ingredients

• 24 oz. (2 standard bags) of chocolate chips of any kind
• 8 oz. (one standard brick) cream cheese at room temperature
• optional flavorings (pick one)
  • 1 tbsp liqueur
  • 1 tbsp double strength coffe
  • 1 tbsp vanilla or other extract
• coatings (pick one)
  • chopped toasted nuts
  • coconut
  • crushed candy, cookies (thin mints are especially nice), graham crackers (esp. chocolate), etc.

equipment

• large microwave safe bowl
• wire whisk
• mixing spoon
• baking sheet covered with wax paper

  microwave chocolate chips on high for no more than 3 minute total, stirring every 20-30 with wire whisk until chocolate is almost melted.

  cut up cream cheese into smaller bits (8 or so), add to chocolate along with any optional flavorings. stir until well blended (no streaks of white can be seen).

  refrigerate up to two hours, checking every 20-30 minutes to see if mixture is firm enough to handle. when it is, roll into 1" balls, and roll through coatings. put coated truffles on wax paper covered baking sheet, refrigerate another half hour or so.

notes: you can speed this up a bit by freezing the mixture after you add the cream cheese, but check it every 10 minutes or so. also, if the mixture gets too hard, you can stick it in the microwave. zap in increments of 5 seconds until it gets a bit more pliable.

remove from fridge, store in tightly covered containers or zip bags in fridge for up to a week, freezer for up to a month

some good combos: dark chocolate chips (oddly cheaper at byerlys/lunds than cub/rainbow) + raspberry liqueur in thin mints or semisweet chocolate chips + coffe rolled in toasted hazelnuts

 

 

© the bent sun as risen