Caramel Apple Ganache

[Chocolot]

I have been working (mostly unsuccessfully) on making a caramel apple filling for bon bons. I have used green apple puree in a caramelized sugar base then over white chocolate to make a ganache. Flavor just too weak. I used a bit of cinnamon but no real flavor. I won't use extracts, so does anyone have any good ideas?

[mkayahara]

As you know, I'm no expert on chocolate, but I wonder if you could infuse apple peels into the white chocolate, in addition to everything else? I made an apple gastrique once by infusing it with apple peels then straining them out. But apple is a pretty subtle flavour, IMO.

Of course, speaking as an eater, I'd prefer an apple-flavoured caramel (chewy or flowing) to a ganache. But that doesn't really answer your question.

[YetiChocolates]

In Andrew Shotts book "Making Artisan Chocolates" he has a "candy apple" molded bon bon recipe, but I don't quite remember what he used. I own the book, I just don't have it with me at the moment, but you might inquire into what he did...I'm sure there are those out there that might remember or have a copy handy that they could look into it to help you out!

I've been thinking of doing a similar bon bon, though I might just head the caramel route like Mkayahara suggested. I just recently moved to Wenatchee, WA area, and Wenatchee is considered the "apple capital of the world" so if I'm going to set up shop here (which I hope to in the next couple years) I better have some sort of apple chocolate or caramel to cater to the apple lovers coming to the area.

Good luck with your ganache, I hope you get it figured out!

[EatNopales]

No problem if you take the Mexican approach to Ganache...

Juice enough apples to get 1 cup of apple juice & pour into a sauce pan, add 1 cup of high quality / real chopped white chocolate bring to a boil stirring rapidly until the chocolate has melted... reduce to the lowest temp & continue simmering until you are almost at your desired density... taste for sweetness adding a bit of corn syrup, heavy syrup, honey or agave syrup to your liking.

If you want more Apple flavor start with more juice & reduce that etc.,

[JeanneCake]

Sherry Yard makes a ganache in one of her books with raspberry puree as the liquid; I wonder if applesauce could be substituted using her recipe....

[VilleN]

In the restaurant I'm working at the moment we have a green apple puree that could be fixed into a ganache pretty easily. First we caramelize the sugar then add butter and after that add the apple puree which is then reduced to half by simmering. The consistency becomes quite thick when it cools down. I can imagine that this caramelized puree and white chocolate would make a great ganache with a strong taste.

[Lisa Shock]

What if you made apple patè de fruit (or gumdrop) and some fairly firm caramel then stacked the two sheets on top of each other, cut with a cutter and enrobed the resulting candy? -Or, if using chocolate molds, pipe in caramel, cut the patè de fruit into shapes that approximate the base shape, place on caramel and finish with chocolate. They won't last a really long time, but, at least you'll get a textural difference.

[YetiChocolates]

In the restaurant I'm working at the moment we have a green apple puree that could be fixed into a ganache pretty easily. First we caramelize the sugar then add butter and after that add the apple puree which is then reduced to half by simmering. The consistency becomes quite thick when it cools down. I can imagine that this caramelized puree and white chocolate would make a great ganache with a strong taste.

What's the ratio or apple puree to caramelized sugar if you don't mind me asking?

[highchef]

I was going to try to sub out the cream in my caramel with boiled cider, then pour onto some milk chocolate to melt. It's an icing recipe Found here:

http://fromourkitchen.blogspot.com/2006/06/chocolate-cake-with-milk-chocolate.html.

Boiled cider is available on line at kingarthurflour.com

The icing recipe is much more stable for our heat (no butter) but I wanted the apple flavor so was going to attempt it this weekend, and use it on an apple cake. It's really a ganache, so it should work as a filling...if it works period! I worry about the lack of cream, but the chocolate give it some creaminess. Like I said, it's on for a weekend test run if we don't get a storm.

[ruthcooks]

Reduced cider or reduced boiled cider? Like an apple syrup.

Edited September 1, 2011 by ruthcooks (log)

[Shalmanese]

Adding a bit of malic and citric acid can boost the perceived "appleness"without requiring you to cook (and therefore, change) the flavor. Careful though as too much and it'll start tasting artificial and bland.

[Quesmoy]

In Andrew Shotts' book, he recommends Apple essence or natural Apple oil, for his candy apple recipe. I have made Apple caramels by just replacing 1/3 of the cream, in my regular caramel recipe, with sour Apple pucker.

[Broken English]

How smooth do you want the finished ganache? I'd suggest that if you want it smooth then reduce apple juice and use it to deglaze the caramel, and add this to the ganache to get the desired apple caramel flavour.

[Sue Casey]

Interesting. What is sour Apple Pucker and where do you buy it?

[VilleN]

In the restaurant I'm working at the moment we have a green apple puree that could be fixed into a ganache pretty easily. First we caramelize the sugar then add butter and after that add the apple puree which is then reduced to half by simmering. The consistency becomes quite thick when it cools down. I can imagine that this caramelized puree and white chocolate would make a great ganache with a strong taste.

What's the ratio or apple puree to caramelized sugar if you don't mind me asking?

It's about 1 part sugar, butter a little less than that and 3-4 parts apple puree. Depends on the amount of pectin in the apples but it doesn't take a lot of chocolate to achieve a ganache-y texture.

[YetiChocolates]

It's about 1 part sugar, butter a little less than that and 3-4 parts apple puree. Depends on the amount of pectin in the apples but it doesn't take a lot of chocolate to achieve a ganache-y texture.

Awesome! Thanks for the info, I'll have to try that

Edited September 2, 2011 by YetiChocolates (log)

[Quesmoy]

Pucker is kind of like Schnapps, and here I can buy it at the grocery store, but can probably find it at a liquor store.

[Tri2Cook]

Spray or freeze dried apple powder would boost the flavor without upping water content but that's venturing into increasing costs significantly. I agree with Shalmanese on the acids. I use that trick anytime something made with apple flattens out. In moderation, it brightens things up and gives an illusion of freshness. It was the missing link when failing to get a caramel apple consomme the way I wanted it. I made a malic/citric solution, added it to taste and suddenly I had apples with caramel instead of caramel with an apple background.

[pringle007]

I've made a white chocolate apple ganache with Green Apple Schnapps. I used:

Heavy Cream (110 g)

Corn Syrup (30g)

White Chocolate (260g)

Soft Butter (10g)

Green Apple Schnapps (20g)

Combine the first three per usual technique, let it stand a minute or two, stir in the soft butter, then slowly (I believe the key here is to so this slowly) add the liquor

Ive used the same recipe, and substituted the Schnapps for Green Apple Smirnoff for an Apple Martini bonbon.

[Chocolot]

Could I use Calvados instead of Schnapps?

[Kerry Beal]

Could I use Calvados instead of Schnapps?

It won't taste as apple-y though.

[pringle007]

Could I use Calvados instead of Schnapps?

It won't taste as apple-y though.

I agree. The apple vodka gives less of a apple taste, with more of an alcohol bite to it (like a martini). Schnapps makes it very apple-like. Using Calvados would give you closer to the vodka than the schnapps.