Chocolate Truffle Recipe

These truffles are ridiculously creamy, and a great treat if you're serving a crowd where food allergies come into play (of course, if coconut is an allergy, then that is a problem).

From Mark Sisson's The Primal Blueprint Cookbook

Servings: Makes approximately thirty-six 1 inch truffles

Ingredients: 1 can coconut milk, full fat, not light (I buy Native Forest which is organic and the can is BPA-free)

2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil

1 bar (500 grams) of chocolate, 70-75% cocoa solids, broken into small pieces (I used 2 bags of Enjoy Life chocolate chips. The bags are 283 grams each, so I just took a little out of one)

Cocoa powder (any good cocoa powder will work, Dutched or natural, but Dutched has a smoother, less bitter flavor)

Optional additions: Finely chopped nuts for truffles for exterior instead of cocoa powder

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or Frangelico or your favorite liqueur or brandy

1/4 teaspoon pure orange extract or another flavor extract of your choice (vanilla, almond, hazelnut, mint, etc.)

Place coconut milk and coconut oil into a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until coconut oil is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Do not let mixture come to a rolling boil. Remove from heat.

Off the heat, add chocolate pieces to the coconut milk mixture and stir until chocolate is completely melted and there are no remaining chunks of chocolate. Continue stirring until the chocolate thickens and cools a bit. Stir in the liqueur or flavored extract, if using. Transfer to a shallow dish for faster cooling, then to the refrigerator. Let mixture thicken at least 2 hours, perhaps longer, but stir it 3 or 4 times as it cools and thickens.

Place some sifted cocoa powder or finely chopped nuts in shallow container. To form the truffles, remove chocolate mixture from refrigerator. If it has become too firm, let the container sit at room temperature until the chocolate reaches a clay-like consistency (do not be tempted to microwave it).

Scoop small portions of the chocolate with a teaspoon, then knock off the chocolate with another teaspoon (like when making "drop" cookies). Do not worry if truffles are not perfectly round, but do make them approximately the same size. They are meant to be reminiscent of irregular truffles from the forest, not perfectly identical like fancy bon-bons. You can also roll truffles quickly between the palms of your hands, although this is a messier technique. To finish, roll truffles in cocoa powder or chopped nuts. Chill.

The truffles are best consumed in a day or two, but will keep at least a week in the fridge (they lose a little creaminess over time due to moisture evaporation). Let them sit at room temp a few minutes before serving for best flavor/texture. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw in fridge.