Super Secret Ancient Truffle Recipe This recipe is a secret, magickal formula passed down through the ages. It is extremely potent, and not to be taken lightly! Um, okay, I confess. I got the original recipe out of the newspaper in the early 1990's, and I've modified it some since then. No secrets, just good chocolate! Ingredients 6 Tbls. Butter 1/3 Cup Sugar 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream 3 Cups Semi Sweet Chocolate 1 tsp Vanilla Extract Make The Centers Combine cream, sugar, and butter in saucepan, bring just to boil. Remove from heat, immediately add 1 cup of chocolate chips. Stir until chips are melted, add vanilla. Pour into bowl, cool, stirring occasionally. Cover, chill several hours (overnight is best). Using a melon-baller dipped in hot water, scoop out balls of chocolate, place on waxed-paper lined tray. Cover loosely, chill several hours. Dip The Truffles Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips in a double boiler over hot water (do not get water in chocolate, it will ruin the consistency). Stir until completely melted and smooth. Cool to 85 degrees, continuing to stir. With a fondue fork (or better yet, just your fingers), dip each cold truffle center in chocolate, swirl to coat. Tap against side of pan to remove excess. Invert on waxed paper. Decorate top with swirl of chocolate. Variations Irish Dream Replace vanilla extract with one small (single-serving) bottle of Irish Creme. When chilling centers, put in freezer instead of refrigerator. Centers will be soft, dip a few at a time. Peanut Butter Use 10oz bag of peanut butter chips instead of the 1 cup of chocolate chips in the filling. Centers will be very firm, chill only until firm enough to scoop. White Clouds When dipping the truffle centers, use 2 cups of melted white chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate. When melting white chocolate, melt it slowly over warm water. Be sure the centers are very firm, or the white coating will be discolored by the chocolate. Mint Replace the vanilla extract with 1 tsp peppermint extract. Or, for mints with more kick, replace with one shot of peppermint schnapps. Chill in freezer, centers will be very soft. Toffee Chip After stirring in vanilla extract, add 3/4 cup toffee chips, stir well. Be Creative! Virtually any flavoring or flavored liqueur can be substituted for the vanilla extract. When using liqueur, the centers will not set up hard, and will be difficult to work with. Chill in the freezer, and keep them in the freezer while dipping the rest. Semi-sweet, milk, or mint/raspberry flavored chocolate chips can be used in the centers or as a coating, and white chocolate can also be used as a coating. White chocolate does not make a very good center). Guests confused about what flavor your truffles are? Mark the tops with a code! Use white chocolate on dark truffles, dark chocolate on white truffles, use colored decorating gels, colored sprinkles, roll in cocoa or chocolate sprinkles, add a coffee bean, or mark with a special swirl! Lilith's Secrets to Good Truffles Occasionally, I've given my recipe to someone, and they've come back to me with a pout, saying that their truffles just didn't taste like mine. I see the same mistakes and problems over and over, so I thought I'd share a few tips and tricks with you. Use only the best ingredients If you want good results, you'll have to pay for them, both in money and calories. Use real butter, heavy whipping cream, real extracts (never artificial!), and real semi-sweet chocolate (if you use chocolate-flavored chips, this recipe becomes a powerful explosive. Don't do it). Yes, they'll have more fat and calories, and yes, they'll cost more. If you choose to go cheap or lower fat, well, I'm not responsible for the mess. When in doubt, use a thermometer I have done enough cooking that I can usually time a recipe that calls for boiling candy to a certain heat. If you're not certain where that is, or if you're over or under boiling the filling, get a candy thermometer and use it. It doesn't make you less cool, it makes you more high-tech.