Ingredients:
6 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter, softened or cut into pieces
Pinch of salt

Optional Flavor Add-Ins:
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
2 tablespoons alcohol (Grand Marnier, rum, bourbon, cognac, brandy, Kahlua, Frangelico,) or
2 tablespoons fruit jam
1 tablespoon orange zest, steeped in the  hot cream for 5-7 min. and then strained to remove zest

Truffle Coatings:
Shredded Coconut, plain or lightly toasted
Crushed Candy Canes
Toffee or Brittle Bits
Sweetened or Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Melted or Tempered Chocolate, White, Milk or Dark (almond bark also works well)
Candy Sprinkles
Nuts, toasted and finely chopped

Directions:
Place the chocolate pieces in a medium-sized heatproof bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream and butter over medium heat, and stir to combine. Bring just to a boil – when bubbles start to form around the edge of the cream, remove from heat. Pour hot cream over the chocolate pieces and let stand for 2 minutes.

Mix in the vanilla and salt, and any other flavor add-ins. Stir or whisk the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Use a gentle touch – mixing too vigorously will incorporate too much air into the mixture.

Pour chocolate into a shallow baking dish or pie plate, cover with plastic and refrigerate until the chocolate has set, at least 4 hours.

Lay your coatings out in small bowls. Remove the truffle mixture from the refrigerator and use a small ice cream scoop or melon baller to scoop out the mixture and lay the pieces on a sheet pan lined with wax or parchment paper. For round truffles, quickly roll each scoop between your palms and return to the baking sheet.

Roll truffles in desired coatings. If they are too soft to handle well, place them in the refrigerator until firm, about 15 minutes.

Truffles should be stored in an airtight container and may be refrigerated for at least 2 weeks, or frozen for several months, in single, flat layers. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Sarah’s Truffle Tips:

• If the chocolate doesn’t seem to be melting all the way, fill a small saucepan with an inch of water, bring to a simmer and place the bowl over the simmering water for 10 seconds; remove, stir and repeat if necessary. Stir or whisk until smooth.
• Chocolate chips melt great, but many are made with stabilizers that can alter the flavor and texture of a truffle. Look for a high-quality chip that’s made with few ingredients and uses just sunflower lecithin as a stabilizer.
• Store truffles in an airtight container in single layers, separated by parchment or wax paper. The cocoa butter found in chocolate easily absorbs other flavors so keep it away from foods with strong odors like onion and garlic.