People think of truffles as such a luxurious item, yet they couldn't be easier to make. Pop one in your mouth for a mid-afternoon snack or serve as a small delicious bite at the end of a large meal. There is so much buzz out there lately about the good effects of chocolate—hey, think of it as health food!

　　

Ingredients

Makes 30 to 36 truffles

　　12 ounces good-quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate

　　2/3 cup heavy cream or nondairy whipping cream

　　2 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder

　　2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

　　3 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted pistachios, almonds, or hazelnuts

　　

Step 1

Finely chop the chocolate by hand or in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and place in a medium bowl. Pour the cream into a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate. With a wooden spoon, gently stir to melt the chocolate. Don't whisk or stir too strongly or you will incorporate air. Cover. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.

　　

Step 2

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. With a small melon baller or ice-cream scoop, drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared sheet. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Place the cocoa, confectioner's sugar, and chopped nuts into 3 separate shallow bowls.

　　

Step 4

Roll 1/3 of the balls into the cocoa mixture, 1/3 into the confectioner's sugar, and 1/3 into the chopped nuts. Quickly roll between your palms to form them into a perfect round shape. You may need to re-roll in the nuts or sugar if too much falls off. Return to parchment-lined baking sheet or other parchment-lined container, in a single layer. Cover with plastic and chill until ready to serve. Can be made 10 days ahead; keep refrigerated.

　　Reprinted with permission from Passover by Design: Picture-Perfect Kosher by Design® Recipes for the Holiday by Susie Fishbein, (C) 2008 Mesorah Publications, Ltd. Buy the full book from Amazon or Biblio.