Moonstruck’s Decadent Chocolate Truffle Bars

Moonstruck’s Decadent Chocolate Truffle Bars

For over 25 years, I have loved making handmade truffles (chocolate dipped ganache truffle centers). Truffles are just one of those treats that are fun to eat and fun to make! When this Moonstruck recipe showed up in the Oregonian (Portand Oregon’s newspaper) one day, it caught my eye. I needed to try it—brownies and truffles combined. Win. Win!

This past month I have introduced you to some Portland favorites, such as Salt&Straw Ice Cream. Here’s a new one: Moonstruck Chocolate Company has been part of Portland’s food scene since 1993. Their chocolate is amazing! In the original newspaper recipe for Decadent Chocolate Truffle Bars, the main ingredient for the truffle topping was their Dark Chocolate Bars. Feel free to order their chocolate bars online for a real treat, but you can also substitute your favorite quality chocolate chips for a decadent taste.

You will note that the recipe yields six dozen one-inch squares. You may question why you would want to cut these bars into just one-inch squares. When you taste them, you will realize several things. First, a one-inch square is perfect because it is an appropriately sized bite for a truly luxurious dessert. Also, you will want another one, and if you have a huge brownie, you will feel guilty eating another one. And, third, it’s good to share! Even though you may hide these delicious chocolate truffle bars away where no one else can eat them…

Ingredients for Moonstruck’s Decadent Chocolate Truffle Bars

Brownie Base:

• Unsalted butter: Salted butter has an unregulated amount of salt. So, I always choose unsalted butter for my recipes.
• 90-100% chocolate bar: The grocery store has several choices of quality chocolate bars to choose from. Quality really does make a difference. I prefer Lindt, Guittard, or Ghirardelli brands.
• Granulated sugar:
• Eggs: Room temperature is best and will mix into your ingredients better.
• All-purpose flour: You could substitute Cup4Cup or another type of gluten-free flour mixture without any problems.
• Vanilla:

Truffle Topping:

• Quality semi-sweet chocolate chips: Quality is important. My favorite brands are Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Costco’s semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Heavy whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream has more fat in it than just whipping cream. My favorite is found at Costco, and actually has 40% fat. More fat means your truffles are even more decadent and creamy!
• Light corn syrup: I prefer brands that specifically state they do not use high fructose corn syrup. Karo brand is my favorite.
• Unsalted butter: My preferred butter. I like control!
• 60-80% dark chocolate bar: Again, quality chocolate makes all the difference in the taste. It’s worth it!

How to Make Moonstruck’s Decadent Chocolate Truffle Bars:

Brownie Base:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray 9×13-inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Place the butter a microwave safe bowl and melt for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until melted. With spatula, stir in the unsweetened chocolate until completely melted. Heat in microwave for 15-30 seconds if needed.
3. Add the sugar and mix by hand until completely combined. Your goal is to allow the sugar crystals to dissolve into the chocolate.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously by hand after each addition. Make sure the eggs are thoroughly mixed into the chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla, then flour and mix just until no traces remain. You want to mix as little as possible once you have added the flour. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake at 350° F for 20-25 minutes only. The brownie may still look soft and shiny. Overbaking will result in being dry and crumbly. Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack. Cool completely before adding the truffle topping.

Truffle Topping:

1. Once brownies are cook, place chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl. In another microwave safe bowl, heat the cream and corn syrup for 1 minute. Pour warm cream over chocolate pieces and stir until combined. Heat mixture for 15-30 seconds if necessary to melt completely. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Add butter and whisk until butter is melted. Once smooth, the mixture will have a thick, custard-like consistency.
3. Whisk the ganache by hand or with a hand-mixer until it begins to lighten in color slightly. Spread the ganache over the brownie base.
4. Using a vegetable peeler, cover the top of the bars with shaved dark chocolate. A vegetable peeler allows you to shave chocolate straight from the chocolate bar and makes perfect little curls. If you want larger curls, peel from the long side of the chocolate bar; small curls from the short side of the chocolate bar.
5. Allow the bars to sit at room temperature until the ganache firms up. To speed this process, place in refrigerator for 15-30 minutes or until the truffle topping is firm. Cut into 1-inch squares. Store the bars in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out. Best eaten at room temperature.

In the mood for chocolate? Grab the ingredients and make Moonstruck’s Decadent Chocolate Truffle Bars today!

–Kim

Print Recipe

Moonstruck’s Decadent Chocolate Truffle Bars

Moonstruck’s Decadent Chocolate Truffle Bars are a chocolate lover’s dream. Think fudgy brownie topped with ganache and sprinkled with shaved chocolate. Luscious!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Keyword: bar, brownie, chocolate, ganache

Servings: 72 1″ squares

Author: Kim Melanson

Ingredients

• (see notes for recipe origin)

Brownie Base:

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter
• 7 ounces 90-100% chocolate bar chopped
• 2 cups (396g) granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Truffle Topping:

• 1 ½ cups (225g) quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• Shaved 60-80% dark chocolate bar

Instructions

Brownie Base:

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray 9×13-inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
• Place the butter a microwave safe bowl and melt for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until melted. With spatula, stir in the unsweetened chocolate until completely melted. Heat in microwave for 15-30 seconds if needed.
• Add the sugar and mix by hand until completely combined.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously by hand after each addition. Add the vanilla, then flour and mix just until no traces remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 350° F for 20-25 minutes only. The brownie may still look soft and shiny. Overbaking will result in being dry and crumbly. Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack. Cool completely before adding the truffle topping.

Truffle Topping:

• Once brownies are cool, place chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl. In another microwave safe bowl, heat the cream and corn syrup for 1 minute. Pour warm cream over chocolate pieces and stir until combined. Heat mixture for 15-30 seconds if necessary to melt completely. Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Add butter and whisk until butter is melted. Once smooth, the mixture will have a thick, custard-like consistency.
• Whisk the ganache until it begins to lighten in color slightly. Spread the ganache over the brownie base. Cover the top of the bars with shaved dark chocolate.
• Allow the bars to sit at room temperature until the ganache firms up. To speed process, place in fridge for 15-30 minutes. Cut into 1-inch squares. Store the bars in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out. Best eaten at room temperature.

Notes

Based on Moonstruck Chocolate Co. recipe printed in Portland’s Oregonian newspaper in the early 2000’s.