Red Velvet Truffles

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 Cups (150g) All-Purpose Flour 
• 1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder 
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda 
• 1/4 Tsp Espresso Powder (optional) 
• 1/4 Tsp Salt 
• 1/4 Cup or 4 Tbsp (57g) Unsalted Butter, room temp 
• 3 Tbsp Neutral Oil 
• 1/2 Cup (160g) D’vash Date Syrup 
• 1/4 Cup (42g) D’vash Date Sugar 
• 1 Large Egg, room temp 
• 1 Tsp Vanilla 
• 1/2 Cup (113g) Buttermilk, room temp 
• 1 Tsp White Vinegar 
• 1 to 2 Tsp Gel Red Food Coloring 
• 1/3 Cup (75g) Boiling Water
• 6 Oz (170 g) Cream Cheese (from the block), room temp
• 10 Oz (284g) White Melting Wafers 

How to:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Next, prepare a 9-inch (23cm) square pan by greasing and/or lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder (if using) baking soda and salt and set aside. Then in a small measuring cup, combine buttermilk, vinegar and red gel food coloring. I added about 1.5 teaspoons, but you can add as much or as little as you’d like. Set aside
3. With a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk on medium-high speed, the room temperature butter, oil, date syrup, date sugar, egg and vanilla. About 3 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Sift in half of the dry ingredients into the mixture and mix on the lowest setting just until combined. Next, add all of the buttermilk mixture and mix until combined. Then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Finally, add the boiling water and mix until incorporated. Do not over mix!
5. Transfer the batter to your prepared pan. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes. It’s ready when a toothpick insert in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to completely cool on a wire rack.
6. Assemble your truffles – Transfer your cooled cake into a bowl and break up into fine crumbs. If you would like to decorate with extra crumbs, reserve 2 tablespoons. Next, add in the softened cream cheese and mix until combined. It should easily hold together when squeezed.
7. Roll into cake balls, about 2 tablespoons each (34g) and place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. I got 20 cake balls. Freeze for 30 minutes or until firm.
8. Melt your melting wafers over a double boiler or in the microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts until melted. Remove truffles from the fridge and roll each cake ball in the candy coating until fully coated and then transfer back to the lined sheet pan. Allow to the coating to set and dry at room temperature for 15 minutes.
9. Decorating your truffles (optional) – Drizzle the tops of the truffles with extra candy coating and then immediately sprinkle with extra cake crumbs. If the coating is firm at this point, microwave in 15 to 20 second bursts until fully melted. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe from Short Stack Kitchen