Almond Truffles

Almond Truffles

•        Prep Time: 1hr, 15mins
•        Cook Time: 5 mins
•        Yield: 24 truffles
•        Serving Size: 4 truffles

Ingredients

•        8 oz. (225g) 75 percent or higher chocolate
•        4 fl. oz. (120ml) heavy cream (about ½ cup)
•        1 tsp. almond extract
•        ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

1. Chop chocolate into very small pieces. Place in a medium bowl.

2. Heat a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer, occasionally scraping down the edges of the pan with a rubber scraper. Add almond extract and stir. Remove from heat.

3. Pour hot cream over chocolate pieces. Wait for 1 minute and vigorously whisk until chocolate is fully melted and smooth.

4. Spread chocolate in a thin layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. Using a sturdy metal spoon, scoop 1-inch (2.5cm) mounds of chocolate. Use your hands to quickly roll each mound into a smooth ball.

6. Immediately roll each ball in unsweetened cocoa powder. Place each in a small paper or foil wrapper, or store on a clean sheet of parchment.

7. Serve truffles immediately or store in the refrigerator.

Variation: To make Cherry Hazelnut Truffles, replace almond extract with 1 teaspoon cherry extract and roll truffles in chopped hazelnuts. Or you can make Vanilla Coconut Truffles by using 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and coating truffles in shredded unsweetened coconut flakes.

Tip: The truffles are only as good as the chocolate you use. Look for high-quality bars of at least 75 percent cacao.

Nutrition per Serving:

•        Calories 136
•        Fat 12g
•        Protein 2g
•        Total Carbohydrate 8g
•        Dietary Fiber 3g
•        Net Carbohydrate 5g

Macronutrient ratio:

•        Fat 79%
•        Protein 6%
•        Net Carb 15%