Boozy, Grand Marnier Chocolate Truffles

Steps

1. 1Line a jelly roll pan with parchment or a Silpat. I love my quarter sheet pans for this, but a 9×9-inch square baking pan or something like it, will work just fine. Also, you don’t have to line it with anything, but it makes for an easier clean up.
2. 2Bring cream to a boil, keeping an eye on it constantly. Break chocolate into small chunks and place in a heat-safe bowl. Pour cream over chocolate, push chocolate chunks down with a spatula so they are submerged, and let sit for 3 minutes — cover bowl with a plate to trap the heat.
3. 3Remove the plate and stir the cream and chocolate together until smooth. (If the mixture isn’t smooth, you may need to place the bowl over simmering water (or use a double boiler) to melt the cream and chocolate together further.)
4. 4Add liqueur (1 to 2 tablespoons to taste) and 1/4 teaspoon salt off the heat, and stir until smooth. Taste. Add another 1/4 teaspoon salt if you wish. Spread mixture into prepared pan, then refrigerate it for about 30 minutes or until almost hard.
5. 5Drag a melon baller or #100 scoop across firm chocolate mixture to shape the truffles. Drop truffles onto a clean baking sheet. Note: As you shape, if the chocolate gets too soft, stick the pan back in the fridge for a bit. If it seems too hard, let it sit at room temperature until it is manageable. Also, do not worry about misshapen truffles — they should look a bit irregular. Refrigerate truffles for 15 minutes once formed.
6. 6Spread some cocoa into a shallow dish (don’t forget to sift it!), preferably one with sides. If using confectioners’ sugar, spread it in a separate dish. Spread truffles (maybe 10 at a time) into each vessel and shake the vessel to coat the truffles. (Note: If you plan to dust with powdered sugar but want to stash your truffles in the fridge, don’t dust with powdered sugar till just before serving — the powdered sugar gets absorbed and also kind of melts in the fridge — best to dust them just before serving.)
7. 7Store truffles in fridge or a cool part of your house. Let come to room temperature (at least an hour) before serving. If necessary, re-dust the truffles with cocoa before serving.