Truffles for Teacher

Here's a sweet idea for an end-of-the-year teacher gift: homemade chocolate truffles. The classic hand-rolled confections are fun for kids to make, and we've come up with three recipe variations to choose from. As a bonus, our truffles are less fattening. Unlike traditional recipes that call for heavy cream, ours are made with soy milk. Homemade truffles offer endless flavoring possibilities. Try combining one of the custom coatings below with any of the truffle flavorings to create your own signature treat. Wrap up a sampler using one of our clever packaging ideas, and you've got a classy present that's sure to make the grade.

Ingredients

BASE GANACHE
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup vanilla soy milk
ALMOND TRUFFLES
Flavoring: 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Coating: Finely chopped toasted almonds
CHERRY CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
Flavoring: 1/2 cup dried tart cherries, coarsely chopped

Coating: Unsweetened cocoa powder
CHOCOLATE MINT TRUFFLES
Flavoring: 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
Coating: Chocolate sprinkles
CUSTOM TRUFFLE COATINGS
Sweetened flaked coconut, minced
Crushed cookies
Finely chopped peanuts

Instructions

Make the base ganache: Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water, then bring the water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low. Make a double boiler by placing a large metal or glass bowl over the saucepan but not touching the water. Add the chocolate chips and soy milk to the bowl and melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Remove it from the heat.
Pick a variety: Choose one of the recipe variations above, then stir the flavoring into the warm ganache (to make plain chocolate truffles, omit the flavoring.) Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate it until it's firm enough to scoop, about 4 hours.
Shape and coat the truffles: Place the coating of your chosen recipe in a shallow bowl (for other options, see "Custom Truffle Coatings," above). Scoop out a heaping teaspoon of the chilled ganache and, using your hands, shape it into a ball. (Tip: Lightly greasing the spoon and your hands with vegetable oil prevents the chocolate from sticking.) Roll the truffle in the coating, then place the truffle in an airtight storage container. Repeat with the remaining ganache.
Storing, serving, and packaging: Cover the truffles and place them in the refrigerator until you're ready to wrap them (see our ideas for A+ Packaging) or serve them. If you give the truffles as a gift, they can be kept at a cool room temperature for the day but should be refrigerated thereafter. Makes 24 truffles. Nutritional Information
Per serving (2 plain chocolate truffles):
Calories 99
Total Fat 5 g (8% DV)
Saturated Fat 3 g (17% DV)
Cholesterol 0 mg (0% DV)
Sodium 2 mg (0% DV)
Total Carbohydrate 13 g (4% DV)
Fiber 0.7 g (3% DV)
Sugars 11 g
Protein 0.9 g (2% DV) (Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.)