Hmmm... Sweet Favors :)

OK, who doesn't like chocolates? Imagine making your own chocolate truffles as your wedding favors, or you can even include that in your dessert buffet if you'd like. Now that the holiday season is just around the corner, I would love to share with you one of my favorite chocolate truffle recipes.

With San Francisco being my 2nd home, of course the recipe calls for my personal favorites - Recchiuti or Charles Chocolates, but you can use whatever brand chocolates you desire:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup organic heavy cream or whipping cream (try to find cream that is not “Ultra-Pasteurized)
• 1 whole vanilla bean
• 8 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a gentle boil. Remove from heat
• Split the vanilla bean open and scrape out the vanilla seed into the cream and let steep for 10 minutes
• Bring the cream back to a gentle boil over medium heat
• Pour the cream over the finely chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes
• Whisk the chocolate and cream mixture together until very smooth. This is referred to as ganache, a mixture of chocolate and cream
• Refrigerate in an airtight container, for at least 5 hours or overnight
• Using a small melon baller or a small teaspoon, scoop small balls of ganache into your hand and roll until somewhat smooth and round. These should be approximately 1” in diameter
• Place cocoa powder in a shallow bowl or pan. Roll the truffles in cocoa powder to coat
• Truffles may be stored for up to two weeks at a cool room temperature (55-65 degrees) in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate or freeze; this damages the texture of the creamy ganache

Have fun and enjoy! Let me know how yours turn out! :)