Aria

Hey all, I've tried zeppoles from many Italian bakeries ( in Toronto) but today I had the best!!! I always thought that zeppoles had to be fried but these were baked and just awesome. Some lovely custard cream on the inside and a light dusting of icing sugar on the outside. Anyone tried making these?

Desiderio, I'm really interested in your use of honey. I've held off on honey ( although I personally love it ) because I wasn't sure about the safety of using honey. Hasn't there been some problems with honey causing botulism?

One of my best sellers are whipped milk chocolate truffles. Although not my fav. certainly the North American palate goes for it. People get pretty fascinated how the truffle can have a thin snappy coating with a fluffly whipped interior! I also do whipped white which one customer places advanced orders for.

Hi everyone! Just finished all my Vday deliveries before the big snow storm hits...Kerry, I heard it's already coming down where you are! I wanted to thank mrose for his wonderful Chambord truffles recipe, I used it and it was really well received. I tweaked it a bit and the recipe is below. This got me thinking about how selflessly everyone here shares recipes, offers advise and hears vents...thanks all! Mrose's tweaked Chambord truffles ( that really turned out well!! ) 1 lb dark choc ( I used Valrhona Eq. Noir ) 3 oz cream 5 oz butter 2/3 cup raspberry puree 2 tbsp Chambord liqueur

I might be way off base here but could this be made to work? http://cgi.ebay.ca/MARBLE-CHEESE-BOARD-AND...1QQcmdZViewItem

Hello all! I'm so in awe of David J and Lloydchoc who are making or have made their own guitar cutters but I'm sure I couldn't and don't know anyone who could help me with one so...does any one have a simpler alternative to buying a guitar cutter? How about some large wire thing attached to a rounded handle or a large version of a cheese cutter? Thanks a lot!

I definitely like to enrobe, my customers love enrobed truffles. The sensation of the couverture cracking to give way to the ganache is indescribable! I have to say though that SOMA Chocolate Maker of Toronto that receives none of the props it should makes exquisite moulded chocolates with the thinnest of shells imaginable. Off course they sell at $2 a piece.

I think I'm going to go with John's suggestion and cook up my own puree. Here's the recipe I plan to use: http://www.joyofbaking.com/raspberrypuree.html ( BTW, great site !) Also, for all Ontarians, esp. those around Toronto, does Bruno's or similar sell raspberry puree? ← If I were going to use the no sugar added jam I'd put it in the food processor with a bit of water, then put through the finest blade on the food mill to remove all the seeds. Your center will be sweeter than with puree. ← For my 2 cents, I'd say that I agree with Kerry with the addition of saying that I think it's going to be too sweet. Unless you're planning to use a 77%+ bittersweet... I think you'll get a better result by just cooking up your own raspberry puree with fresh raspberries. ←

Thanks so much mrose! Just was wondering, could I sub. good quality, no sugar added raspberry jam for the puree? Thanks!

Hi all! I would like to introduce Chambord truffles ( I know...a little late!! ) for Val. Day and would like to know if anyone has a recipe. I was thinking of a dark chocolate ganache infused w/Chambord ( raspberry ) liqueur and some raspberry pulp put in there. Also, I plan on making them rectangular and dipping them in white chocolate with a heart transfer design on them. Anyone would like to join me in experimenting w/these! Thanks and take care

My uncle just got back from Venezuela with a bunch of El Ray chocolates for his wife...she's a great baker. Well, I freaked as a chocolatier and told him how sought after they are ( right? ). Anyway, he said he could easily be a distributor of them in Canada but hasn't a clue about what the market would be like? Well, just a question to all the Canadians out there, is there an El Ray distributor in Canada (T.O. specifically )? and if there isn't is there a market? Take care,

Here's the chocolates that Mireille Guiliano recommends, she the guru of fine food and of French Women... fame. Interesting, what do you think? She mentions Noka and Rechiutti ( sp? )is the best according to her!! http://www.mireilleguiliano.com/recommends.htm

Thanks so much schneich for your thoughtful reply!! I do agree that refridgerating ganache is not a good idea and I rarely do but I had to have the truffles ready on time!! Also, to top it off my emulsion blender broke a few weeks prior so I have to get a new one but thanks for your advise of learning how to use it without incorporating air!

