Nothing quite captures the cozy holiday spirit like a sweet bite full of festive flavors. This Christmas Fruit Mince Truffles Recipe combines rich chocolate and tangy fruit mince into bite-sized delights you'll find impossible to stop eating. I'm excited to share how simple and satisfying these treats are to make!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This Christmas Fruit Mince Truffles Recipe is one of those magical sweets that makes the season feel extra special. I adore how the smooth, rich chocolate melts while the fruity tang and warm cinnamon inside keep you coming back for more. It's a unique twist on classic holiday treats that impresses family and friends every single time.
- Perfect bite-sized indulgence: These truffles are rich yet balanced, making them a great festive nibble or gift.
- Use of fruit mince: Incorporating fruit mince adds a juicy, spiced surprise that sets these apart from regular truffles.
- Easy to make ahead: You can prepare them well in advance, freeing you from last-minute kitchen stress.
- Decoratively fun: The cherry toppings and dual chocolate coatings make these truffles look gorgeous for any holiday gathering.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient in this Christmas Fruit Mince Truffles Recipe plays a special role to create the perfect bite: creamy texture, festive flavor, and that melt-in-your-mouth effect. Choosing the right quality chocolate and a good fruit mince will really make your truffles shine.
- Heavy cream: This gives the ganache base its silky smooth texture and richness that complements the dark chocolate beautifully.
- Dark cooking chocolate (70% cocoa solids): A higher cocoa percentage works best here to balance the sweetness of the fruit mince and add depth.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds warm spice that perfectly echoes the seasonal flavours in the fruit mince.
- Fruit mince: I love using homemade fruit mince for best flavor control, but a good store-bought one works well too. Just pick a vegetarian-friendly one for your crowd.
- Milk cooking chocolate: Used for coating, it gives a smooth, sweet finish that contrasts the darker truffle center.
- White cooking chocolate: The white chocolate brings a lovely brightness to the final decoration and makes your truffles look festive.
- Glacé cherries: Adding them on top gives a lovely pop of color and a sweet zing that’s signature Christmas.
Make It Your Way
I like to put a little twist on this Christmas Fruit Mince Truffles Recipe depending on the occasion or who I’m sharing them with. Feel free to get creative by adjusting the spices or coating decorations to match your festive style or dietary needs.
- Variation: Once, I swapped the cinnamon for a mix of nutmeg and cloves for a spicier, more mulled-wine-inspired flavor. It was a hit with friends who wanted something a little different but still traditional.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Fruit Mince Truffles Recipe
Step 1: Preparing the ganache base
First, I line my dish to set the truffle mixture later—using a small Pyrex dish and firmly scrunching the baking paper so it fits snug. Then, gently heating the cream just below boiling point is key to avoid scorching. As soon as it’s hot, I stir in the chopped dark chocolate off the heat, letting the residual warmth melt it slowly for a smooth glossy ganache. This slow process means silky chocolate, which your truffles deserve!
Step 2: Mixing in the festive flavors
After the ganache cools just a bit, I mix in ground cinnamon and the fruit mince evenly. This step is where those festive flavors come alive and infuse the truffles with their signature warmth and fruity surprise. Be sure it’s well combined but don’t over-mix to keep the texture nice.
Step 3: Chilling and shaping
Pour the mixture into your prepared dish and pop it in the fridge for about 1½ to 2 hours. When firm, I like scooping it out using a small ice cream scoop to get uniform truffle sizes—makes decorating much easier. If the mixture is too hard to roll, letting it sit a few minutes softens it so you can compact and shape them perfectly without cracks.
Step 4: Coating and decorating
Melting your milk and white chocolates carefully over simmering water or in short bursts in the microwave is crucial to avoid seizing. I always let the chocolate cool slightly so it won’t melt the truffle center when dipping. Using two forks to coat and smooth out excess chocolate gives a sleek finish. The cherry topping is the final flourish—adding half a glacé cherry secured on a little white chocolate makes your truffles look professionally done!
Top Tip
Over the years, I’ve found these simple tips really help the Christmas Fruit Mince Truffles Recipe turn out perfect every time — from texture to flavor and neat presentation.
- Right cream temperature: Heating cream just below boiling ensures smooth ganache and prevents graininess.
- Chocolate quality matters: Using 70% dark chocolate adds depth and balances the sweetness beautifully, especially with rich fruit mince.
- Patience with chilling: Let the mixture chill fully before shaping, or you’ll struggle with sticky truffles that don’t hold together well.
- Control coating temperature: Cool the melted chocolate slightly before dipping so it sets neatly without melting the truffle.
How to Serve Christmas Fruit Mince Truffles Recipe
Garnishes
I always go with the classic chilled glacé cherries — their vibrant red against white chocolate looks stunning and gives a sweet, fruity pop. Sometimes, I sprinkle a little edible gold dust or crushed pistachios for an extra festive shimmer and crunch.
