Chocolate Balls

Three ingredients. That’s all it takes. Chocolate chips melted with evaporated milk, chilled, rolled into balls, and coated in chopped nuts. These are essentially chocolate truffles stripped to their bare minimum, and they’re ridiculously good for how little effort they require.

The double boiler method matters here. Melting chocolate chips directly over heat risks scorching and seizing. The gentle, indirect steam keeps the chocolate smooth as the evaporated milk gets stirred in. Keep stirring constantly until the mixture turns thick and glossy.

Refrigerate for about an hour before shaping. The mixture needs to be firm enough to hold a ball shape but still pliable enough to roll. Too warm and it sticks to your hands. Too cold and it cracks when you try to shape it.

Roll them small, about ¾ inch, then immediately into the chopped nuts while the surface is still tacky so the coating sticks.

Kitchen Tips

• If the chocolate seizes (turns grainy), add a teaspoon of warm evaporated milk and stir vigorously. It should smooth back out.
• Work with cold hands. Run them under cold water and dry before rolling each batch. Warm hands melt the chocolate on contact.
• Store in the fridge in a single layer, covered. They soften quickly at room temperature.

Variations

• Roll in cocoa powder instead of nuts for a classic truffle finish.
• Use white chocolate chips for a vanilla version and roll in crushed pistachios for color.
• Add a teaspoon of instant espresso to the melting chocolate for a mocha twist.