Strawberry Truffles

8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
5 oz. white chocolate
4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger root
18 medium fresh strawberries
1/4 cup finely minced crystallized ginger (get it in a gourmet food store or well stocked supermarket)
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts

Melt white chocolate in the top of a double boiler, let cool.

Beat together the cream cheese, sugar and ginger root until smooth. Add melted white chocolate and mix well. Chill for at least 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Use a small melon baller (or small spoon) to scoop out the center of each strawberry, half way down each fruit.

Pat strawberry dry. Put a little crystallized ginger into each strawberry.

Shape the cheese mixture around the fruit. Coat one end in the toasted coconut, the other in the pistachio nuts. Place truffles in candy cups and chill until serving time.

YIELD: 18 Pieces

Source of Recipe "This recipe by Roxanne E. Chan of Albany, California was a the Grand Prize winning recipe in the 1997 California Strawberry Festival's Berry Off cooking contest."