Recipes

Line a baking sheet with wax paper, parchment or a silicone mat.

Finely chop chocolate (or chocolate chips); reserve 3/4 c. and set aside. Place remaining chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

Combine prunes and orange liqueur or juice in a small saucepan and bring to just below boiling. Remove from heat and let stand five minutes to soften prunes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until absolutely smooth, about 1 minute. Return to the saucepan and stir in reserved 3/4 c. chocolate, warming over low heat if necessary, just until melted. Gently stir in cream cheese and zest (if using).

Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of chocolate-prune mixture onto prepared baking sheet; you should have about 24 mounds. Freeze 30 min. to set, then roll each into a ball and freeze again until firm (at least 2 hours).

To coat the truffles, line a plate with wax paper. Place heatproof bowl with remaining chopped chocolate over a saucepan of simmering water. Add shortening and stir just until melted and smooth. Using a fork, dip each truffle into melted chocolate, shaking off the excess and place on a plate. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes., then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.