Ingredients

• 14 oz's cream
• 4 Tbs honey
• 16 ozs bittersweet chocolate, cut into small bits (1/4 inch)
• 3.5 ozs unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 Tbs rum
• 5 Tbs unsweetened cacao

• 1 tiny ice cream scoop or large melon baller(bowl of scoop about 1 inch diameter)
• 1 cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil
• 1 1 1/2-quart heavy bottomed saucepan
• 36 fluted paper candy cups (optional)

Preparation
Put the cream and honey in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Cover up and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Then add the butter and stir with a whisk until smooth. Transfer the mixture in a small bowl and mix in the rum. Allow to cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours.

Using the ice cream scoop, scoop out 1 inch balls and display them on the cookie sheet. Refrigerate them for 15 minutes.

Put the cacao in a a shallow dish. Roll the chocolate' s balls, one by one, until completely covered with the cacao. Do not be concerned if the chocolate truffles look slightly irregular, they will only look more authentic. Arrange them in fluted paper candy cups.

Note
Truffles may be refrigerated for 6 to 7 days before serving. Store them in an airtight container. If the cacao around the truffles, has been absorbed during the refrigeration, just roll them in more cacao before serving. Always serve the truffles at room temperature so they will melt in your mouth instantly. The texture is so smooth and the fragrance of the chocolate, rum and honey is ever more intense.

There are different options as coating to enrobe the truffles. Finely chopped pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, or macadamia nuts, shredded coconut or in melted bittersweet chocolate.

Different flavors can be added, vanilla beans (split and boiled in the cream), one or two cinnamon sticks to infuse the cream. Substitute the rum with Grand Marnier, Cognac, or Eau de Vie.

Recipe by Hubert Keller, Fleur De Lys Restaurant