Recipe: Dark Chocolate Truffles

Everyone gather 'round, because I'm going to share with you a most secret recipe which has been passed down from generation to generation of chocolate lovers. This is a recipe that when followed carefully will bring on insane delight and everlasting cravings. It is said to be used in natural medicine as a way to bring people out of depression. It is also said that - and I'm not inventing or saying this lightly - you can never make too many of them. They are bitter and sweet, creamy and firm, rich, decadent, fruity, buttery, powdery and the ultimate ruin of any diabetic. It is sinfully delicious. This recipe has been banned from temples and places of worship. It is also considered taboo by many religious zealots.

A word of caution before I give you the recipe: if you give this to your friends and/or family, they will always want you to make it.

Now, on to the recipe. I came across this jewel one rainy afternoon when I went to the market and decided to indulge in a bittersweet chocolate craving. When I opened the wrapper I saw a recipe there for Nestle Dark Chocolate Truffles. The next day I went back to the market and bought more chocolate, then set out to make my very first batch. This was March of 2003, a good year all around. This recipe calls for whiskey but I chose to use a fruity liquor, cassis to be exact. It's perfect. Since then I have tried it with rum, whiskey, but I always go back to cassis or cherry liquor.

Nestle Dark Chocolate Truffles

500 gr bittersweet chocolate
1/2 can heavy cream (200 ml)
100 gr butter (room temperature)
2 tbs whiskey
cocoa powder for coating

• Melt chocolate in bain marie
• Add cream and let cool to room temperature
• Add butter and whiskey and stir to mix well
• Refrigerate for 24 hours in sealed plastic container
• Form into balls using a melon baller or round measuring spoon, whatever's handy
• Coat in cocoa powder and refrigerate for at least 2 more hours before serving

Optional: You can melt another 500 gr of chocolate and coat the truffles, let them cool, then roll in cocoa powder. Make sure to refrigerate for 2 hours before coating in melted chocolate. I don't usually do the whole second coating of chocolate. I have in the past, but it was way time consuming. It's a nice variation though.