Danielle’s Truffles

Prep: 25 minutes

Wait: 4 hours

Makes: 36 truffles

10 ounces/283 grams unsalted butter*, softened

7 ounces/198 grams high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Ghirardelli), broken up

1 ounce/28 grams unsweetened chocolate, broken up

1 pinch salt

¼ cup/64 grams brewed strong coffee, cooled

3/4 cup/98 grams unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Prep: Slice softened butter and settle in a medium bowl.

2. Melt: Use a double boiler (or improvise by setting a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water) set over medium heat. Tumble in both types of chocolate. Sprinkle in salt.

3. Mix: When chocolate has melted, pour it over the butter. Stir until completely smooth and glossy. Stir in coffee. Cover and chill until firm, 4 or more hours.

4. Roll: Sift ½ cup cocoa into a shallow bowl. Use a small ice cream scoop (or a teaspoon) to scoop balls about 1-inch in diameter. (No need to aim for uniform spheres—wild truffles are lumpy sorts.) Drop truffles into the cocoa. Sift remaining 1/4 cup cocoa over the truffles. Shake the bowl gently to roll truffles in cocoa.

5. Chill: Working over the sink, gently roll the truffles into a fine-mesh strainer, letting excess cocoa drop away. Roll truffles into a glass or plastic container. Chill.

*Now’s a good time to break out the fancy butter, like Plugra or Kerrygold. Standard unsalted butter works fine, too.