Golden Champagne Truffles

Makes about 40 truffles

Truffle filling:

4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup champagne

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur (I use Grand Marnier)

Coating:

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

4 tsp. vegetable shortening

2 cups white chocolate

4 tsp. vegetable shortening 

gold luster dust

small paintbrush

For the truffle filling: place chocolate chips in a large bowl and set aside. On low heat, melt together butter, honey, champagne and liqueur in a saucepan. Pour over chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until the mixture is slightly firm. 

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Measure out teaspoonfuls of the truffle filling and drop them onto the cookie sheet. Freeze them for 15 to 20 and then roll them into balls. Freeze them again for 10 to 15 minutes more or until firm. 

For the coating: Line one cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Melt semisweet chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler; stir till smooth. Remove from heat. Place the cookie sheet of naked truffles on one side, the bowl of semisweet chocolate coating in front of you, and the lined cookie sheet on the other side. Using a fork, drop the truffles into the chocolate coating one at a time, quickly coat them and remove. Gently shake off any extra chocolate and place the truffle onto the lined cookie sheet. Allow chocolate coating to set.  

Line the empty cookie sheet with a new sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. In another bowl, melt white chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Place the cookie sheet of truffles on one side, the bowl of white chocolate coating in front of you, and the lined cookie sheet on the other side. Using a fork, drop the truffles into the white chocolate coating one at a time, quickly coat them and remove. Gently shake off any extra coating and place the truffle onto the lined cookie sheet. When the white chocolate coating has set, brush with gold luster dust. 

You can store the truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

http://artofdessert.blogspot.com/2011/12/golden-champagne-truffles.html