milk, beating well in between each addition.
3. Separate desired amount of dough to make coconut truffles (I used about 1/4 of the batter) and stir in about 1/3 cup shredded coconut.
4. Add mini chocolate chips to the remaining dough, stir to incorporate.
5. Scoop out 1 tbsp balls and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Chill in refrigerator for about an hour or until firm.
6. Heat chocolate chips (I ended up using a total of about 1 1/2 cups) and shortening (5-6 tsp) in microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir.
7. Roll the dough into balls and dip into the melted chocolate; roll to cover completely. Add shredded coconut to the coconut dough balls.
8. Put truffles back in refrigerator to harden and store there until ready to serve. Keeps up to two weeks in refrigerator (if they last that long!).

Gina and Pete gave these two thumbs up. Sean and Erin quickly devoured the truffles I dropped off at their house. Callie and Jess called me with their mouths full of truffles last night to tell me how much they liked them.  Anyone else want to taste-test? There's still some in my fridge, waiting to be eaten!