CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 pound semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into several pieces
1 cup sifted confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons orange flavor liqueur OR 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
Dutch-process cocoa OR regular cocoa

Preparation

Place whipping cream in 3-quart heavy saucepan. Heat until cream just begins to boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate and butter until melted. Stir in sugar. Cool to lukewarm; stir in orange liqueur. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours. To form, shape approximately 1 tablespoon into ball. Roll in cocoa. Store in covered container in refrigerator until ready to package as gifts. Will keep up to 3 weeks. NOTE: Work with half of mixture at a time. Keep remaining half refrigerated. Dust hands lightly with cocoa while shaping, repeat as needed. Makes approximately 48 servings.