Cookies and Cream Truffles

Adapted from recipe found on iVillage website March 1995.

This is the perfect recipe to start off this blog.  I can honestly say that I have passed along this recipe more times than any other recipe I have ever made.  I've also been told that those I have shared this recipe with have also passed it along to their friends.  I found this recipe almost 17 years ago.  My oldest daughter, Ryan, was four months old and we were using the Ferber method to teach her how to fall asleep on her own.  (By the way, it worked so well, we used it with my second daughter, Megan.)  While she was crying, I went into the next room to surf the web. I came across this website:  iVillage .  It was the perfect place for a new mom to hang out.  I found two recipes that night that I have have made over and over again.  The first was the Cookies and Cream recipe and the second was Bailey's Irish Creme Fudge.   I love to have someone take a bite of the truffle and I ask them what is in it.  Usually they have no idea and are completely shocked when they find out.  I have made these for every holiday you can imagine and love to decorate them for that .    But, if you want to keep with the cookies & cream theme, just use white coating.  Enjoy!

1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese (room temperature)
1-2 pkgs. melting candy wafers (any color)
1 1/2 pkgs. Oreo cookies, crushed (not double stuffed)

Crushing cookies:  

If you have a powerful mixer (I use a KitchenAid), throw whole cookies into the bowl and go to town.  Before you know it, they will be broken into small pieces.  If you don't, place cookies in a gallon zip lock bag and bang the heck out of them.  I used to use my Pampered Chef meat tenderizer.  I've always said that if anyone ever broke into my house, this would make a great weapon.

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy.  Add the crushed cookies.  Beat until the cream cheese is fully incorporated.  The mixture will be completely black.  Refrigerate until completely chilled, around 1-2 hours.  Roll into 1" balls.  Place back into the refrigerator to rechill.  In the meantime, melt candy wafers in the microwave.  Let cool for 2 minutes.  If you dip them too soon, the chocolate truffle will start to melt.  Dip balls into the melted candy with fork and tap off extra coating.  Drop onto wax paper.  If you want to get a little fancy, make a swirl on top of the truffle with the fork.  You can leave them on the counter to harden.  If I'm in a hurry, I throw them into the refrigerator to speed up the process. 

Makes 2 1/2 dozen, but depends on if you actually make them 1 inch.  You have to remember they will look smaller than you think they should be until you dip them in the candy coating.

The standard Cookie & Cream Truffle is a white candy coating (kind of like the cookie).  Chocolate candy wafers taste fantastic also.

Try these other flavors:  Mint-Flavored Oreos and Peanut Butter-Flavored Oreos.  If you use Oreos with an unflavored color, i.e., orange or pastel, the truffle will still come out black.  The cream does not show.  Do not use double stuffed.  It makes the truffle too mushy.

As you can see from the picture above, I made the standard cookies and cream truffles.  I then melted some green and red candy wafers and piped on holiday patterns.  It really dresses them up and they look quite fancy!