Truffles

When someone says truffle.....do you think of a fungus or a chocolate? :-)

I'm not a mushroom fan, so of course, I think of chocolates. But these luscious, smooth, amazing chocolate treats hae a very interesting background. Chocolate truffles got their name because they were traditionally rolled in Dutch process cocoa, which made them look like the fungal variety, covered in dirt.

Many many many people would disagree with me, but I think that the chocolate variety tastes a bazillion times better than the fungal variety.

Here's my best recipe for chocolate truffles. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

For truffle mixture:
8 oz (by weight) of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (highest quality available), chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons liquor (optional), I have used Kahlua, Baileys, and rum all with good results

For truffle coatings:
Dutch process cocoa
Toasted and chopped nuts (any kind)
Coconut
Sprinkles
Shaved chocolate


Directions:

Place the chopped chocolate in a stainless steel bowl and set aside.

Heat the cream and butter over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Whisk the cream and chocolate together until very smooth. If desired, mix in liquor.

Cover and store in refrigerator until truffle mixture is firm (at least 3-4 hours, but overnight is usually best).

Place coatings on plates or in shallow bowls.

Scoop truffle mixture out with a small cookie scoop (I can sell you an amazing one, haha) into a bite sized ball. roll in truffle mixture of your choice.

These can be refrigerated for a couple of weeks or even frozen for longer preservation. Enjoy!