DARK CHOCOLATE-TANGERINE TRUFFLES

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips or 3 ounces chopped dark chocolate
4 ounces Neufchatel cheese,* room temperature
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Zest of one tangerine**
1 1/2 cups chopped almonds, roasted

Place chocolate in a medium glass bowl and microwave on high one minute or until almost melted, stirring until smooth. Let cool.

Add cheese, and beat on medium speed with a mixer until smooth. Add powdered sugar and tangerine zest, and beat until well-blended.

Spread mixture into a small baking pan lined with plastic wrap; cover with more plastic wrap and refrigerate for one to 24 hours.

Pull chocolate from pan by its plastic wrap corners, and cut into 24 pieces. Roll into balls, and roll each ball in chopped almonds. These freeze well, if stored airtight in a single layer.

*Neufchatel cheese is a lower fat version of cream cheese.

**If you can't find a tangerine, substitute an orange and reduce the measurement for zest to one-half the orange.

Source: The Almond Board of California