Homemade Dark Chocolate Truffles

Yep, that's right, homemade. I adapted this recipe from a Whole Foods recipe for Coconut Mate Chocolate Truffles, which you can find on their website (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/761). I made it a few times following their recipe and loved them so much that as soon as I finished the batch I longed for more. Since I now have the truffle-making process down pat, I have begun to tweak the recipe a bit and with great success every time. Although it sounds complicated to make your own truffles and it may be tempting to resort to your stash of Godiva truffles by the 25 lb. box (yes, Mom, that's you...), I swear to you that you will be surprised at how easy and delicious these are. Quite fool proof. Plus, everyone you share them with (which will be only the lucky ones because you will find yourself hoarding them) will be amazed at your talent. Although I have played with different ingredients, I have yet to experiment with the presentation; however, come Christmas, I will have to get creative, as I plan to give these treats to everyone I know. Oh and, that is another upside to these delectable goodies over Godiva's, they are FAR cheaper. You can purchase all of the ingredients for about the same price as a box of Godiva's and have enough to make several batches over the course of a month or so. They are vegan, if that so entices you, made with coconut milk which is one of the few plant sources of saturated fat, providing a creamy, mouth-coating finish!



Kahlua Dark Chocolate Truffles

Makes 15-20 truffles, depending on size (about 100 calories each)

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (or bag of dark chocolate chunks)
1/2 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons espresso powder
1/4 cup Kahlua
Unsweetened cocoa powder for rolling the truffles

Fill a saucepan halfway with water and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Place a small metal bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double boiler. Add the chocolate to the bowl and melt over moderate heat.

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the espresso, cinnamon, and Kahlua, cover, and remove from heat for 5 minutes. Strain the coconut milk mixture directly into the chocolate, using a fine-mesh strainer. Stir the chocolate mixture until the chocolate is uniformly melted and the coconut milk has been incorporated. Refrigerate the chocolate until firm, about 2 hours.

Sift cocoa into a bowl. Using a measuring spoon, scoop up 1 teaspoon of chocolate and quickly roll into a ball about 3/4-inch across. Drop into cocoa; roll each truffle in cocoa to coat. Chill until firm. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.