Are you looking for an easy truffle recipe that is vegan friendly? Check out this recipe for chocolate coconut truffles. These coconut truffles are made with shredded coconut, coconut oil, and coconut milk so they are packed with tons of creamy coconut flavor!
Since this recipe uses coconut milk and coconut oil rather than butter and cream, these truffles are dairy free and vegan friendly as long as they are made with vegan friendly chocolate. They are also gluten free, egg free, and nut free.
What is in these chocolate coconut truffles
What is in these chocolate coconut truffles? These chocolate coconut truffles are made with a coconut filling that is sugar based rather than chocolate based. Using sugar as a base for the filling results in a coconut filling that is perfectly light and creamy. Here are the main ingredients used in these chocolate coconut truffles.
- Chocolate. These tasty coconut truffles are dipped in a thick layer of melted chocolate. We recommend using semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate when making coconut truffles. You are best off using melting chocolate rather than chocolate chips because chocolate chips are formulated to hold their shape when they are exposed to high temperatures.
- Confectioners sugar. Confectioners sugar makes up the base of the coconut filling that is used in these chocolate coconut truffles. Confectioners sugar is the same as powdered sugar incase that is the name you are more familiar with.
- Shredded coconut. The coconut filling inside of these truffles is made with a whole lot of shredded coconut. You should use raw coconut rather than toasted coconut to make the coconut filling. We recommend shredding the coconut into fine pieces using a food processor (this is the one we use) before you combine the coconut with the other ingredients for the coconut filling.
- Coconut oil. Coconut oil is used in place of butter to ensure that these truffles are vegan friendly and dairy free. The coconut oil should be melted before it is added to the coconut filling. This helps to prevent clumps of coconut oil from forming within the coconut filling.
- Coconut milk. Some additional coconut milk is added to thin the coconut filling out and ensure that it does not stiffen up too much. We recommend buying cans of coconut milk in bulk online if you regularly make dairy free desserts and baked goods. Coconut milk has a higher fat content than many other plant based milks so it is great for making treats that are extra moist and creamy,
- Vanilla extract. A little bit of vanilla is added to finish off the coconut filling. The vanilla mellows out the sweet flavor of the confectioners sugar and ensures that the truffles do not taste overly sugary. We recommend buying large bottles of vanilla extract online rather than small bottles at the store, especially if you regularly make desserts. You generally get a much better value once you consider the cost per ounce.
How to make chocolate coconut truffles
How do you make these chocolate coconut truffles? Here is how to make these chocolate coconut truffles.
- Shred the coconut. The first step in making chocolate coconut truffles is to shred the coconut. You should put the coconut flakes in a food processor (this is the one we use) and pulse them for 20 – 30 seconds. The coconut should be shredded into fine pieces. If you do not have a food processor then you can use whole coconut flakes. The truffles might come out a little more lumpy. That’s okay though, lumpy truffles are just as tasty as non-lumpy truffles!
- Combine the ingredients for the coconut filling. After you shred the coconut, combine all of the ingredients other than the chocolate. You should microwave the coconut oil for 30 seconds – 1 minute to melt it before combining it with the other ingredients.
- Refrigerate the coconut filling (optional). The next step is to refrigerate the coconut filling. This is only necessary if your coconut mixture is loose and difficult to shape. If you can shape your coconut mixture into balls that hold their shape, there is no need to refrigerate the coconut filling. In general, the more thoroughly melted the coconut oil is when you add it to the coconut mixture, the more likely you will need to refrigerate the coconut mixture before shaping the balls.
- Shape the coconut balls. After the coconut balls have solidified, you can shape the coconut mixture into small balls. You should put the balls of coconut filling on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper so that they do not stick.
- Freeze the coconut balls. After you have shaped the coconut balls, put the tray with the coconut balls in the freezer. Freezing the coconut balls before you dip them in chocolate ensures that they maintain a nice, round shape even when they are exposed to warm melted chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate. The next step is to melt the chocolate. Make sure not to overheat the chocolate so that it does not burn or seize up. The best way to gently heat the chocolate is to use a fondue pot or a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, keep reading this article to learn how to make one at home with a few common household materials.
- Dip the coconut balls in chocolate. After you have melted the chocolate, it is time to take the coconut balls out of the freezer and dip them in chocolate. You can do this using a spoon, or by pressing a toothpick into the coconut balls and using the toothpick to dip the coconut filling in the chocolate.
How to make a double boiler
Are you looking for tips on how to make a double boiler at home? All you have to do is follow these simple steps.
- Grab a large bowl and a medium sized pot. The bowl should be large enough that if you put the bowl inside of the pot, the bottom of the bowl does not touch the bottom of the pot.
