White Chocolate Wasabi Mint Truffles

Hot and cool at the same time and wrapped in a robe of white chocolate sweetness to even out the flavors.

Last month I visited the Coffee and Tea Festival in NYC. One of the presentations I attended was by chef Melody McGinley Whitelaw.

Her theme was Infusing desserts with coffee and tea but she also had some wonderful ideas like cooking rice and pasta in tea instead of water. Melody advocated substituting flavored tea any recipe requiring water, including boxed cake mix.  Then came my favorite part where we got to stuff our faces sampling some of her tea infused cooking and baking. My favorite were her brownies. Both the frosting and the brownie were infused with cinnamon tea. They were fantastic! So good in fact, I forgot about getting a shot of my sample until after I finished it. Oops.

The presentation was inspirational for a home baker like me. I was immediately scribbling new ideas down along with my notes.

Now here’s my segway back to the truffles. I made two different versions using the same flavors. For one version, taking Melody’s suggestions to heart, I infused the cream with mint tea.

 

Then covered it in wasabi white chocolate.

For the second version, I infused the cream with wasabi then rolled it in mint sugar. 

For some green glamour, I painted on a bit of green disco dust.

I loved these truffles. For me, they were the perfect blend of sweet spicy cool.

Version 1 – Mint with Wasabi white Chocolate

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 mint tea bags
• 7 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon shortening
• 1+1/2 tablespoons wasabi

Directions:

• Pour cream into a double boiler. Melt in the butter, submerge the tea bags and bring to a boil. 
• Turn heat down to low and let tea bags steep a few minutes.
• Remove teabags, squeezing out excess cream.  
• Return heat to medium. Add chopped chocolate and stir until melted.
• Remove from stove, pour into a heatproof container and refrigerate until solid.
• Once the mixture has set, form little balls (use a small cookie scoop, melon baller, coffee scoop, etc.) and return them to the fridge.
• Heat chocolate and shortening together in a double boiler or a microwave stirring constantly until melted and smooth. If using a microwave, take the chocolate out every 30 seconds and give it a stir.
• Add wasabi and stir for a few minutes more. Remove from heat.
• Line a small tray or baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Take the truffle balls out of the fridge and using a fondue or dipping fork, dip each one in the wasabi chocolate. Hold over the pan to let excess chocolate drip off then place on tray.
• Return to fridge to set then serve. 

Version 2 -Wasabi Rolled in Mint Sugar


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon wasabi
• 7 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• Mint sugar*

• Pour cream into a double boiler, add butter and bring to a boil. Add the wasabi.
• Turn the heat down, add chopped chocolate and stir until melted.
• Remove from stove, pour into a heatproof container and refrigerate until solid.
• Once the mixture has set, form little balls (use a small cookie scoop, melon baller, coffee scoop, etc.)
• Roll in mint sugar and place on a tray.
• If you want to add the disco dust, you also need a small bit of clear drinking alcohol (vodka,etc.) and a small paintbrush. Dip the paintbrush in the alcohol and lightly  brush the truffle. Then dip the same paintbrush in the disco dust and brush it over the alcohol on the truffle. Keep in mind, a little of both the alcohol and the disco dust go a long way.
• Return to fridge until ready to serve.