Friday FOOD!

Strawberry Cheesecake Truffles

annies-eats.net

Yield: about 2-3 dozen, depending on size
Ingredients:
For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, slightly softened
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
Splash of vanilla extract
6 tbsp. finely chopped strawberries

For the coating:
16 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

For decoration (optional):
Melted milk chocolate
Melted white chocolate, tinted pink with candy coloring

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.  Gently fold in the chopped strawberries until evenly distributed.  Cover and chill the mixture in the refrigerator until firm enough to scoop and mold.  Scoop about 2 teaspoons of the filling and roll into a ball.  Place on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining filling.  Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator or freezer to chill until very firm.

To coat the truffles, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  When completely melted and smooth, dip the filling balls one at a time in the chocolate, gently shaking off the excess before returning to the baking sheet.  Once all of the truffles have been dipped, drizzle with melted milk chocolate and tinted white chocolate for decoration, if desired.  Return the pan to the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.