Dark Chocolate Champagne Truffles

Candle light.  Romantic poems.  Your significant other doing the dishes for once in his or her life.  They all go a long way to fan the flames of passion on Valentine’s Day, but nothing stirs the soul quite as effectively as fizzy champagne, accompanied by lots and lots of rich chocolate.

Of course, anyone can buy the stuff.  So why not go the extra mile this Valentine’s Day by making these truffles yourself?  We’ve combined two holiday must-haves into one seriously decadent (and shockingly easy) package.  All you’ll need to do afterwards is pour out the rest of the bubbly, and fill a plate with a few long-stemmed strawberries.  We’re willing to bet your sweetie will do the rest. 

Dark Chocolate Champagne Truffles
(Makes approximately 2 dozen)

Ingredients:
6 oz. good quality dark chocolate, like Valrhona or Ghirardelli, chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup champagne
Cocoa powder, for rolling

Directions:
Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside.  Add the cream to a small saucepan, and heat on low until simmering.  Pour the cream over the chocolate and fold together gently, until all the chocolate is melted.  Add the butter and gently mix until all the butter is incorporated.  Fold in the champagne.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out ping pong ball sized portions of truffle mixture.  Using your hands, roll the mixture into balls, and place onto the parchment paper.  Put the baking sheet into the freezer for 1-2 hours, until the truffles are firm.

Remove truffles from freezer and roll in cocoa powder.  Serve immediately, or place in an airtight container and keep in the freezer until ready to serve.