Chocolate Truffles a la Mexicana

Ingredients (Makes about 25 truffles)

315g 50 – 70% dark Mexican chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream

7g pure vanilla

¼ teaspoon chipotle, minced

Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

Preparation

Finely chop the chocolate and place in a large metal bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring heavy cream, vanilla and chipotle to the boil. Turn the heat down, wait 10 seconds and bring to another rolling boil. Pour the mixture over the chocolate, mixing with a plastic spatula to make sure all chocolate has melted. It will look shiny.

Place in fridge for one hour till thickened. Remove from fridge and using a teaspoon, scoop about 14g of the chocolate, roll in palms (remember to wear gloves) to form nice little balls. Don’t worry if they aren’t perfectly round. Toss the truffles in the cocoa powder so they look like their namesake, freshly dug from the earth. Store truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Tips

• Add a small pinch of sea salt, ground nuts or a squirt of dulce de leche.
• Add a tablespoon of raspberry or orange liqueur.
• Add a touch of rum extract and then roll in coconut flakes for a tropical flavor.
• Roll them in powdered sugar.  
• If you do add a liquid, remember to adjust the heavy cream amount.

So many flavors….so little time.