Creating the Truffle Filling

1. Remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator, unwrap it from the packaging, and place it in a large bowl. Allow it to sit at room temperature for about one hour or until it is softened.

2. With a whisk, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until the ingredients are completely incorporated and smooth.

3. Put the chocolate chips into a double boiler saucepan on your stove top. Heat the chocolate chips over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning, until it is just melted. Remove the saucepan immediately from the heat and add the vanilla, stirring it into the melted chocolate.

4. Add the melted chocolate chips to the cream cheese mixture in the large bowl and mix them together with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is fully incorporated into the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the truffle filling into the refrigerator.

5. While the truffle mixture is cooling, prepare two cookie sheets by covering them with sheets of aluminum foil or waxed paper.

6. After an hour of refrigeration, remove the bowl from refrigerator. Using a teaspoon, scoop up about an inch to an inch and a half worth of mixture and form into a ball with your hands. Place the formed truffle balls about an inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. When one cookie sheet is filled, place it back into the refrigerator to cool again. Continue making truffle balls and placing them on the second cookie sheet. Use a third cookie sheet, if necessary. If the truffle mixture becomes to warm and sticky to form into balls, place the bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes to re-chill the truffles. Keep the truffle balls refrigerated until you are ready to roll them.

Rolling the Truffle Filling

1. To give truffles a more gourmet look, roll them in a topping of your choice. Try finely chopped nuts such as walnuts, almonds or pecans, finely ground candies such as peppermints or toffee, or graham cracker crumbs, chopped coconut, powdered sugar or cocoa powder.

2. Place the topping of your choice in a medium sized bowl. Roll the chilled truffle in the topping until it is fully covered. Return the truffles back to the cookie sheet and the refrigerator until you are ready to package or serve them.