Basic Cocoa Truffle Recipe:

8 ounces heavy cream

16 ounces dark chocolate

3 ounces cocoa powder

4 ounces dark chocolate

Prepare equipment:

Small 1 qt pan

Pastry bag with #18 tip, or plain tip

Baking tray lined with parchment or wax paper

Strainer

Sifter

Wisk or spatula

2 medium bowls

Mixer and bowl with paddle attachment

Food safe latex or vinyl gloves

Tongs or fork

~Place 16 ounces of dark chocolate in a bowl large enough also to hold the heavy cream, and the contents stirred without spilling over.

~In a small pan, place the heavy cream over medium high heat.

~Bring to a boil.

~Set the pan aside for one minute.

~Pour the cream into the bowl with the chocolate through the strainer to keep out skin.

~Let set 2 minutes.

~Stir with a whisk, or spatula until the chocolate mixture is smooth, creamy and shiny.

~Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Stir and set again for 15 minutes. Repeat one more time.

~The chocolate should now be somewhat firm.

~Prepare a pastry bag/piping tube with a #18 tip, or use a coupler without a tip.

~Place firm chocolate into mixing bowl and beat with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

~Fill pastry bag with the chocolate ganache (chocolate and cream mixture) and pipe 1" balls onto the lined baking tray.

~Set in a cool area to firm a bit.

~In the mean time, melt the 4 ounces of chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. Use caution not to let steam enter the bowl or the chocolate will seize up. When about 2/3 of the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and continue stirring until all the remaining chocolate is incorporated and smooth.

~The chocolate is now perfectly tempered.

~Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl.

~Place the tray of chocolates in a clean work area with the tempered chocolate and the cocoa powder.

~With gloves on, place about a tablespoon of tempered chocolate in the palm of your hand, then place two or three chocolates in your hands and roll around quickly, then drop into cocoa powder and roll around until covered.

~Remove with fork or tongs and place on tray. Repeat until completed.

~~~Enjoy!~~~