Chocolate Truffles

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon whipping cream
• 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/8 pounds bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 6 tablespoons sour cream
• Flavorings (add to your individual taste), such as almond, orange, or coconut extract,
• or liqueurs such as Amaretto, Framboise, etc.

• 3/4 pounds white chocolate (not candy coating), chopped
• 3/4 pounds bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, chopped

For Rolling:

• Cocoa powder
• Finely chopped nuts
• Coconut
• Crushed Oreo cookies
• Grated chocolate

Preparation:

Bring cream and butter to boil in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium; stir until butter melts. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in sour cream. Pour into as many bowls as you want separate flavors (I split it into thirds and make mint, almond, and raspberry), and add flavorings until you reach desired flavor. (Aw, shucks, you have to keep tasting it here to get it right!) How much you add depends on how many flavors you are making, and the strength of the flavoring you add. When I split it into thirds, I start with about 1/2 tsp of flavoring per batch.

Refrigerate mixture until firm enough to be molded, about 1 hour. Line 2 large cookie sheets with foil. Using about 1-2 tablespoons of truffle mixture for each (depending on desired size), form into balls and set on sheets. Refrigerate 2 hours, or freeze for 30-60 minutes.

Dipping/Rolling:

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Melt white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until candy thermometer registers 115F. (I usually microwave mine!) Remove from over water. Using a fork or candy dipper, dunk a truffle in white chocolate, tilting pan, if necessary. Tap against side of pan to to remove excess chocolate. Alide truffle off fork and onto clean foil-lined cookie sheet. Wipe fork clean. Repeat process with as many truffles as you want coated in white chocolate (this amount of chocolate will do half the batch). Freeze for 15 minutes to set chocolate coating. Reheat remaining white chocolate to 115F over simmering water. Repeat dipping process to give truffles a double coating of white chocolate.Refrigerate to set coating, about 30 minutes.

Line another cookie sheet with foil. Melt bittersweet chocolate in top of clean double boiler over simmering water, stirring until candy thermometer registers 115F. (Again, I do this in the microwave.) Using dipping process described above, dip remaining truffles into bittersweet chocolate, dipping each truffle only once. Refrigerate truffles about 30 minutes.

If desired, reheat both chocolates and drizzle opposite color chocolate over completed truffles, to give them a fancy finish.

To Roll:

If you prefer rolling truffles in a coating to dipping them, simply put the desired coating (see suggestions above) in a small zippy bag, add one or two truffles, seal, shake and remove. (Some items, such as coconut, make require some pressure, and are better rolled on a plate.) Put on foil-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate truffles about 30-60 minutes.

Makes about 50 truffles, depending on size.

May be kept, refrigerated, for about 3 weeks -- if you can stay away from them that long!