Chocolate for valentine's day...how about a recipe for dark chocolate truffles-plain, lavender, balsamic and /or mint?

please don't be put off by the thought of the herbs or balsamic vinegar...give it a try. as my husband peter..a die hard plain chocolate advocate says..."they are surprisingly delicious".

my valentine's gifts this year are going to be a combination of "treats"....bath & body, farmhouse food and...dark chocolate truffles! i don't think it can be valentine's day without chocolate, do you? but...here is the best part....homemade truffles are really easy...and they don't have to look perfect...i think the handcrafted look looks best anyway....so, my gift to you...truffle recipes 2 weeks before the big day....gives you plenty of time to make them...and if you break down and eat them yourself...you have time to make another batch...

this recipe makes an equal amount of four flavors of truffles...pure dark chocolate, balsamic, mint and lavender. use the proportion of 2 to 1 chocolate to cream to make fewer flavors...i like the variety! and...because there are only two main ingredients...use the best quality you can afford...the ingredients really do make the difference...

**IMPORTANT** if you are making more than one type of truffle be sure to label each bowl as you go...otherwise, they all look the same and you will need to taste to know which is which*** (not really a hardship)
farmhouse dark truffles
16 oz best quality (70% cacao) bittersweet chocolate (i use scharffenberger) well chopped
1 cup organic heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp dried organic lavender buds
1 tbsp fresh organic mint leaves
2 tsp good quality pure balsamic vinegar
1 tsp pure tahitian vanilla
best quality chocolate cocoa powder (i use valhrona)
additional tiny mint leaves and lavender buds for garnish
1 tsp pine nuts, sliced in half lengthwise
finely chopped pecans

for lavender truffles:
bring 1/4 cup whipping cream and the lavender buds to a gentle simmer. remove from heat and let steep for about an hour. strain lavender buds from cream (discard lavender) and return to stove. bring back to hard simmer. place 1/2 cup chopped chocolate into small bowl. when cream is ready, remove from stove and immediately pour over chocolate in bowl. let sit for a couple of minutes without stirring...after 2-3 minutes, whisk chocolate into cream until smooth. refrigerate for a couple of hours.

**note...the lavender cream is delicious on its own...try it drizzled over pound cake and strawberries...or poured over any fresh fruit***

mint truffles:
thoroughly wash all cooking equipment to avoid taste crossover. follow exact same process as for lavender truffles, substituting the mint.

balsamic truffles:
bring 1/4 cup whipping cream and the balsamic to a strong simmer...place 1/2 cup chopped chocolate in a small bowl...when cream is ready, immediately pour over chocolate in bowl...follow rest of directions for lavender truffles.

pure dark chocolate truffles:
follow the balsamic truffles directions, substituting the vanilla for the balsamic.

remove truffle mixture(s) from refrigerator after a couple of hours and allow to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes...the chocolate should just begin to soften. i use a mini ice cream scoop for the next step, but you can also use 2 spoons. starting with one flavor of truffles, shape mixture into small round balls...whatever size you like. place each ball on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. remember to label each flavor on the sheet...i just use a post-it. when you have finished with all flavors, refrigerate truffles overnight.
remove from refrigerator. place nuts on one plate and cocoa powder on another. i roll the lavender, mint and balsamic truffles in the cocoa powder and top each lavender truffle with a couple of lavender buds, mint truffles with the tiny mint leaves and the balsamic with 2 pine nut slices...looks pretty and identifies the flavor. i roll 1/2 of the plain truffles in more cocoa powder and 1/2 in the chopped nuts. the fun part of this step is you can be as creative as you want...roll in cocoa, nuts (any kind you like) powdered sugar, sanding sugar, melted chocolate...whatever you like...

refrigerate truffles until ready to eat.