bittersweet chocolate truffles

This is an adapted Martha Stewart recipe. It's super easy and there's endless variations on what you can coat these super rich and decadent truffles in. I used a hawaiian sea salt that has a lovely rose colored hue with a bit of cracked black pepper, as well as chopped crystalized ginger and pistachios. 

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Five strips 1-inch-wide orange peel, pith removed
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup mix of chopped pistachios, coarse sea salt, freshly ground pepper, chopped crystalized ginger or any other coating you please

In a small saucepan, whisk together cream and cardamom. Add orange peel; bring just to a boil. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. Line a baking pan with parchment; set it and another pan aside.

Return cream mixture to heat; bring to a boil. Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Remove cream mixture from heat. Pour through a sieve set over chocolate; discard solids. Stir until melted and smooth.

Pour chocolate mixture onto the unlined baking pan, and spread in an even layer with an offset spatula. Transfer baking pan to freezer; chill chocolate until hardened but malleable, 15 to 20 minutes.

Using a tablespoon, scrape enough chocolate from pan to form a roughly shaped 1-inch ball. Repeat. Transfer balls to the parchment-lined pan; chill truffles in the refrigerator 10 minutes.

Place pistachios, chopped ginger, salt and pepper in three separate bowls. Roll the truffles in desired coatings.