Delicious Apple Truffles

Ingredients: 
2 Large Granny Smith Apples
1 (12 oz) bag of Chocolate chips or melting wafers (Chocolate of your choice)
1/2 tsp of Table Salt
4 cups of Cold Water

Tools/Materials Needed:
Melon Baller
Bowl (holds more than 5 cups of water)
Measuring cups/spoons
Wax or parchment paper
Cutting board or cookie sheet to support paper
Strainer
Paper towels
Drying rack
Peeler or a sharp knife
Double boiler or microwave oven
Freezer / Refrigerator
Tool for mixing chocolate
Plastic decorating bag or sandwich bag

Directions:

• Wash apples thoroughly to ensure they are clean and place on drying rack while you prepare a nice cold bath for the apples to prevent browning (also known as oxidation). 
• Add 4 cups of cold water into a bowl and add 1/2 tsp of table salt.
• Gently stir the salt into the water and place bowl close to where you will be cutting your apples.
• Use an apple peeler / vegetable peeler or a sharp kitchen knife to carefully peel the skin of each apple
• Place the Melon Baller against the body of the apple and apply pressure as you turn side to side and back and forth. As you apply pressure and turn, the Melon Baller will create nice little balls of Granny Smith apples. One apple should yield 10 apple balls if cut correctly. 
• After each ball of apple is cut, place in the bowl of cold salt water. If too much time passes and apple is exposed to oxygen, the apple balls will begin to brown and will not be as fresh. 
• Leave the balls of apples in the cold salt water for 5 minutes and then strain under cold water to remove any salt that may be on the apples. 
• After straining the apple balls, sit apples on drying rack to allow apples to partially dry. 
• Now, the yummy part... Melted chocolate!!! Melt about 12 oz of chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave. Be careful not to overheat your chocolate and keep stirring as chocolate can and will burn. If melting chocolate in the microwave, place chocolate in microwave safe bowl, heat in 30 second increments, and stir very well in between each increment. 
• Now, with the melted chocolate, drop an apple ball into the chocolate allowing it to be completely submerged in the chocolate. With a fork or another tool, grab the apple ball from underneath and slightly tap the tool on the side of the dish allowing the excess chocolate to drip off. 
• Place each apple ball on sheet of wax or parchment paper which is being supported by a pan or a cutting board. After dipping and placing each apple ball on the paper, place paper in the freezer for 10 minutes. This will allow chocolate to freeze. 
• If you want to get fancy and have your apple truffles look even more delicious, you can decorate! Take a plastic decorating bag or a sandwich bag and place some excess melted chocolate in it. Cut a very small hole in the corner of the bag and quickly move the bag back and forth over the apple truffles while squeezing the bag. Make sure to be at least a few inches above the apple truffles.
• Place apple truffles back in the freezer for 5 minutes to allow chocolate drizzle to dry (if you decided to decorate).
• Remove from freezer, eat, share and have everyone rave about your delicious apple truffles!!! Once you get the hang of making these delicious treats, you will wonder why you never made them before. 

Tips / Tricks:

• There are many other ways to prevent oxidation but this is my favorite and it doesn't leave a taste on the apple
• When using the melon baller be sure you don't press so hard as to get pieces of the apple core in the apple balls. 
• If apples are still wet during the chocolate dipping process, chocolate will not stick as well and may become runny
• A minute after apple is covered in chocolate and placed on the paper, apple should be moved to a clean area of the paper. This will prevent chocolate from pooling beneath each apple truffle and give each truffle a more professional appearance. This tip will also prevent chocolate from becoming to thick at the bottom of each truffle.