Lavender Lemonade Truffles

This is a wonderful truffle recipe just in time for Easter!

Having owned and run my own chocolate business, I have many truffle recipes that would be suitable for Easter...chocolate peanut butter being at the top of the list. I am an avid Pinterest user though, and it seems like every other recipe for Easter is something chocolate peanut butter. I will admit, chocolate and peanut butter is a genius combination, but there is so much more to Easter flavor!

So I am putting my Lavender Lemonade recipe into action! This is a good one folks. One of my top flavors at Zest Chocolat (my chocolate business) was dark chocolate lavender. This recipe plays off of that top flavor.

One would think that white chocolate may be a better carrier for lavender and lemon, but I have chosen a dark chocolate. Yes, dark chocolate is my favorite, but it also goes really well with these flavors. It turns the truffle into something far more mature and exciting. This isn't your average Easter candy, it is one that plays off of light and dark, off spring and winter, off zesty and subtle.

But enough about the flavors and types of chocolate...lets get to the recipe already!

Lavender Lemonade Truffles (recipe yields 20-25 truffles)
-8 oz. dark chocolate finely chopped
(you can use chocolate chips or broken chocolate bars. I use Guittard chocolate because I am a chocolate snob...I buy it in 10lb. blocks.)
-2 Tablespoons butter
-4 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
-1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest
-1 Tablespoon lavender buds (a lot of organic stores carry lavender buds)
-a fine sieve 

In a small saucepan combine butter, cream, lemon zest, and lavender buds. On low heat continually mix. Let the mixture come to a rolling boil and take it off the heat. Pour everything through a sieve to sift out the lemon zest and lavender buds. Make sure to push all of the liquid through the sieve. Pour the liquid back into the sauce pan and heat it up again. Once heated, turn the heat off and add the finely chopped chocolate. Mix the chocolate in until all of it is melted. This is now called a ganache. Pour the ganache into a bowl and let it sit overnight...or about 5 hours. (Do not refrigerate.) Once the ganache has hardened, scoop out 1" sized balls, roll them in the palm of your hands and then roll them in chocolate sprinkles, sugar, or cocoa powder.

Let the children have their Easter egg hunts and yellow peeps while you sit back and enjoy a dark Lavender Lemonade truffle. You may just have to hide these truffles and save them for a private moment later. ...And if you like this recipe stay tuned for more, I have a truffle cookbook in the works!