Soft and creamy, these fudgy dulce de leche truffles with coconut and nuts are easy to make. The combination of flavors is irresistible and might make you a huge fan. They can be stored refrigerated for a week or frozen for a month.
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Amazing flavors
Coconut is one of the best pairing flavors for dulce de leche. And these fudgy balls prove it.
As with most truffles, this recipe is quick and easy to make but requires some time in the fridge. It is family to the dulce de leche fudge we love so much.
They can be made ahead, and you can have them as a last-minute dessert or snack while watching the latest series, for game night or for last-minute guests at home.
They're a worthwhile addition to our candy category, which has grown significantly in the last year.
I have a lot of recipes with dulce de leche.
That's because I'm from Argentina, which is the birth country of that milky jam; I know there might be some rivalry with neighboring countries about this, but I'm standing my ground as founder since it's our most used spread by a landslide.
What is dulce de leche?
Dulce de leche is a sweet jam made with milk, sugar and baking soda, the latter being accountable for its dark color. It takes a few hours to make and there are as many tips and tricks as grandmothers in this country. Each with its own recipe.
We have many brands and styles, pretty much like peanut butter in the US, and use it a lot, as you might imagine.
What does it taste like?
The flavor is very sweet, similar to caramel but not quite.
It does have a milk undertone, something that caramel lacks, and some might say it's not as sophisticated, and they might be right. I'm a raving fan, so my opinion is biased.
Easy steps for making truffles
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl, except the coconut or sprinkles used to roll them in.
- Pour this mixture into a pan for quicker cooling, or leave it in the same bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
- Takes spoonfuls and quickly form balls the size of nuts.
- Roll them in shredded coconut (lightly toasted is better), sprinkles, or ground nuts.
- Refrigerate until cold, or freeze them for 10 minutes before eating.
What type of dulce de leche should you use?
Use dulce de leche 'repostero', which is bakers or pastry in Spanish.
This means the dulce de leche is thicker and made for fillings and piping where you need it to hold and not drip. And you won't need to add as much powdered sugar, which can create a too-sweet truffle.
Rolling the truffles
You can use whatever you want to roll these fudge balls in - I used sprinkles for fun, but lightly toasted coconut is the best option.
- Cold truffles: it's essential to roll them well and not make a mess. Or at least not a large one.
- Coconut: shredded unsweetened is the best combination. I recommend it as your first choice.
- Ground nuts or cookies: they also work very well. As do sprinkles, though they are not the best to bite.
Related recipes you might like:
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Dulce de Leche Truffles
Ingredients
- 1 pound dulce de leche, the thick type like dulce de leche repostero Vacalin.
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon coffee liquor, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar, the amount varies depending on the type of dulce de leche you use
- 1 cup ground walnuts , lightly toasted if you want to
- 4 tablespoons shredded coconut, lightly toasted if you want to
Instructions
- Mix 1 pound dulce de leche, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon coffee liquor, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 cup ground walnuts until you have a paste. It will be soft.
- Refrigerate covered until it firms up enough to make balls, about 1 hour or more depending on the temperature of your fridge.
- When ready, put 4 tablespoons shredded coconut and sprinkles (or whatever you're using for coating) in shallow dishes.
- Take a large teaspoon mixture and make balls with your hands (it might get messy), the size of walnuts and roll in desired extras.
- Keep refrigerated.
Jacqueline Johnson says
Why are you promoting dulce de leche (which is a sauce) as a fudge. It's too soft and lacking the substance to set as a true fudge
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Jacqueline, it uses the thick dulce de leche, which has a different consistency than regular one, and creates a soft fudge consistency. I also call them truffles, which might represent them better.
Mary Hirsch says
I have to come to Paris to start reading through your posts!!! You're making these fudge balls sound easy to make. The part about "freezes well" attracted me right away.
Paula Montenegro says
They are easy to make! I wish I was in Paris too... I have a trip lined up to go again, but it gets delayed. Hope to make it there next year.