Preparation:

1.Chop the chocolate:
Chop the chocolate into small pieces with a sharp knife and put them in a medium-sized, heat-safe bowl. Use semisweet chocolate chips if you dont want to bother chopping chocolate.
2.Boil the cream:
Put the cream into a heavy saucepan and bring it to a slow boil.
3.Combine cream and chocolate
Pour the boiled cream over the chocolate and stir it gently until smooth, about five minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. You can substitute cognac for the vanilla extract.
4.Refrigerate
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.
5.Sift cocoa
Sift cocoa into a medium-sized bowl; then wash your hands.
6.Make chocolate balls
Roll teaspoon-sized amounts of the chilled chocolate mixture into balls and gently roll them in cocoa with your hands. Work quickly so the heat from your hands doesnt melt the chocolate. Coat some of the truffles in coconut, or finely chopped pistachios or hazelnuts.
7.Chill
Chill on a baking sheet lined with wax paper until firm, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.