Side Dishes
These truffles are fabulous on their own but also pair wonderfully with a hot cup of spiced mulled wine or rich black coffee. I’ve also served them alongside a cheese platter at holiday parties, offering a sweet contrast to savory flavors.
Creative Ways to Present
For gifting or special occasions, I like arranging the truffles in rustic wooden boxes lined with parchment and tied with ribbon. Another fun idea is presenting them in festive mini cupcake liners on a tiered dessert stand so everyone can grab a tasty morsel while mingling.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store your truffles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Lining layers with non-stick baking paper keeps them from sticking together. I always find they hold up well and taste just as fresh, thanks to the rich ingredients.
Freezing
These truffles freeze beautifully for up to three months. The chocolate may develop some bloom (a harmless white coating), but the flavors remain intact. Just thaw them in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Reheating
Since these are truffles, reheating isn’t really needed. If you prefer them slightly softer, leaving them at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving works wonders without altering their texture.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! While I prefer homemade fruit mince for the best flavor, a good quality store-bought, preferably vegetarian-friendly, fruit mince works perfectly in these truffles.
I recommend using dark cooking chocolate with at least 70% cocoa solids for the truffle base because it balances the sweetness from the fruit mince and creates a rich taste. Milk and white chocolate are best for coatings and decorations.
Make sure your melted chocolate has cooled for about 15 minutes before dipping. This keeps the chocolate from melting the truffle center and helps you achieve a smooth, neat coating.
Yes, they are a fantastic make-ahead treat. You can prepare and chill them in advance, even freeze them, making holiday hosting so much easier.
Final Thoughts
This Christmas Fruit Mince Truffles Recipe has become a staple in my holiday baking lineup because it’s as joyful to make as it is to eat. Sharing these little morsels filled with tradition and chocolate warmth always brings a smile around the table. I hope you’ll enjoy making and gifting these just as much as I do — they’re truly a taste of Christmas magic!
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Christmas Fruit Mince Truffles Recipe
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 18 truffles
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Christmas
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Christmas Fruit Mince Truffles are rich and festive treats combining dark chocolate, creamy texture, and flavorful fruit mince. Coated in milk and white chocolate with a cherry on top, they are perfect for holiday celebrations or gifting.
Ingredients
For the Fruit Mince Truffles:
- 125 ml (½ cup) heavy whipping/thickened cream
- 200 g (7 oz) dark cooking chocolate (70 % cocoa solids), finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup fruit mince (homemade or store bought)
For the Coating and Decoration:
- 180 g (6 oz) milk cooking chocolate
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) white cooking chocolate
- 9 red glacé/candied cherries, halved
Instructions
- Prepare the dish: Line a small, flat dish (about 13 x 18 cm or 7 x 5 inches) with non-stick baking paper. Also, line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and set aside.
- Heat the cream: Pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat it over low heat until just below boiling point.
- Melt the chocolate: Turn off the heat, add the dark cooking chocolate to the hot cream and stir continuously until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Add cinnamon and fruit mince: Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the ground cinnamon and fruit mince until evenly combined.
- Chill the mixture: Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and refrigerate for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until firm enough to roll into balls.
- Form truffle balls: Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop the chilled mixture into small balls. If too firm, let it sit for 5-10 minutes before rolling. Firmly press as you roll to compact the mixture. Place balls on the prepared baking tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Melt the coating chocolates: Break the milk chocolate into pieces, place in a bowl over barely simmering water (double boiler), stirring occasionally until nearly melted. Remove from heat and let residual warmth finish melting. Repeat this melting method with the white chocolate. Alternatively, melt both chocolates in the microwave.
- Cool coating chocolate: Allow the melted chocolates to cool for about 15 minutes so they are warm but not hot, to prevent softening the truffles when dipping.
- Coat the truffles: Remove truffles from the fridge. Dip each ball one at a time into the melted milk chocolate, using two small forks to turn and coat fully. Lift and smooth off excess chocolate on the edge of the bowl, then return to lined tray. Reheat chocolate slightly if it firms before all truffles are coated.
- Decorate and set: If chocolate firms on the truffles before decoration, chill briefly. Add about ½ teaspoon white chocolate to the top of each truffle and press half a glacé cherry on top. Place all coated truffles in the fridge to set.
- Storage: Store truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, separating layers with non-stick paper. They can also be frozen for up to three months though chocolate may bloom.
Notes
- Use full-fat heavy whipping cream (minimum 35% fat) for best creaminess and flavor.
- Choose dark chocolate with 70% cocoa solids to complement the fruit mince and balance sweetness.
- Fruit mince is ideally homemade, but store bought vegetarian mince is fine.
- Firmly scrunch baking paper before lining the dish to help it fit better; a bowl can be used but takes longer to chill.
- Leftover coating chocolate can be mixed with nuts and shaped into small mounds or used to make chocolate freckles with sprinkles.
- Truffles firm best if chilled well before coating and between steps on warm days.
- Freezing is possible for up to three months but expect some chocolate bloom which does not affect taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 truffle
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 15 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
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