Chocolate Recipes

Delicious Chocolate Truffles Recipe Truffles are easy to make, and it can be fun if you have someone to help. The main element of this recipe is time. TIPS: It's easier if you have the tempered chocolate ready and all the toppings you like spreaded out on parchment paper-covered baking sheets. It's better if you use a good bittersweet chocolate in this recipe. A big professional immersion blender comes in very handy. You may want to start making the ganache, but pay attention while you are mixing to just pull the mixer up a little, because if you too much it may cause the chocolate to be sprayed everywhere by the blade! SERVES/YIELD: 180 Ingredients: 2 generous cups (18 ounces - 500 grams) of heavy cream 21 ounces (600 grams) of finely chopped bittersweet chocolate 1/4 cup (2 ounces - 60 grams) of Grand Marnier or Stoli Razberi vodka (optional) 18 ounces (500 grams) of tempered white chocolate 18 ounces (500 grams) of tempered bittersweet chocolate About 2 cups (8 ounces - 230 grams) of toasted nuts, finely chopped 2 cups (8 ounces - 230 grams) of sifted Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder 2 1/2 cups (9 ounces - 250 grams) of toasted shredded sweetened coconut Cooking Instructions: Start by heating the heavy cream in a 2 quart heavy bottomed saucepan until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. Be sure to chopp the chocolate as finely as possible so it will melt quickly and easily. Place the chopped chocolate into a medium size mixing bowl and make a ganache by pouring about half of the hot cream over the chocolate and letting it sit for approximately 30 seconds so the chocolate melts. Slowly whisk until it's smooth and homogenous. Don't add all of the hot cream to the cold chocolate at once because the shock of the temperature extremes could cause the fat in the chocolate to separate. As the chocolate melts, you will see some elasticity if there is no fat separation, and this means the chocolate still has an emulsion and the fat molecules are still holding together. If the ganache separates, it loses its elasticity, collapses, and becomes very liquid. You may use a handheld immersion blender to ensure a smooth ganache and to keep the emulsion of the chocolate. Then, add the remaining cream gradually while mixing until all of the hot cream is incorporated, and the ganache is smooth and homogenous. Note that if the ganache separates you can fix it easily. Simply add a small amount of cold cream and whisk it well. This will bring the ganache back together as needed. For a good recipe you want the ganache to be thick, shiny, and smooth. Add your flavorings and mix until they are fully incorporated. Then pour the ganache onto a plastic wrap covered baking sheet and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for at least 4 hours at room temperature. The tip is that you may want to make the ganache at the end of the day and let it cool overnight, which is better and easier. As it cools down it will thicken and set. After the ganache has cooled down to the consistency of toothpaste, scrape it into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tip. Don't stir the ganache when you do this because it may incorporate air by stirring, and will cause the ganache to harden. Pipe 1 inch diameter mounds spaced 1 inch apart on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. To pipe the mounds just hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment as you begin to pipe. Once you have formed the mound, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the top of each mound. You may also use a spoon and drop small mounds of the ganache onto the baking sheet. Let the truffles harden at room temperature for a couple of hours or for 15 minutes in the refrigerator until they are hard enough to roll with your hands. You may want to wear surgical gloves while rolling the truffles, but they aren't mandatory. If you don't use them be sure your hands are very clean. Roll the mound into a ball by, placing a truffle between both palms, squeeze slightly, and rolling it between your hands. The truffles will look nicer if you make them as round as possible. When you finished rolling all the truffles into balls, they will be ready to be coated. If they have become too soft you can place them in the refrigerator for around 1 to 2 hours until they are firm enough to dip. To dip the truffles into the chocolate you can use either a dipping fork or your own hands. The fork is better to use. When using a fork, drop the truffle into the bowl of tempered chocolate and then retrieve it with your dipping fork. Hold the fork over the bowl for a few seconds allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Then gently scrape the bottom of the fork against the side of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate, roll the dipped truffle in the desired garnish and place it on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. If you prefer to use your hands be sure to dab some chocolate in the palm of one hand, then roll the truffle in that palm to completely coat it with chocolate. Place the enrobed truffle on a baking sheet and repeat for the remaining truffles. This is a very quick method but it can also be very messy! After all of the truffles have been coated once, repeat the enrobing procedure. But this is only necessary when you enrobe the truffles by hand rather than using the fork, because the truffles usually get more evenly coated when dipped with a fork. As soon as each truffle gets the second coating, immediately roll it in your preferred garnish. Important to note that you need to do this before the chocolate sets, or the topping will not adhere. At this stage a friend could be handy to help you because it's hard to dip and roll at the same time. Place the truffles on a clean parchment paper covered baking sheet and allow them to set for about 5 minutes. Now that you have your truffles ready you can keep them for up to 2 weeks at room temperature, when stored in an airtight container. Toasting the coconut: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and place it in the oven for about 3 minutes. Then remove it from the oven and stir it to keep the sugar in the coconut from burning. Return it to the oven and toast for about 3 or more minutes until it's golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack. To toast the nuts preheat oven to 300°F (148°C). Spread the nuts evenly on a baking sheet and place them in the oven. Toast them for about 30 minutes or until they are golden brown. When the nuts are ready you'll be able to smell them. To test if the nuts are as we want them to be, break one in half and check to see if it's light brown on the inside. By toasting the nuts it will bring out their natural flavor. Remove them from the oven and allow them to completely cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack. That's it. Enjoy!

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