Types of Ganache for Bonbons

[InfinityCandies]

Can anyone help me with this?  I'm somewhat new to this site, but so I'm having a hard time locating my answer if it is already out here. I've made bon bons for several years now, after being inspired by Norman Love's shop on Ft. Myers, Florida around 2017.  I'm originally self-taught from the book from Andrew Shotts' book "Making Artisan Chocolates," which was fatefully added to the box of the used tempering machine I bought from a lady off eBay 4 years ago.  She though she'd just toss it in my way and even added a little note wishing me good luck in whatever I attempted to do.  Had some great success with his recipes, and then just changed my candy recipes to following J.P Wybauw and better understanding the proper balance of chocolate, sugars and fats within each recipe along with aW values.

 

I've sampled Norman Love's chocolates several times, examining everything I could think of.  MY GREAT BIG QUESTION: how does one attain the slightly opaque/clear ganache he has in several of his bon bons, like his cookies n cream? And Tahitian Caramel, and others????  Everything else I create, is flat chocolate-based, like solid in color.  Since I just switched to incorporating more shelf-stabilizing ingredients like, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, etc. similarly seen in Wybauw's recipes,  I thought I would see some of these clearer, soft-centered ganaches and I am not.  I feel like I just discovered there are different types of ganaches for bon bon centers:  cream-based, butter-based, others? if you make a fruity center that is not technically a ganache, is it really just a pate de fruit? 

 

I have also followed Kate Weiser and lover her fun, eccentric colors and flavors, but cannot seem to duplicate some of her flavors and final appearances of ganaches. 

 

I have no formal culinary training-- just A LOT of videos, tutorials and reading, and of course, great insight from here, when I can come across it.  ANY help to point me in the right direction would be great.  I have had a little candy business that operates seasonally, and just when I was hoping to finalize my recipes for good, I am still not attaining some of the flavor and textures I wish to have.  I use Guittard  and Callebaut Chox.  What am I missing?

 

[Jim D.]

Do you have a photo of or link to the kind of "clear" ganache you mention?  I am not understanding what you have in mind.  Ganache is a broad term, but it does have limits.  If you make a ganache in which fruit purée is the liquid emulsified with chocolate, then you will encounter the issue of a higher Aw than you may wish to have.  Wybauw's black currant ganache is one example, and its Aw is on the edge of what I will make and sell.  Pâte de fruit is a specific substance:  fruit purée mixed with pectin, no fat such as a ganache has.  It gives a great fruit punch (as Kate Weiser makes very clear in her wonderful chocolates), but it's not ganache.  Do you have Peter Greweling's book?  If not, it is a must, in my opinion, for all the theory you will need in chocolatiering.

[Rajala]

I'm also curious about the clear ganache!

[bbrizend]

Afraid I can't help you with this specific issue but I did want to reach out to you because I think we may share some commonalities.  I too am self taught, home based, and I live in Florida.  Tampa specifically.  I don't sell my products currently.  I make them mostly for friends/family and on special occasions.  If you are interested, I'd be happy to connect more directly, say via Facebook or email, to share information, war stories, supplies/suppliers, etc....  

[RWood]

I'm wondering if this is the texture you are referring too? It looks like a caramel to me, but says it's a ganache.

[InfinityCandies]

YESSS!!! Exactly what I am referring to.  But I have made caramels, and I get it that way, but not with the Cookies N Cream ganache that has white chocolate.  I have seen a few fillings that have that translucent, clearer filling.  Is it the use of trimoline or glucose in the product?     I feel I have seen some orange cream, or strawberry cream ganaches that use white chocolate but they also have that translucent filling.  Sorry in previous post--  i didn't mean opaque.