Place 8 ounces of the chopped chocolate in a 2-quart bowl and set aside.

Cut the butter into small pieces and place it in a 2-quart saucepan with the sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a heat-resistant spatula, until the sugar and butter melt. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the mixture turns amber colored, about 5 minutes.

At the same time, bring the cream to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir the cream into the butter mixture until completely smooth. Be careful because the cream will bubble and may splatter when added.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and 1½ teaspoons of salt until thoroughly blended. Immediately pour the caramel over the chocolate in the bowl. Let it stand for 15 to 30 seconds, then stir together until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature. Chill until thick, about 1 hour.

To Make the Truffles:

Line 2 baking sheets with waxed or parchment paper. Use a 1-inch round ice cream scoop to scoop out the truflles and place them on the baking sheet. Chill uncovered for 20 minutes.

Dust your hands with cocoa powder and roll the truffles into balls.

Melt 7 ounces of the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over low heat, stirring frequently. Or melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on low power for 30-second bursts. Stir after each burst to make sure the chocolate is melting evenly.

Remove the top pan of the double boiler, if using, and wipe it dry. Add the remaining 3 ounces of chocolate in 3 stages, stirring until it’s completely melted. This tempers the chocolate so it won’t have any streaks.

Keep the chocolate warm over a pan of water that is 2 degrees warmer than the chocolate. Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper.

Place a truffle into the melted chocolate and coat completely. Use a truffle dipper or a plastic fork with the two middle tines broken out to lift the truffle from the chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off, then place the truffle on the clean lined baking sheet.

After dipping 5 truffles at a time, sprinkle a few grains of the remaining salt on top of each. Let the truffles set at room temperature or place them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Serve the truffles at room temperature.