Elegant, chocolate butter rum truffles rolled in your choice of coatings: unsweetened cocoa, ground nuts or sweetened flaked coconut.

Cocoa Rum Truffles

Truffles:

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
2 to 3 tablespoons rum or 1 teaspoon rum extract
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts

Coating Options:

Unsweetened cocoa powder

Ground nuts

Sweetened flaked coconut

1. For Truffles: In heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat; add the cocoa and stir until smooth.
2. Add sweetened condensed milk; stir constantly until mixture is thick, smooth and glossy, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat; stir in rum and nuts
4. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9-inch pan. Refrigerate until firm.
5. Shape chocolate mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in cocoa, nuts or coconut. Refrigerate until firm. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Makes about 3 dozen.