Chocolate Pumpkin Truffles

October was a crazy month for my sisters and I and my sister the cook said she's been cooking to relieve her stress. I thought O.K., I can do that too, so I decided to look for seasonal recipes and decided to cook with pumpkin in honor of fall.

In all my years of cooking I've used pumpkin only to make pumpkin pie so it was time to expand my horizon. It definitely is taking my mind off the personal stress!

This truffle recipe is one I've made several times but I never used pumpkin. The spices give us the holiday flavors reminiscent of fall.

Chocolate Pumpkin Truffles
Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 TBLS. brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground gloves
• 1/4 cups cream
• 8 oz. dark chocolate chips
• 1 TBLS. butter, room temperature
• 1-2 TBLS. orange-flavored liqueur, optional
• cocoa powder or confectioners sugar for coating

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine pumpkin, brown sugar and spices. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until mixture reduces by half and pumpkin looks dry. Set aside. 
2. Add cream to a saucepan or measuring cup and heat on stove or microwave until cream starts to bubble. 
3. In a medium bowl add chocolate and the hot cream.  Let the hot cream heat the chocolate for 20 seconds then slowly stir with a silicone spatula until the chocolate is melted.
4. Add the pumpkin mixture to the chocolate and whisk to combine. 
5. Next add the butter and liqueur, if using. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
6. Add parchment paper to large cookie sheet.  Use a melon baller or small cookie scoop to make the truffles and add them to the cookie sheet.  

7. Place the cookie sheet in the fridge for at least one hour, or until chilled.  Remove truffles from refrigerator and roll the truffles in unsweetened cocoa powder or sprinkle with confectioners sugar (that's what I did).  
8. Place on a tray and keep chilled until ready to serve.

P.S. I made this recipe and wrote the post at the end of October way before the Hurricane hit. Now today we are having a Nor'easter and the winds are howling again. Not to get cabin fever while stuck in the house I'm cooking up a few more recipes using pumpkin.

I've shared this recipe with: