Valentine's Day Chocolate Truffles

This Valentine's Day, I am especially grateful for all of my valentines, not just my boyfriend. I love my boyfriend, and I am ecstatic that he is coming to DC for Valentine's Day weekend. However, there are so many people in my life whom I love--old friends, new friends, sister, brother, father, grandparents, mentors, sorority sisters, roommates--and I want to make sure that I take some time to thank them for making my life a little bit better. Life is too short to not celebrate all of your loved ones on Valentine's Day.

These chocolate truffles are the perfect gift, no matter who your valentine is.  They only require about 10 minutes of actual cooking, and the recipe only calls for a few ingredients, making it easy to cook up a large batch for all of your valentines.

To all my valentines near and far, I am thinking of you this Valentine's Day!

Chocolate Truffles

Adapted from Ina Garten

Note: the better the chocolate, the better the truffle

1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate

1/2 pound semisweet chocolate

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons of liqueur (I prefer Grand Marnier or Frangelico's)

1 tablespoon prepared coffee

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cocoa Powder

• Chop the chocolate finely with a sharp knife. Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. 

• Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to boil. Turn off the heat and allow the cream to sit for 20 seconds. Pour the cream through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl with chocolate. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolate together until the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in the liqueur, coffee, and vanilla.  Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.

With 2 teaspoons, spoon round balls of the chocolate mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll each ball of chocolate in your hands to roughly make it round. Roll in the cocoa powder. They will keep in the refrigerator for at least a few weeks, though you should serve them at room temperature.