Cherry Cheesecake Chocolate Truffles

Note that chocolate normally requires tempering (a process of heating and cooling) in order to have good candy consistency. But a candy making supply store will also sell chocolate that does not require tempering and that is what I’ve used.

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler (or if you don’t have a double boiler just place a bowl over a pot of simmering water), stirring frequently. Do not allow any water or condensation to touch the bottom of the bowl or get into the chocolate or it will seize. Pour about a tablespoon of the melted chocolate into each cup of a truffle mold (I used a 1.875″ mold and made 8 truffles) and roll the tray around so that the sides are coated with chocolate. Lightly tap the mold on the counter and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, cheesecake flavoring (you can substitute vanilla if you don’t have cheesecake extract) and salt in a bowl and mix until smooth.

Place about a teaspoon of cream cheese filling into each chocolate cup, place a cherry on top and add some crumbled graham cracker pieces. Pour another tablespoon of the melted chocolate over the top, making sure not to go over the sides of the mold. Tap lightly on the counter and return to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. To un-mold the truffles, simply turn the mold upside down on the counter. If a light tap doesn’t cause the chocolates to pop out, return it to the fridge for another few minutes and try again. When it’s thoroughly cooled and set, the truffles pop out very easily.