During high school, college, study abroad, graduate school, professionally and even as a stay-at-home-mom, the girlfriends I’ve made have unifying characteristics. They are smart, intellectual, accomplished women with confidence, independence and warm, wide-open hearts. I wish it were possible to unite them, from across country and globe, for a big cheese, wine and chocolate union of awesome ladies.
So, when my husband was a surgical sub-specialist resident in New Mexico, my amazing friend Sabrina (and proclaimed “sister-wife”), a nurse practitioner, often stopped by after long shifts at the hospital trauma ICU. A few weeks after my third child was born, came over after work for baby snuggling and a glass of vino. We embarked down a daunting path for a tired, new mom: pumpkin dark chocolate truffles.
The recipe was a huge flop, as the filling failed to set. Fortunately, Sabrina had brought our family a hearty, aromatic casserole to enjoy. The truffle filling was later utilized in a tender loaf of decadent pumpkin bread (you know Curls and Carrots- we don’t like to waste!).
Since then, it has been my mission to develop a pumpkin truffle recipe worthy of Sabrina. She is an amazing teacher, generous friend and dedicated mother. She is always up for a 5 AM coffee or run after work and never, ever turns down chocolate. Or pumpkin, for that matter.
We can all agree that it’s important to treat your friends with homemade food, savory or sweet- for no reason at all, just because though birthdays and holidays offer excellent “excuses.” Busy women (and men) appreciate a little something that tastes great and requires no cooking or clean-up.
Especially chocolate… Except for those outliers, an aberration from the cocoa-indulgent norm. They shall be utterly ignored in this post, but the next recipe will embrace those have yet to see the brown light.
Cooking or baking and sharing with friends and neighbors is an essential part of our social fabric. Hence, bring on the goodie bags! Winter is the best time to surprise friends: their front porches (at least in the beautiful Midwest) act as refrigerators. Wherever you live, whatever your do, giving in the most minuscule of ways to those around you enhances your quality of life tenfold and brightens someones day.
Feel free to adapt this recipe to fit your palate. The recipe’s bones are solid, not be mention healthful and clean. The ingredients are high-quality, yet economical enough for a large family. Our family adores the combination of deep, dark, rich chocolate paired with earthy pumpkin, sweet maple and orange and redolent Chinese five spice. Harmonious yet exotic, crowd pleasing but elevated.
My friend Sabrina has homemade, puréed pumpkin in her freezer year-long from her summer garden’s bounty. Fortunately for the rest of us, the organic, canned variety is readily available, still ideal and perfectly acceptable (and delectable) when used in this method.
Whip up a batch of these with your family or a friend. Who knows, maybe there will be leftovers to share?
Five Spice Pumpkin Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of puréed pumpkin
3/4 cup coconut manna/butter (not coconut oil), melted
6 Tablespoons pure, grade A maple syrup
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Chinese five spice
The zest of three clementine oranges (or one large orange)
1/8 tsp. fine salt
7 ounces melted dark chocolate (two high-quality chocolate bars)
Maldon sea salt, for sprinkling
Preparation:
- Ensure that all ingredients are room temperature (except for the melted coconut manna).
- Purée all ingredients in a food processor or high-powered blender. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour or until very firm.
- Roll the truffles into one tablespoon balls and set this on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Place in the freezer for thirty minutes.
- Melt the chocolate over a double boiler.
- Dip each truffle in the warm chocolate, return to the same parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Lightly sprinkle each truffle with a pinch of Maldon sea salt.
- Return the truffles to the freezer for thirty minutes or until completely hardened.
- Store in air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up three months. Enjoy at room temperature.
shannaward.com (2013-2016). Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without expressed and written permission from this blog’s author, Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward, and/or owner is strictly and completely prohibited.
Curls and carrots 
What a lovely recipe and I am not sure why I haven’t been seeing you on my Reader. Thanking goodness for my friends here, near and far. I like how you wrote this, Shanna. 🙂
Rachel, thanks for following and commenting! I love hearing from you! Keep up the blogging. Cheers!
Hello Shanna! You are lcuky to have such great friends. Always love your posts. Especially ones with chocolate. 🙂 I hope you and your family have settled down well. Hope all is well. Warm regards from Korea.
Thank you. We are settling down this summer in our permanent home and moving soon, Ju-won. I find law fascinating and continue to follow your outstanding blog. Let us know if you are ever in the states!
Here is that wonderful recipe. Shanna they sound and look so delicious. I love that they are not just delicious but food for you as well, no refined sugar is a huge plus!! Beautiful!!!!
Suzanne, we love our local + Euro goodies around here. It’s all natural. Much like your gorgeous kitchen… And those endearing pugs!
Very nice post! I can usually resist chocolates, but these are now on my to-do list. Like your friend, I have lots of pumpkin from my garden, and all the other ingredients. I know these will be a great treat to share.
Hilda, your garden is amazing. I love all of the veggies you utilize on your blog. It all looks so delicious!
Can you please come cook for us…everything you make looks so delicious!! I have no idea how you have time to do it all! Super Mama!
Would that be so fun?! Speaking of super mama’s, I know one (and her name is Julie!). ❤
Sounds and looks yummy! 🙂
Thanks, Merril!
Brilliant!
Thanks, Michelle. My one brilliant moment. 😉
Boy are these fabulous! I’m saving them for the fall – my family will be surprised and thrilled with them.
Mimi, you will make them even better. You have such a passion / talent for cooking. 🙂
I love chocolate and pumpkin! I just cracked open a jar of my frozen pumpkin purée and have a little left. Somehow I see these in my future. Any excuse for a truffle and glass of red wine once the kids are in bed….
This is right up your alley. I could see you playing with the recipe and adding a little something something. 😀
MMMMMMMMMM8 I made them using home-made pumpkin puree straight from my freezer, defrosted of course ,..They were utterly delicious! xxxx Excellent with a café latte! x
Anything with chocolate YES please hihi, and these pumpkin chocolate truffles looks delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe! 😀
what a lovely friend. And these gorge truffles look truly worthy of her. I really want a dozen right now #greedy.
You’re lucky to have been able to share your time (and kitchen) with such wonderful girl friends, so green with envy that I haven’t been able to physically be with you Shanna. Guess what I’ve never made truffles but yes they are on my list. I’ll read your methods properly because I always assume they are very hard… xxx
These sound so, so delicious Shanna. I’m late to the party but as it’s just coming into winter here it’s the right season for pumpkin spice and warming foods… the five spice truffle mix sounds divine! I love giving food gifts. You’re entirely right in stating that cooking with friends (and a glass of vino!) is such a pleasure, whatever the immediate outcome! Thanks for sharing this recipe from the heart. Can’t wait to try it xx
What a beautiful post! Agree wholeheartedly with all 🙂 Sounds like we enjoy collecting the same types of friends, Shanna.
These look amazing!!!