Name: Chocolate-Jalapeno Truffles
Yield: 36
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder; ¼ cup boiling water; 10 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate , in small pieces or chips; 10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) best-quality unsalted butter , cold and cut into small pieces; 2–3 jalapeños , roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped (wear rubber gloves); ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder , sift onto a plate

Why it works: Coffee and chocolate are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,497 recipes. Both carry 2,3-butanedione, which smells buttery, creamy. The science ↓

Chocolate-Jalapeno Truffles

Serves 36

Total1 hr

Ingredients

1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
¼ cup boiling water
10 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate , in small pieces or chips
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) best-quality unsalted butter , cold and cut into small pieces
2–3 jalapeños , roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped (wear rubber gloves)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder , sift onto a plate

Directions

Make the ganache

In a metal 1-quart mixing bowl, dissolve coffee in water.
Add the chocolate and set on top of a pan of gently simmering water.
When the chocolate has softened completely but is not hot, remove from heat and stir until smooth.
Beat in the cold butter a small piece at a time, adding a new piece as soon as the previous one is almost absorbed.
Beat with a hand-held electric mixer until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Continue beating for a few minutes to cool. This can also be done in a stand mixer, fitted with the whip attachment.
Add half of the jalapeños and taste. Add more jalapeño to your taste; remember that the heat will intensify with time. Try for a balance of sweet and heat.

Chill and shape

Scrape into a small, deep container, press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface, and chill overnight, until completely firm.
Scoop out small balls and roll in the cocoa powder.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

257Calories

2 gProtein

20 gFat

17 gCarbs

Counts 2 of 4 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 2 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Chocolate	1 oz (28g) semisweet	155
Butter	1 tbsp (14g)	102
Coffee	not in our table	0
Water	not in our table	0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Wikibooks Cookbook.

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Coffee + chocolatetop 5% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together1,497 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,3-butanedione (buttery, creamy).
Coffee + cocoa powdertop 6% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together541 recipes

Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).
Butter + cocoa powdertop 14% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together2,130 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,3-pentanedione (butter, sweet).
Chocolate + buttertop 16% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together10,543 recipes

Shared aroma: delta-decalactone (sweet, creamy).
Coffee + buttertop 23% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together2,442 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-furfurylthiol (coffee, roasted).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Semisweet chocolate: Provides the body and structure of the truffle filling as it sets firm.
Unsalted butter: Adds fat and creaminess, giving the ganache a smooth, melting texture.
Jalapeños: Provide heat and a pepper flavour that contrasts with the sweet chocolate.
Instant coffee powder: Deepens the chocolate flavour without making the truffles taste of coffee.

The step that matters

Adding the cold butter gradually. Adding butter a small piece at a time lets it emulsify into the melted chocolate. Adding it all at once can leave the ganache greasy or grainy.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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Chocolate-Jalapeno Truffles