I made truffles today successfully! Thanks for all your encouragement. For any future truffle novice that stumbles upon this pickle, I found this tutorial to be incredibly helpful:
http://www.pastrypal.com/2010/12/dark-chocolate-truffles-without-a-temper/

Betteirene, please don't feel badly. The taste-test should have been obvious. I just naively thought the cream might add some sweetness. I did roll the truffles in powdered sugar & it was just a small batch, so I'll know better for next time. The real problem, though, wasn't the taste, but the texture. The ganache got hard in less than an hour in the fridge & was very difficult to roll. Since both butter & corn syrup are softer than chocolate, I wondered if those recipes would be easier to work worth for a novice like me.

PS. Your cake tip sounds heavenly.

Oh dear. I should have told you that the very best way to select a chocolate for candy is to taste it. If you like the way it tastes when it's "raw," you will no doubt like the way it tastes when it's "truffle-ized." I'm so sorry: I should have made that point when you first brought up the subject. Just because I'm particularly fond of the bittersweet version (especially with a pinch of cayenne) doesn't mean the rest of the world likes it that way, too.

Fortunately, there are a few ways to make this batch suit your taste. You can try testkitchenette's suggestions to roll in powdered sugar or to add some milk chocolate. You could also dissolve some powdered sugar (about 1/4 cup) in a bit of heavy cream (about 1 tablespoon) and blend it smooth--it should be as thick as frosting. Gently reheat the truffles, then blend in the powdered sugar mixture.

If nothing else, refrigerate the truffles in an airtight container. Next time you bake a chocolate cake, split the layers. Reheat 1 or 2 cups of truffles and allow to cool to room temperature. Whip two cups of very cold heavy cream and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Whip in the cooled truffles, and refrigerate until stiff. Whip until fluffy and spread between the cake layers and on top of the cake. Refrigerate and serve your Chocolate Whipped Cream Cake after a light Sunday dinner. Or allow the truffles to melt on top of a hot pan of brownies.

Here's a truffle recipe and some detailed tips from Jacques Torres: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Truffles-233316 (I omit the liquor.)

I love bittersweet truffles but my kids like them sweeter so for them I add about 1/3 milk choc. You should refrigerate and check after an hour to see if the mix is hard enough to roll. If not, put back and check every 30 mins. I roll in powdered sugar for kids and cocoa for me.

When I first started to make truffles, I used the recipe off of the Ghiradelli website, which calls for some butter to be added to the ganache mixture. You may want to experiment adding some milk chocolate for added sweetness or roll them in powdered sugar to boost sweetness. I also have poured my truffles into chocolate molds, mini muffin tins (lined with liners), and silicone madeline molds.