Dark Chocolate Truffles

These are better than any candy out of a box. They're the BEST when they're fresh, but, last a few weeks as long as they're kept cool.




Ingredients:
10 ounces of 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips (my favorite brand to use is Ghirardelli)
2 Tablespoons dairy free margarine (I like Earth Balance)
1 Tablespoon of maple syrup
1/3 cup of coconut milk (you can always use almond or soy if you don't have coconut)
2 cups vegetarian dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup cocoa powder for dusting

Steps:
1) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2) In a double boiler (or heatproof bowl) melt the margarine and 60% cacao chocolate, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is smooth.
3) In a saucepan over medium heat combine syrup and milk. Stir it together and heat until you see steam rise, but be careful not to burn it. Pour the hot liquid mixture into the chocolate and mix it all together.
4) After everything is well mixed place the chocolate into the refrigerator, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Remove it every 10-15 minutes and stir it well.
5) Place the other chocolate chips in a double boiler and melt down until smooth.
6) Once the chilled chocolate is able to be molded and worked with, take out of the refrigerator and using a fork scrape out some chocolate, forming somewhat of a ball, and cover with the melted warmed chocolate. Place it on the parchment paper.
7) Either dust with the cocoa powder or drop the whole ball into the cocoa powder if you like a lot of powder on your truffles. I have done it both ways and go back and forth.

Other ideas about these little tasties: If you want a more uniform candy you can buy a silicone candy mold from a craft store and use it for the 60% cacao mixture. While mixture it still warm pour into the candy mold and pop into the fridge for the 45 minutes. The silicone allows you to press the candy out of the mold and dip into the warm chocolate coating. I have done these truffles free handed and with a mold, but, it's up to you.