Chocolate lovers, rejoice! Finally, a gourmet chocolate truffle that’s sugar-free and not artificially sweetened. These are so easy to make, you may never buy store-bought chocolate again. For a plain, unadulterated chocolate truffle, omit the hazelnut extract and roll the truffles in premium-quality unsweetened cocoa powder. For vegan truffles, substitute soy creamer for the heavy cream, butter substitute for real butter, and instant soy milk powder for the nonfat dry milk.

　　

Ingredients

makes 20 truffles

　　6 tablespoons heavy cream

　　2/3 cup light agave nectar

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　6 ounces premium-quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped

　　2 teaspoons vanilla extract

　　1 teaspoon hazelnut extract

　　1/4 cup nonfat dry milk

　　1 cup lightly toasted hazelnuts, skinned and finely chopped in a food processor

　　

Step 1

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream, agave nectar, and butter to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate. Whisk until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract, hazelnut extract, and dry milk. Whisk until smooth. Freeze the mixture for about 20 minutes, or refrigerate for 2 hours, or until firm.

　　

Step 2

To form a truffle, take a heaping tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball with the palms of your hands. Repeat until all the mixture is used. Roll the truffles in the hazelnuts to coat. Refrigerate to keep firm. Remove the truffles 10 to 15 minutes prior to serving for best taste and texture.

　　Reprinted with permission from Baking with Agave Nectar: Over 100 Recipes Using Nature's Ultimate Sweetener by Ania Catalano. Copyright © 2008 by Ania Catalano; photography © 2008 by Lara Hata. Published by Celestial Arts, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.Ania Catalano is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet School of Cooking in New York and the owner of the Gourmet Whole Foods Catering and Cooking School in Milford, Connecticut.