Infusing tea into melted tempered chocolate (not ganache)

[purple-klick]

Hi all,

I want to make molded solid chocolates infused with the flavor of tea. Before I start experimenting I thought I'd pick the trusty brains on eGullet. I've flavored ganache with tea, but how can I infuse tea flavor directly into chocolate?

Thanks!

[Kerry Beal]

Hi all,

I want to make molded solid chocolates infused with the flavor of tea. Before I start experimenting I thought I'd pick the trusty brains on eGullet. I've flavored ganache with tea, but how can I infuse tea flavor directly into chocolate?

Thanks!

Sous vide would likely work well.

[Will]

I would guess you will have better luck infusing the tea into something else and adding it in, if at all possible. Even if you don't want to add much of anything besides chocolate, I think you will need to -- maybe a concentrated infusion of tea in a small amount of water. A guy here who makes a lot of ice creams has had good luck infusing things in coconut milk.

I have seen chocolate that have actual bits of tea (typically a flavored / scented tea like Earl Grey) in the chocolate, however I don't think they're infused in it.

I am personally not into the whole cooking with tea thing, but there are some folks who have written books about this subject, so that may be another resource.

[gap]

Sous vide would likely work well.

Sous vide would be the neatest way. If you don't have the setup, you could temper your chocolate in a melting tank and infuse with tea for several hours and then strain the chocolate to remove the tea.

[purple-klick]

Thanks Kerry, Will and Gap. I'm happy to hear any additional ideas that people have...

Edited September 9, 2011 by purple-klick (log)

[gpchocolates]

I would infuse cocoa butter similar to infusing cream for a ganache, then add the cocoa butter to your chocolate and temper as usual.

[pastrygirl]

You could grind it to a very fine powder and just leave it in. There might be some grittiness with tea leaves, but something as fine as matcha powder will incorporate smoothly.