Hey all, Happy New Year!!! So I had this 130 truffle order from a restaurant that I've supplied to before, but this time instead of the standard milk choc. buttercream ganache, I decide to go dark with a touch of GM. For some reason I made the ganache too soft and upon rolling and crusting they were still quite soft. After dipping, about 1/2 had cracks!!! I double dipped and some cracked even after that...this was 10:30 pm Dec. 30, the truffles were to be served New Year's Eve dinner. My panic reaction that eventually worked...I stuck all the truffles in 4 bowls and remelted them all ( the cracked ones, non cracked ones, everything ). You should have seen the look on my family's face. Well, the outside enrobing chocolate added the extra chocolate needed to harden the ganache and once melted and cooled I re-rolled and went to bed at about 12:30pm. Woke up in the am and dipped them all, the ganache wasn't what I would have liked but no one would have known what happened. Any one else has panic stories to share???

There's no invert sugar or corn syrup added, just dark choc. , milk choc, butter and cream...after over zealous mixing, GM was added. I'm wondering if what Kerry said happened and the butter came to the top, anyway, I won't do that again!

Hi all, I've only recently started using an immersion blender to emulsify my ganache and became thrilled with how smooth and glossy the result was. For a batch of Grand Marnier truffles I got really over zealous with it and used it for about 5 - 10 min! Well, the ganache piped well and rolled well. After dipping, when I tasted the truffle, the ganache was horribly gummy and the shell ( dipped, not moulded ) actually separated from the ganache. How awful! Any explanations? Thanks!

I always add about a tsp. of alcohol in them, would that increase the room temp. shelf life?

Hi everyone, I'm sure it's a busy time for all... baking, making confections, etc! I was wondering what the shelf life of truffles made with no glucose, corn syrup, invert sugar, etc ( ie no preservatives) is: - at room temperature of 69F - in a wine cooler at 57F Thanks a lot and have a great holiday season all!

Calling all chocolatiers... My best seller truffles...milk chocolate buttercream truffles are a real pain to produce! First here's the recipe: 300 g milk choc ( I use Callebaut ) 125 g cream 25 g butter I also add a touch of Grand Marnier - Make ganache, blend in softened butter, add GM, you know the rest... Here's the 'pain' part: I usually pipe half moons, let them set a bit and then roll each half moon to produce a ball, then I let the balls crust over for a day and then dip them. Is there anyone who can help me cut the time on this? I've heard the French have a way of piping so that you don't have to roll them. The Belgians tend to produce elongated ganaches that are rolled in shaved choc. but my trays can't hold such shapes. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

OMG, thank you David, you're awesome!

Thanks so much for the posts!! I will try the recipe Mrose, thanks!! I was very disappointed last year with the commercial sweetened dried cranberries and so I used the cranberry sauce this year. Any idea what commercial brand of dried cranberries is good? Thanks too Kmemphis, I will cook down the sauce next time. Finally, I just added a few shreds of lemon and the ganache, though soft, is divine!! Hey we could come up with the perfect cranberry truffle recipe here!

Hey all, I'm working on a recipe for Cranberry truffles to add to my holiday selection. Here's the basic: 9 oz white choc. 1/2 cup cranberry sauce ( good qual. ) 1 tsp vodka 2 tbsp less 1tsp butter 1 tsp butter The taste was divine but the ganache turned out soft and seeped out of the dark choc. coating...I had to recoat ( hate that ) Another problem was that the ganache was a pretty pink, looked like Strawberry ganache, very 'spring like'. Last year I simply folded dried cranberries into my white choc. ganache but the taste wasn't nearly as good as the above. Any thoughts, ideas, comments on how to improve on the Cranberry truffle? Anyone have any success with Cranberry truffles? Thanks!

Awesome! I love it! Optimization and baking. On a more practical note, I remember putting 'mush' into heated chocolate and then used an emersion blender and the temperature of the chocolate has risen to over 91degrees and hence thrown it out of temper. Anyone had that experience?

Hey everyone, I have tried a few of Hank's truffle recipes and they're great! Check this out... http://www.soulhealing.com/choco.htm

Thank you so much for all your responses! Thanks chefette for your detailed response. Still haven't heard from chiantiglace though!!