Green Tea Truffles: a decadent treat for your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day

If it’s a sweet tooth you have, this may not be the treat for you, but it will certainly satisfy any dark chocolate lover’s craving. Both green tea and dark chocolate are packed with antioxidants, so it’s actually a healthy alternative (when consumed in moderation, of course) to a typical heart-shaped box of chocolates.

¾ cup fat-free half-and-half
4 decaffeinated green tea bags
½ pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I like Ghirardelli)
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Heat half-and-half in a small saucepan over medium heat. When it comes to a simmer, remove from heat and add tea bags; allow tea to steep 5 minutes.
Gently squeeze bags over half-and-half to extract extra flavor and discard. Return to a simmer and pour over chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Place bowl in freezer until set, about 10 minutes, removing and stirring every 2 minutes. Chocolate is ready to roll into truffles when it is no longer a pudding-like consistency and is starting to harden.
Scoop out about 2 teaspoons chocolate mixture and roll in the palms of your hands to form a 1-inch ball. Repeat with remaining chocolate. Place cocoa powder in a shallow dish. Roll balls in the cocoa powder to coat. Shake off any excess cocoa powder. Serve at room temperature or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.