Chocolate Almond Truffles

• 1/2 cup Pandoro or sponge cake, diced
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 tablespoon Caffo Amaretto or other nut liqueur
• 1 1/2 ounces Vicenzi Amarettino d'Italia cookies
• 3 ounces Italian dark chocolate, such as Perugina, Vanini or Venchi
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 ounce sliced almonds, as garnish
• 2 ounces pistachios, finely crushed

Soak the pandoro in the milk and liqueur in a large bowl for 5 minutes.

Crumble in the amaretti cookies and mix well. Roll small quantities of the mixture into balls.

Cover and refrigerate until firm. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and cream in the microwave or over a double boiler. Mix well and let cool.

Drizzle the chocolate over the truffles and sprinkle with the almonds and pistachios and almonds.

• Yields: 4 servings