Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Truffles

I found this recipe in a magazine and I LOVED IT! I love love love dark chocolate (not the wimpy 60% : 85% is more my style) and this recipe made it possible for me to make the chocolate as dark as I wanted. If you like it sweeter it is easy enough to add more sugar, which adds appeal to this recipe. It really is adaptable.

 Ingredients
10 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Directions 
1. Put the chocolate in a large microwave-safe container and heat, at medium power, stirring every minute, until most of the chocolate is melted.
2. Bring the cream to a boil in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. Remove from the heat; pour the cream over the chocolate, stirring until the mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny.
3. Stir the butter into the mixture in 4 or 5 additions, stirring gently until it's again smooth and shiny. Stir in the corn syrup.
4. Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with plastic wrap; pour in the mixture. Press plastic wrap against the chocolate and put the pan in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, or until the mixture is firm. (for this part I had to put it in the freezer to firm up. I had used baking squares, and agave to sweeten it, so the consistency was off).
5. To form the truffles, line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Turn out the mixture onto a cutting board, remove the plastic, and cut the chocolate into small cubes (or scoop out rounded teaspoonfuls of chocolate). Put cocoa powder into a bowl. One by one, roll the pieces between your palms to make compact balls, then drop them into the cocoa and turn to coat. Put the finished truffles on the lined baking sheet.
6. Return the truffles to the fridge so they become firm again. Serve cold. (I skipped this step).
Variations for coating: Cocoa powder substitutes include powdered sugar, chopped nuts, sprinkles, chopped coconut, cookie or graham cracker crumbs, chopped peppermint candy, or chopped chocolate chips.