BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE COATED TRUFFLES

Basic Truffle Recipe:
     4 oz Ghirardelli Bittersweet -Chocolate
     2 tb Butter, cut up
     2 tb Heavy whipping cream
 1 1/2 tb Liqueur (to 2 Tbsp)
          Chocolate Coating for     -Truffles:
     4 oz Ghirardelli Bittersweet -Chocolate
     2 ts Peanut, almond, or walnut  -oil

DIRECTIONS: For Truffles: In double boiler, melt broken chocolate, stirring constantly. (Or microwave 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on medium.) Remove chocolate from heat; blend in butter. Stir in cream, then liqueur. Combine with chopped nuts or candied fruit if desired. Chill 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently until thick enough to hold a shape. Drop by heaping teaspoon or #70 scoop onto foil lined baking pan. Shape round, if desires. Cover and freeze 20-30 minutes to set truffles firm for dipping with chocolate. For a variety of truffles, repeat the recipes using liqueurs such as Grand Marnier, Amaretto, Kahlua, Creme de Menthe. For Coating: Melt chocolate as directed in basic truffle recipe. Remove from heat and stir in oil. Cool chocolate to 85-90-F for dipping. Dip cold, firm truffle into melted chocolate, holding with a fork and spooning with several coats of chocolate. Place each onto foil lined baking pan. Decorate top with nuts, candied fruit, etc. Chill at least 2 hours to set chocolate. Roll in Ghirardelli Ground Chocolate, if desired.