Dark Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients
• 1/4 c. (1 oz.) slivered almonds or coarsely chopped pecans, if
desired
• 6 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped coarsely, or 1 c. semisweet
chocolate chips
• 3/4 c. heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. butter, preferably unsalted
• 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions
If using the almond or pecans, toast them in a large frying pan
over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to
color and become fragrant, about 7 minutes. Immediately pour them
out of the pan and set aside to cool.
Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream and butter
together in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring
occasionally, just until the mixture starts to boil. Pour it over
the chocolate and stir until all of the chocolate is melted, then
whisk or beat with mixer until the mixture is utterly smooth and
uniform. Stir in the nuts.
Cool in refrigerator, stirring occasionally to speed the process
if desired, until the mixture is the consistency of peanut butter
or firmer, at least 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (If you just can't wait that
long, put it in the freezer for 45 minutes or so, stirring every 10
minutes.)
Put the cocoa powder into a small bowl. Have a clean plate ready
for the truffles.
Wearing clean, dry kitchen gloves if you have them - or making
sure your hands are dry- dust hands with cocoa powder. Take a
heaping tableware teaspoon (not a measuring teaspoon) of the
chocolate mixture and, using another teaspoon, drop it into the
bowl of cocoa powder and roll it around to cover it. Roll it
between your hands until it's more-or-less round - French truffles
aren't perfect spheres; they're irregular and even lopsided, like
the truffle fungus. Shake off excess cocoa and set on the plate.
Repeat with remaining chocolate mixture.
If practicing delayed gratification, refrigerate the finished
truffles. Serve them cold or, better, allow to warm for an hour or
so.