Chocolate Truffles

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces coarsely chopped toasted pecans or hazelnuts
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder

Lightly butter a 9x13-inch pan. Combine chocolate, cream, and sugar in a heavy medium saucepan. Melt together, over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. When chocolate has melted, add butter and continue to stir over low heat until mixture has thickened slightly. This should take about 5 minutes. Add nuts and cook for 2 more minutes. Spread hot mixture onto prepared baking pan and set in fridge for 15 minutes or until cool but pliable. When cool, break off pieces of chocolate and roll them in your hands forming rough 3/4-inch rounds (they should look rough as uneven to imitate real truffles). If the mixture becomes too soft to work with, put it back into the fridge until manageable again. Roll them in cocoa powder and refrigerate until serving time.

These make great gifts. Set them in little paper cups and place in a box.