27.8.11

Daring Bakers - Truffles and Bonbons

The August 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge was hosted by Lisa of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drive and Mandy of What the Fruitcake?!. These two sugar mavens challenged us to make sinfully delicious candies! This was a special challenge for the Daring Bakers because the good folks at http://www.chocoley.com offered an amazing prize for the winner of the most creative and delicious candy!

I decided to make dark chocolate truffles rolled in cocoa, and also chocolate and coffee bonbons dipped in white chocolate. The challenge was wonderful because it created the opportunity to try candies. Thanks!



Truffles


Servings: Makes +- 30 truffles, recipe easily doubled or halved

For the best tasting truffles, a high quality chocolate is ideal, especially one that is 62% cacao or higher



Ingredients

1 ¾ cup (9 oz/250 gm) Dark/Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped


2/3 cup (5 oz / 160 ml) Double/Heavy Cream (36% - 48% butterfat)

OR

1 ¾ cup (9 oz/250 gm) Milk Chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup (4 oz / 120 ml) Double/Heavy Cream (36% - 48% butterfat)

OR

1 ¾ cup (9 oz/250 gm) White Chocolate, finely chopped

¼ cup (2 oz / 60 ml) Double/Heavy Cream (36% - 48% butterfat)



Flavor Ideas:


Add to taste (Approximately 1 teaspoon – 3 Tablespoons)

The amount of flavorings are dependent on either the recipe you use, the amount of chocolate and cream, and frankly, your own taste. Start by adding a teaspoon, try it, then add more to taste, up to as much as 3 tablespoons.



Various Spices (Chili Powder, Cardamom, Wasabi Paste or Powder, Ginger, Cinnamon etc.)

Instant Coffee Granules or Espresso

Matcha, Chai and Various Teas

Liqueurs (Amaretto, Chambord, Kahlua, Frangelico, Rum, Brandy, Vodka etc.)

Zests (Orange, Lemon, Lime etc.)

Herbs (Basil, Thyme, Mint, etc.)

Malted Milk Powders

Nut Pastes or Butters



Other Tips


• If you are using fresh or whole/solid flavorings such as fresh herbs, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods etc... simmer it in the cream then remove from heat and let steep for an hour. After steeping, strain away solids, return the cream to a simmer, and proceed with recipe.

• When using liqueurs or alcohol to flavor, don’t add more than 3Tbsp for the given quantities in the recipe given. Too much alcohol can inhibit the ganache from setting properly.


Ganache can either be used to make rolled truffles or cut into squares and then dipped in chocolate, which is called a bonbon.





Making the ganache

1. Finely chop or grate the chocolate

2. Place in a heatproof bowl

3. In a saucepan, heat cream until just about to boil (it will start bubbling around the edges of the pot)

4. Pour the cream over the chocolate

5. Gently stir the mixture until all the chocolate has melted and it is smooth

Tip: If you end up with pieces of chocolate that won’t melt, put the bowl over simmering water (but not touching the water) and stir gently until it’s all melted

Tip: Be careful if you do need to heat it over simmering water, if the mixture gets too hot it will split and you’ll end up with gooey chocolate swimming in oil, so don’t overheat the ganache, steam from a gentle simmer is all you need.

6. Stir in your desired flavorings.



For rolled truffles


1. Allow the ganache to firm up in a container of choice, preferably deep rather than shallow

2. Using a teaspoon or melon baller, scoop up room temperature ganache

3. With gloved hands, roll the balls between your palms to round them off

4. Dip in tempered chocolate or roll in various ingredients like cocoa or chopped nuts as desired

Tip: If dipping in chocolate, it’s best to refrigerate the ganache balls before dipping so that they’re firm and don’t melt from the warm chocolate

Tip: For a thicker chocolate shell, dip once in tempered chocolate and allow to set. Then do a second dipping or smear a small amount of chocolate over the truffle and roll in desired ingredients

5. Place on parchment paper until set



For cut chocolate



1. Double line a shallow tray with cling film

2. Pour the ganache into the tray and smooth the top

3. Once set, warm a knife with hot water then wipe dry

4. Cut into squares

5. Dip each square in tempered chocolate

6. Place on parchment paper

7. Decorate and allow to set

8. Trim off any feet with a sharp knife



Coating Ideas

Rolling them in something that compliments and gives a hint to their flavor makes for a beautiful truffle



1. Melted, Tempered Chocolate

2. Cocoa Powder


3. Confectioner’s Sugar

4. Chopped or Ground Nuts

5. Chocolate Sprinkles

6. Flaked, Shredded or Desiccated Coconut

7. Cacao Nibs

8. Ground Praline

9. Grated Chocolate



How to dip or enrobe with tempered chocolate


1. Temper the chocolate using either the marble top or seeding method

2. Once the chocolate is in temper, gently lower your truffle or candy into the tempered chocolate with your dipping fork