- Pour water into the pot. Pour about an inch of water into the bottom of the pot. Put the bowl in the pot again and make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
- Prop the bowl up with skewers (optional). Prop the bowl up in the pot with a few skewers so that the bowl is not touching the pot itself. If you have any questions about what this looks like, check out the photo below. This step is only necessary if you are using a bowl that conducts heat effectively. If you are using a heat resistant bowl, this step is not as important.
- Heat the water in the pot. Heat the burner over low to medium low heat so that the water in the bottom of the pot begins to evaporate and produce steam. This steam will rise and heat the bowl in a gentle and controlled manner.
Tips for making beautiful truffles
- Temper the chocolate to make it shiny. Do you want to make truffles that are nice and glossy? In order to make chocolate with a glossy shine then you will need to temper the chocolate. Essentially, that means that you need to heat your chocolate up to a specific temperature before dipping your truffles in chocolate. You will need a candy thermometer in order to do this. This is a great article that discusses how to temper chocolate.
- Shred the coconut flakes into very fine pieces. If you want to make truffles that are perfectly round then you will need to shred the coconut into very fine pieces. If you use coconut flakes that are on the larger size then the coconut truffles may come out a little lumpy.
- Dip the chocolate using a toothpick. Are you having trouble getting a nice, even layer of chocolate on your truffles? Are patches of chocolate coming off when you transfer the chocolate off of the utensil you are using to dip the truffles? Try skewering the coconut filling with a toothpick then using the toothpick to dip the coconut filling in the chocolate.
- Let the chocolate dry on a wire cooling rack. Is chocolate pooling around the bottom of your truffles? Try putting the chocolate on a wire cooling rack rather than a flat surface when you are done dipping your truffles. This way, the excess chocolate will drip off of the rack rather than pooling at the base of the truffles.
Troubleshooting coconut truffles
Here are some common issues one might run into when making coconut truffles. For each problem we provide an easy solution for you to try!
- Coconut mixture is too soft to shape into balls. Is your coconut mixture too soft to shape into balls even after refrigerating it for 15 minutes? Try putting the coconut mixture in the freezer for 15 minutes then taking it out and shaping the mixture into balls.
- Coconut mixture is still to soft to shape into balls after freezing. Is your coconut mixture too soft to shape into balls even after freezing it? Try adding some more confectioners sugar to the mixture. We recommend adding 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar at a time then trying to shape the balls again.
- Coconut mixture is too firm to shape. Is your coconut filling too firm to shape into balls after you refrigerated it? Try warming the coconut filling up so that some of the coconut oil melts. First let the coconut mixture warm up to room temperature by leaving it on the counter for 15 minutes. If that is not enough, microwave the coconut mixture for 15 – 30 seconds.
- The chocolate seized up. Did your chocolate seize up and become grainy before you were done dipping your truffles? There are a few reasons that this might happen. It is most likely that the chocolate was overheated or that wet tools were used to mix the chocolate. Next time, make sure that you heat the chocolate very slowly and only use tools that are completely dry.
Coconut truffles
These easy coconut truffles are gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and vegan friendly!
Servings: 16 truffles
Ingredients
- 3 cups melting chocolate
Coconut filling
- 3 cups coconut flakes
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 6 tbsp coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- If you have a food processor, use the food processor to shred the coconut flakes into small pieces. If you do not have a food processor, you can use whole coconut flakes. It is easier to shape the coconut filling into round balls if the coconut flakes are shredded into fine pieces.
- Melt the coconut oil and combine all of the ingredients for the coconut filling.We recommend melting the coconut oil because it helps ensure that the coconut oil gets evenly distributed throughout the mixture without forming any clumps.
- Refrigerate the coconut filling for 15 minutes or until the filling starts to harden.
- Roll the coconut filling into 16 equally sized balls. It is okay if the balls are not perfect spheres after this step, they can be reshaped late on.
- Freeze the balls of coconut filling for at least 45 minutes or up to a few hours. If the balls of coconut filling are not perfect spheres, you can take the balls out of the freezer and re-roll them every 10 - 15 minutes. The balls will harden and start to hold their shape better after they have started to freeze.
- Melt the chocolate over low heat. We recommend using a double boiler to heat the chocolate slowly. If you do not have a formal double boiler, see the instructions above for tips on how to make one with common household supplies.
- Dip the balls of coconut filling into the melted chocolate. Make sure any utensils that you use on the chocolate are completely dry. If the utensils are wet, the chocolate will be more likely to seize up.
- Put the dipped truffles in the refrigerator and let the truffles cool until the chocolate hardens.
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