Instructions:

Chocolate Praline Truffles

Praline Powder
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup whole almonds

Truffles
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons orange liqueur
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 orange grated peel

Coating
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
Praline powder

Oil a cookie sheet and set aside.

In a heavy 1-quart saucepan, melt the sugar over low heat cook until it reaches 310 degrees F on candy thermometer and begins to caramelize. Add the almonds and continue cooking until candy becomes rich brown. Pour hot mixture onto cookie sheet and cool until hard. Break into pieces and grind into a fine powder, in a blender or food processor.

Truffles: Melt chocolate over hot water in the top of a double boiler. Stir in butter, liqueur, cream orange peel and praline powder. Place mixture in fridge and allow to cool until thick enough to shape (about 1 hour). Form into balls 1/2-inch in diameter. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze till firm.

Coating: Sprinkle cocoa on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Melt chocolate over hot water. Allow to cool to lukewarm. Put a dollop of lukewarm chocolate in your hand and quickly roll a frozen truffle in it. Thinly coat each truffle, then roll in cocoa. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 4 dozen.