3. Gently remove the candy once it’s been fully submerged

Tip: It’s best to use a bowl that’s deep rather than shallow so that the truffle is easily covered

4. Tap fork on the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate

5. Scrape off excess chocolate from under the dipping fork on the side of the bowl

6. Place dipped truffle/candy on parchment paper, decorate as you wish and allow to set

7. Once the chocolate has hardened, trim off any “feet” with a sharp knife

Tip: Try to handle the chocolate as little as possible or wear food safe gloves to that you don’t leave fingerprints on the chocolate

Tip: To help the chocolate to harden faster, you can place the chocolate into the fridge for 15-20mins, but avoid leaving them in for longer than that so as to avoid any “sweating” (water droplets forming on the chocolate)



"Seeding" Method of Tempering Chocolate (the one I chose)




Tempering Ranges:
Celsius

Dark: 45°C-50°C > 27°C > 32°C

Milk: 45°C > 27°C > 30°C

White: 45°C > 27°C > 29°C




Fahrenheit

Dark: 113°F-122°F > 80.6°F > 89.6°F

Milk: 113°F > 80.6°F > 86°F

White: 113°F > 80.6°F > 84.2°F



Chocolate is melted and heated until it reaches 45°C / 113°F. Tempered un-melted chocolate is then stirred and melted in until it brings the temperature down to 27°C/80.6°F. It is then put back over heat and brought up to its working temperature of 32°C/30°C/29°C /// 89.6°F/86°F/84.2°F depending on the chocolate you’re using. It is now ready for using in molds, dipping and coating.



• Finely chop chocolate if in bar/slab form (about the size of almonds).


• Place about ⅔ of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl

• Set aside ⅓ of the chocolate pieces

• Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water)

Tip: Make sure that your bowl fits snuggly into the saucepan so that there’s no chance of steam forming droplets that may fall into your chocolate. If water gets into your chocolate it will seize!

• Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the chocolate so that it melts evenly

• Once it’s melted, keep an eye on the thermometer, as soon as it reaches 45°C / 113°F remove from heat (between 45°C-50°C / 113°F-122°F for dark chocolate)

• Add small amounts of the remaining ⅓ un-melted chocolate (seeds) and stir in to melt

• Continue to add small additions of chocolate until you’ve brought the chocolate down to 27°C/80.6°F (You can bring the dark chocolate down to between 80°F and 82°F)

• Put it back on the double boiler and bring the temperature back up until it reaches its working temperature of the chocolate (milk, dark or white) as seen in the above chart. (32°C/89.6°F for dark, 30°C/86°F for milk and 29°C/84.2°F for white)

• If you still have a few un-melted bits of chocolate, put the bowl back over the simmering water, stirring gently and watching the thermometer constantly.

• IMPORTANT: You really need to keep an eye on the temperature so that it doesn’t go over its working temperature



It’s now tempered and ready to use



Tip: Another way of adding the "seed" is by dropping in one large chunk of tempered chocolate (the seed). That way you only need to fish out one piece of unmelted chocoalte and don't need to fish out several small bits of unmelted chocolate once the chocolate has reached temper.



Other Tips

• If you’re using the chocolate to dip a lot of truffles etc. which means the chocolate will be sitting off heat for a while it will naturally start to thicken as it cools. To keep it at an ideal viscosity for even coating, put the bowl over steam for 30sec - 1min every 10 - 15mins, just do not let the temperature go over the working temperature!

• Having the chocolate in a warmed glass bowl and wrapped in hot kitchen towel can also help keep the chocolate at its working temperature for longer

• It is also easier to keep the heat if you work with larger amounts of chocolate rather than small amounts. Any leftover chocolate can be kept to be used later and then re-tempered

• Remember, don’t let any water get into your chocolate at any stage of the tempering process!

• Unless you’ve been working with chocolate for a while and have developed a feel for the tempering process and can tell the chocolate’s temperature by touching it to your lower lip like a pro, it’s imperative that you use a thermometer to determine the temperature, as going a few degrees either way can ruin the temper.

• If at any stage you do make a mistake with the tempering process you can simply start again from the beginning.

• While a marble or granite top is ideal for cooling the chocolate in the first method, you can also cool it on a countertop that’s laminated, glass or steel. It will take longer to cool, but it’s possible! (but I definitely wouldn’t recommend a wood or rough textured counter top )

• Any chocolate left over after making your molded or dipped chocolate can be stored away in a cool place and then re-tempered before using again. There’s no need to ever waste good chocolate!

• Wooden spoons can retain moisture so it’s best to use a rubber spatula while tempering






2 comentários:

Renata disse...

Adorei o seu bombom de café com chocolate branco, noossa, deve ter ficado uma delícia!!

Jenni disse...

Wonderful job! Your truffles look fantastic!