To melt the chocolate, chop it into uniform pieces and melt in the microwave or in a heavy bottomed pan or double boiler.

Line an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with plastic wrap; set aside. (Or prep silicon molds.)

Place melted chocolate in a medium-size bowl. In a 1-quart saucepan, scald cream. Remove the hot cream from the stove and let cool five minutes. Stir vanilla into warm cream.

Beat the melted chocolate with an electric mixer. Stop mixer and pour in cream all at once over chocolate. Continue beating, cleaning sides and bottom of bowl several times with rubber scraper, until mixture is smooth and well-blended. This takes no more than 1 to 2 minutes. 

Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate 8 hours or until firm. If using silicon molds, pour into molds and freeze for 4 hours or more.

Cut into 1-inch squares by lifting the block of truffles out of the pan and slicing them on a cutting board. Alternatively, you can cut them in squares to portion, and then form the portions into balls and coat with your choice of chopped nuts, cocoa powder or coconut.

Chocolate coating (optional):

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil

Freeze the truffles for 4 hours or more before dipping.

• In a double boiler or heavy bottom saucepan, melt the chips and coconut oil. Remove from heat.
• Use a spoon, dipping tool, or fork to dip the frozen truffles into the chocolate. Return the truffles to the plate or cookie sheet.
• Place the truffles back into the refrigerator or freezer for the chocolate to harden. Store the finished truffles in the fridge or freezer.