Lavender Chocolate Truffles

I don't know about you, but I have a lot of lavender in my garden. Because this is California, my lavender blooms all year round. There are so many uses for lavender in baking and cooking. I often substitute lavender for rosemary in bread recipes. I make lavender sugar by adding the buds (you can use the stalk and leaves, too) to sugar and sealing in a jar for a few weeks. I substitute lavender sugar in cake and dessert recipes. Depending on the container, lavender sugar is a great gift, too. Just an FYI. Experiment. I find English lavender is best for cooking, but I have several different varieties of lavender, so I vary my 'recipes'.

In this recipe, you infuse the cream with lavender and the remove the buds. FYI: lavender has a very strong flavor. A little goes a long way.

LAVENDER CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Ingredients
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1-1/2 Tbsp lavender buds
2 Tbsp honey
1-1/3 cups DARK chocolate, chopped
Cocoa powder

Directions
Line rimmed baking sheet with wax paper or parchment. Set aside.
Bring whipping cream to gentle simmer in saucepan.
Remove pan from heat, stir in lavender buds and cover with lid. Steep for 12 minutes.
Using fine mesh sieve, strain whipping cream, discarding lavender buds. Whisk in honey.
Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour hot infused honey-lavender cream over chocolate. Whisk chocolate completely into cream mixture.
Chill in refrigerator to firm, about 30–45 minutes.
Using small scoop or two spoons, form into balls.
Put cocoa powder in shallow bowl. Roll truffles in cocoa.
Transfer cocoa-dusted truffles to prepared baking sheet.