Shokoladnaya Kartoshka are sweet & chocolatey Russian Chocolate Cake Truffles made with simple ingredients & coated in melted chocolate. Perfect to celebrate Valentine’s Day or any other occasion where you need a delicious make-ahead dessert that doesn’t require baking! So easy to make but oh-so-GOOD!
Shokoladnaya Kartoshka – Russian Cake Truffles
Hey loves, happy February! Today I’m bringing you these delicious Russian Chocolate Cake Truffles aka Shokoladnaya Kartoshka, just in time for Valentine’s Day! š
These are basically the Russian version of cake truffles: they’re usually made with cookie crumbs or cake scraps & a mixture of condensed milk, butter, cocoa powder & sugar.
They’re sweet & chocolatey, very easy to make & require no baking at all, just some chilling in the refrigerator! Sounds like something you should try asap, right?!
Oh, they’re also the perfect make-ahead chocolate dessert: you can make these up to 2-3 days ahead of time if needed š
I promised I’d show you how to make these back when I posted my Russian Chocolate SalamiĀ (so happy to see you guys loved it!!!) so here we are!!
Let’s go!! š„
What is Shokoladnaya Kartoshka
First a bit of background for those of you who are new to Russian desserts & love learning!
“Shokoladnaya Kartosha” means “Chocolate Potato” but – NO, this dessert doesn’t actually contain potatoes lol! These cake truffles are usually shaped like potatoes though, hence the name!
I shaped mine into balls to give them that classic chocolate truffle look for Valentine’s Day but really, in Russia, you can find these in any bakery all year round (& they’re usually topped with whipped cream)!
Like many traditional Russian desserts, Kartoshka is made with simple ingredients & became popular in the Soviet Union because it allowed bakeries & home cooks to rework cookie crumbs or cake scraps into a delicious no-bake dessert!
Wanna take a bite? Mm, you should š
How to make Shokoladnaya Kartoshka
You’ll find the full recipe + ingredients in the recipe card down below but this is what to expect:
- Grind cookies into a fine sand-like mixture. This recipe is very forgiving so you can use pretty much any type of cookies for these truffles: vanilla or chocolate wafers, sugar cookies, biscotti, a batch of failed cookies that are too dry to eat or even sponge cake or a leftover cake! Get creative bby!
- Melt condensed milk & butter over medium-low heatĀ until hot.
- Add the cocoa powder & powdered sugar to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
- Mix the cookie crumbs into the chocolate mixture & shape it into 14 balls or 6 large potato-shaped truffles.
- Chill in the refrigerator until set.
- Dip the cake truffles into melted chocolate before placing them onto a piece of parchment paper to set. You can also decorate the truffles with a drizzle of melted white chocolate, sea salt, or sprinkles!
- Pop in the refrigerator to set & allow to come down to almost room temperature before serving!
How to store Kartoshka
Store your chocolate cake truffles in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
Allow to come down to room temperature before serving or they’ll be too hard & cold!
PSA: don’t leave these sitting on the counter, especially during summer or the chocolate coating will melt!
HAPPY BAKING LOVES!! I hope you’ll love this easy pretzel crust as much as I do!Ā
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating āļø if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy šš
Still Hungry?
- Russian Chocolate Salami Dessert (Shokoladnaya Kolbasa)
- Russian Apple Cake with Sour Cream
- Russian Oladi Recipe With Apples (Russian Pancakes)
Shokoladnaya Kartoshka (Russian Chocolate Cake Truffles)
Ingredients
For the Kartoshka
- 5.3 oz (150 g) cookies any type (chocolate or vanilla wafers, sugar cookies, biscotti, etc) or cake scraps (chocolate or vanilla cakes, a failed cake that's too dry to eat or a leftover cake will work too)
- 1/4 cup (80 g) sweetened condensed milk plus more for mixing (if necessary)
- 1.7 oz or 1/4 cup (50 g) unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp cognac or rum (optional)
For Decorating
- 5 oz semi-sweet or milk chocolate for coating
- 1 oz white chocolate optional
- Sea salt or sprinkles optional
Instructions
How to make Shokoladnaya Kartoshka
- Using a food processor, grind the cookies or cake scraps into very fine crumbs (you're looking for a sand-like texture). Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl and set aside.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk and butter to a small saucepan over medium-low heat and heat until the butter has melted completely, then add in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and stir until fully combined and smooth. Turn off the heat.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the crumbs and mix until a chocolate dough starts forming. Work fast to keep the butter from cooling down and becoming too hard.
- Divide the dough into 14 portions for 14 round cake truffles or into 6 portions for 6 large potato-shaped truffles. I usually make 14 cake truffles with this recipe (0.8 oz each / 25 g each). Roll them into balls or into the shape of a potato, then place them on a clean plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, simply add more condensed milk!
How to decorate Shokoladnaya Kartoshka
- Chop the semi-sweet chocolate and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals stirring after every 30 seconds. Melt until completely smooth then set aside.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then using a fork or a dipping tool, drop each cake truffle into the melted semi-sweet chocolate, push it under the surface of the chocolate and then lift it out and tap the fork against the side of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate. Finally, place the truffle on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining truffles. Immediately add sea salt or sprinkles if desired. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until the coating has set.
- Optional: meanwhile, chop the white chocolate and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals stirring after every 30 seconds. Melt until completely smooth. Immediately pour the chocolate into a piping bag and cut off the tip (the hole should be tiny). Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and drizzle with your melted chocolate. Return to the refrigerator and chill for another 15 minutes. Allow to come down to almost room temperature before serving.
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