Truffles ready to deliver!These homemade truffles are so easy and versatile to make, even my kids can make them without help! This is a great way to make your friends feel truly loved and special because they look harder than they are - but we don't have to give away your secret! In the picture are strawberry chocolate truffles and orange truffles, last weekend’s test batch was cinnamon and cinnamon-orange. We will be making a Wolfberry version later this week using dried Goji Berries. See the end of the recipe for some other good flavor ideas and resource links to purchase. Take a look... Time commitment (start to finish, including waiting time) - 4 hours
Ingredients:
1 8-oz block cream cheese
½ 12-oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
Pinch salt
10-12 drops Young Living Vitality oil in flavor of choice* OR other flavor options (see end of recipe for ideas)
2-3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
2-3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
1/2 c dark chocolate chips
Recipe:
1.Fill a medium sized saucepan about â…“ way with water. Insert a second smaller saucepan in the 
cream cheese, chocolate, saltfirst to float on top of the water (this creates a double boiler effect.) Heat the water to simmer, and put the semi-sweet chips, pinch of salt, and the cream cheese into the smaller pan to melt. Stir until melted, combined, and creamy.
cream cheese, chocolate, saltfirst to float on top of the water (this creates a double boiler effect.) Heat the water to simmer, and put the semi-sweet chips, pinch of salt, and the cream cheese into the smaller pan to melt. Stir until melted, combined, and creamy.(Not as healthy but you can also microwave this mix in a glass bowl for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, to melt and blend.)
2. If you want your inner core to be flavored, add Young Living Vitality Essential Oils^, powdered freeze-dried fruit, or whole dried wolfberries (see reference list at the end) and stir to combine.
3. Cover the mix and place in freezer for 1 hour.You want this mix to be hard enough to keep its shape once you ball it up.
3. Cover the mix and place in freezer for 1 hour.You want this mix to be hard enough to keep its shape once you ball it up.
4. Remove mix from freezer and using a melon baller or spoon (or your hands) create balls and set on a tray small enough to fit in your freezer. 
Double boiler set up
Double boiler set up5. Freeze for another 2 hours (you want the balls to be hard so they do not melt when dipping.)
6. In the last 15 minutes of time in the freezer, remake the double boiler set up, and use over low heat to melt your dark chocolate chips, add in 2 Tbsp heavy cream, reserving extra to add *only if chips clump up or crystallize.* If you did not put flavor in your core, add your Vitality Essential Oil drops to the mix once the chocotale has cooled off some. The double boiler is important because it keeps your chips from scorching.
7. Use a small fork, fondue skewer, or clean hands to hold your Truffle ball and roll in the sauce. The sauce is too hot if it will burn you and will melt your truffles. Place the covered ball back on your tray if you want a second layer (perhaps with a different type of chocolate or just to make a thicker shell), or in small treat cups if you are ready to package them for delivery.
8. Sprinkle a defining and complementary topping on the still-warm shell to add to the yummy flavor and differentiate the different truffle types. Ideas - grated orange/lemon/lime peel, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, piece of dried wolfberry, kosher salt, Himalayan pink salt, crystallized sugar, drizzle another chocolate over, etc. Place completed truffles into a box (for delivery) or on a tray (for serving) and keep cold until ready to serve.
8. Sprinkle a defining and complementary topping on the still-warm shell to add to the yummy flavor and differentiate the different truffle types. Ideas - grated orange/lemon/lime peel, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, piece of dried wolfberry, kosher salt, Himalayan pink salt, crystallized sugar, drizzle another chocolate over, etc. Place completed truffles into a box (for delivery) or on a tray (for serving) and keep cold until ready to serve.
9. Come back and share your flavor combinations with the Essentially Curious community!
Finished truffles - strawberry and orange* Note: Essentially Curious strongly advises using only Young Living Essential Oils. There is no FDA oversight for essential oils; they are legally classified under supplement laws. As a result, most off-the-shelf, store-bought essential oils are diluted with undisclosed carriers, or lab-made "essential oil" substances. By law, up to 2% of the total volume can be filler of this type and remain undisclosed (even at greater than 2% ratio, there are ways to label these fillers that make them appear safe, when in fact they have been shown to have adverse effects in long term use.) In addition, Young Living has the long-term knowledge, training, and experience to know exactly how long the raw plant material for each oil should be distilled and at what temperature for the best results. Many companies use multiple distillations (think "watered down coffee"), solvent extraction, or higher heat combined with shorter distillation times to make more oil faster. A quick look at pubmed will tell you that these factors matter for getting the best results with essential oils for proactive wellness.
Flavor ideas and resources:
Young Living Vitality oils - Orange, Bergamot, Lime, Lemon, Cardamom, Cinnamon (use fewer drops for this hot oil!), Peppermint (another hot oil!)
Freeze dried fruit, crushed up into powder (there are several places you can find this online - I got mine at Target to start out as a trial run)
