Pumpkin Pie Truffles

Preparation

Add ginger snaps to a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add cinnamon and pulse until well combined.

Using a spoon, break up cream cheese and add it in an even layer on top of the crumbs in the food processor. Add pumpkin puree. Process on high until mixture begins to bind up, then switch to low speed and continue to process until mixture becomes smooth and creamy, about 1–2 minutes more. The mixture will resemble thick frosting. Transfer mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.

Once mixture has set and is firm, form into balls (about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons per ball). Place balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You should have about 30 balls when finished. Place the baking sheet with the balls into the freezer and allow to freeze a minimum of 7 hours or overnight.

When truffles have finished freezing, transfer from the baking sheet to a bowl and place back into the freezer. Keep the baking sheet with parchment paper next to the stove where you will be melting the chocolate.

Melt white chocolate in a double boiler, stirring frequently until smooth and no lumps remain. Keep a rubber spatula, a fork and a small spoon nearby.

Remove one truffle from the freezer and drop it into the melted white chocolate. (You do not want them to warm up, so it is important to take them out of the freezer only one at a time.) Use the spoon to gently roll it around in the chocolate until it is completely coated, working quickly so that the truffle does not lose its shape. Carefully remove the truffle from the chocolate by lifting it up with a fork (do not pierce the truffle with the fork). Gently tap the fork on the side of the pot to remove any excess chocolate. Use the spoon to scrape the underside of the fork on which the truffle is resting, further removing any excess chocolate so that it drips back into the pot. Keeping the fork level so that the truffle does not roll off, carefully move it to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Lay the fork on the sheet and use the spoon to gently slide the truffle off onto the sheet, then quickly pull the spoon away from the truffle with a slight flick of the wrist to keep the chocolate intact around it. This may take some practice, so be patient! If some of the chocolate comes away from the truffle, simply spoon some more over it to cover the bare spot. (Don’t worry if the chocolate pools around the truffle, you can always trim it off later when it cools.) Repeat this process with the remaining truffles.

Note: If the chocolate starts to bind up, don’t fret. You are adding something frozen to something that has been melted, so the chocolate may cool down a bit and begin to solidify. If this happens, and it probably will, use the rubber spatula to scrape the chocolate down the sides of the pot as well as from the bottom, then stir vigorously until the chocolate fully melts and becomes smooth again, after which you may carry on coating the rest of the truffles.

When all of the truffles have been coated, transfer the sheet pan to the refrigerator until the chocolate has set, about 1 hour. You will have a good amount of white chocolate remaining in the double boiler. Use the rubber spatula to transfer remaining chocolate to a sheet of tin foil laying flat. Spread the chocolate into a layer about 1/4 inch thick and allow to cool, then chop it into chunks. Place chunks into a resealable bag for future use in cookies, cocoa, etc. (You now have white chocolate chunks that are lightly seasoned with pumpkin spice!)

Transfer truffles to a large resealable bag and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use. Serve the truffles by placing them in small confectionary bowls, sprinkle with freshly ground nutmeg.