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A recipe for chai truffles made with milk chocolate, candied ginger, and chai infused whipping cream, hand-rolled and dusted with powdered chai. These creamy chocolate truffles capture all of the sweetness and spice of a cup of chai tea.
Why Make These Chocolate Chai Truffles?
Chai is an Indian beverage comprised of black tea, milk, spices (such as cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper) and sweetener. In countries like the US and Britain, you’ll find chai and chai-inspired drinks (I’m a big chai latte fan) on the menu at coffee shops like Pret and Starbucks, and chai tea bags and instant beverage mixes for sale at the local supermarket.
If you’re like me and love all things chai-flavored, these chocolate chai truffles will be right up your alley.
My chai truffles are easy to make, requiring just five ingredients—whipping cream, good-quality milk chocolate, chai tea bags, crystallized ginger, and chai latte mix. The secret? Infusing real tea into the cream (rather than ground spices or flavor extracts) for the unmistakeable, milky-sweet taste of chai. And because they’re finished with a roll in powdered chai, these truffles are the perfect way to use up that half-opened canister of latte mix in the cabinet!
Featuring creamy milk chocolate, spicy-sweetchai, and fiery crystallized ginger, these hand-rolled truffles will keep well in the refrigerator for a week or more. You will need to allow about 30 minutes for the tea to steep in the warm cream, and another 2-3 hours for the chocolate ganache to chill before rolling, but most of the time in this recipe is passive time—the active steps are quick and straightforward, with minimal need for fancy tools or equipment.
Ingredients for Making Chocolate Chai Truffles
To make this chai chocolate truffles recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Whipping Cream – Also called heavy cream, if you’re in the US. You’ll need some extra cream to “top up” after infusing the tea bags—see my notes below.
- Chai Tea Bags – I recommend using strong chai tea bags from the international aisle. I used Chai Express.
- Milk Chocolate – Your choice of chocolate will shap the overall flavor and texture of the ganache. I suggest using a good-quality milk chocolate couverture (such as Callebaut or Valrhona) for these truffles, rather than chocolate chips.
- Crystallized Ginger – Look for dry, sugar-coated crystallized ginger, sometimes called candied ginger, or crystallized stem ginger. Do not use fresh ginger or ginger preserved in syrup, as these will add too much moisture to the ganache.
My go-to crystallized ginger - Powdered Chai – Look for chai latte mix, powdered chai, or instant chai powder—the same product you’d mix with boiling water to quickly make a mug of chai at home.
Infusing Chai into Whipping Cream
To infuse the cream with its spicy-sweet flavor, warm it in a small saucepan, stir in chai tea bags, remove from heat, and allow the tea to steep for about 30 minutes. After steeping, remove the tea bags by passing the cream through a fine mesh strainer.
In the recipe, I’ve instructed you to start with 240 milliliters (1 cup) of cream, but to only add 120 milliliters (1/2 cup) to the ganache. This is because the tea bags will absorb liquid as they steep—post-straining, you’ll find yourself with far less cream!
After carefully removing out the tea bags (do not squeeze, or you’ll break the bags and bits of loose tea will infiltrate the cream!) re-weigh and discard the excess (it will only be a few tablespoons, at most.) If you don’t have enough cream, “top up” with more plain cream as needed.
Tools and Equipment for Making Chocolate Truffles
- Bain Marie or Double Boiler – To melt the milk chocolate, you will need a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can sit a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water to create a bain marie. This post provides step-by-step instructions on how to make and use a bain marie.
- Melon Baller – Select a smaller melon baller, not a full-size cookie or ice cream scoop. Ideally, you’re aiming for 1 – 1 1/2-inch truffles. These are fairly sweet, so don’t make the balls too large.
- Small Saucepan – I love my small saucepan for warming small quantities of milk and cream.
- Strainer – To remove the tea bags after steeping, you’ll need a fine mesh strainer.
- Kitchen Scale – Note that I’ve provided volume (cups) as a secondary measurement, but I strongly recommend using a kitchen scale to re-weigh your infused cream. (If you don’t own a kitchen scale, now is a great time to buy one!)
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
The chai milk chocolate ganache can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance. Cover the bowl with clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to scoop and roll the truffles. If the chilled ganache is too firm, allow it to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, or until it is soft enough to scoop.
Store chai truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. (I suggest layering the truffles between sheets of parchment or wax paper to prevent them from sticking together.) Re-roll in additional chai powder just prior to serving.
Other chocolate truffle recipes you might enjoy:
Toasted Coconut Oreo Truffles
Coconut White Chocolate Truffles with Basil
Red Wine Truffles
Sparkling Rosé Dark Chocolate Truffles
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
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Chocolate Chai Truffles
- Total Time: About 4 hours
- Yield: 15 1 1/2-inch truffles 1x
Description
Chai truffles made with milk chocolate, candied ginger, and chai infused whipping cream, hand-rolled and dusted with powdered chai.
Ingredients
240 milliliters whipping cream, plus more for topping up (1 cup)
5 chai tea bags
150 grams chopped milk chocolate (5 1/4 ounces, or about 1 cup)
30 grams crystallized ginger, finely chopped (3 tablespoons)
Chai powder, for rolling
Instructions
Add whipping cream to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the chai tea bags.
Remove from heat and allow tea bags to steep in the cream for 30 minutes.
Pass through a fine mesh strainer to remove the tea bags and any bits of tea. (Do not squeeze the tea bags or they will break!)
Reweigh cream. Add additional cream as necessary, “topping up” to 120 milliliters, or 1/2 cup.
Melt chocolate over a double boiler or bain marie.
Meanwhile, add infused whipping cream to a small saucepan and rewarm over medium-low heat. (Do not boil.)
Gently whisk warm cream into melted chocolate.
Whisk in the candied ginger.
Cover bowl with clingfilm/plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.
Line a small tray with parchment or a silicone mat.
Use a melon baller or small cookie scoop to scoop the chilled ganache, using your hands to smooth and shape each truffle into a ball.
Roll each ball in chai powder and place on prepared tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes, or until ready to serve.
Re-roll in additional chai powder before serving.
Store truffles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes prior to serving. Re-roll in additional chai powder as needed.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chilling Time: 2-3 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Chocolate
- Method: Stovetop