Cocoa-Covered Confundus Charm

(only true die-hard Harry Potter Fan are going to understand that title)

So once you have spent all your money on macarons, you can save some money and make your own truffles with a bag of semi-sweet chips and heavy cream. A good truffle might usually be made with good (ie., expensive) belgian chocolate, but when your pockets are tight and the sweet tooth is aching for its next fix, you can try making these.

Low-Budget Chocolate Truffles

• 1 c. Heavy Cream
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• 1 12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli)
• 2.5 tbs. Unsalted Butter
• 2 tbs. Brandy (optional, but definitely recommended).

Bring the cream to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Beat in the egg yolk and then add the chocolate chips. Stir until melted and the consistency is even throughout. Finally, stir in the butter and the brandy. Pour mixture into bowl, cover, and refridgerate for 6-8 hours.

Once your patience has run out, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Find a very small ice cream scooper (about 1 in. diameter) to start forming the chocolate mixture into balls and placing on parchment. And if you're like me and don't have this tool, I recommend buying one because I used two teaspoons and it wasn't easy. The recipe will yeild about 30-35 truffles.

Optional Coatings: Cocoa Powder, Chopped Hazelnuts, your choice.
Place cocoa/hazelnuts into a small bowl. Throw in the truffles one at a time and roll around in the bowl until well-coated. Now you are ready to dazzle friends or storing the truffles in the refridgerator to have as a snack after your work-out.

Pretty impressive?