Molded and Filled Chocolates: Troubleshooting and Techniques

[Stephen Beaumont]

On 7/14/2021 at 9:34 PM, Kerry Beal said:

@Stephen Beaumont welcome to eG. Sorry we didn't properly greet you back in March. 

 

When you say Lakeshore - which lake are we talking?

 

Lake St Clair - near Windsor, not far from Michelle from Sweetness Chocolates. No problem about not greeting me   I have been lurking a lot on the eGullet forum and it is fascinating. Learning a lot and everyone is so helpful. My little sideline chocolate business has taken off faster than I could have dreamed  (@Chokfinechocolates on IG and FB) and I can't wait to be able to meet people in person again, hopefully soon.

[Kerry Beal]

7 hours ago, Stephen Beaumont said:

Lake St Clair - near Windsor, not far from Michelle from Sweetness Chocolates. No problem about not greeting me   I have been lurking a lot on the eGullet forum and it is fascinating. Learning a lot and everyone is so helpful. My little sideline chocolate business has taken off faster than I could have dreamed  (@Chokfinechocolates on IG and FB) and I can't wait to be able to meet people in person again, hopefully soon.

Indeed - we will expect you at our next Chocolate Workshop! 

[Jonathan]

The tricky bit with egg based fillings is heating it enough to pasteurise it and increase the “yolkiness” without it curdling, I played around with a french toast filling not long after I started a year ago and while it tasted nice the “egg” wasn’t really discernable, just felt like a really rich ganache

[Jim D.]

4 hours ago, Jonathan said:

The tricky bit with egg based fillings is heating it enough to pasteurise it and increase the “yolkiness” without it curdling, I played around with a french toast filling not long after I started a year ago and while it tasted nice the “egg” wasn’t really discernable, just felt like a really rich ganache

 

Thanks for that helpful information, which is exactly what I guessed would be the case.  As I said previously about a "custard ganache," the egginess probably gets lost with the other flavorings of the ganache since the flavoring has to be strong enough to stand up to the chocolate used in the shell (and likely the ganache as well).  So many flavors that seem as if they would be delicious in a ganache--elderflower comes to mind--get lost when molded (or are so subtle as to be recognizable only when the chocolatier points them out).  Elderflower popped into my mind as I just finished a piece of toast with delicious rhubarb and elderflower jam made by a friend.  I had to stop myself from the first thought that came to mind:  wouldn't this be delicious in a bonbon?

[Jonathan]

I think with most of the subtle flavours I've leaned towards white chocolate which I typically don't like but tends to be neutral enough with a backdrop as well as increasing the quantity of cocoa butter in the ganache to lower the sweetness. I've had some success with elderflower using a combination of a flavour extract and Saint Germain liqueur but I personally am not the biggest white chocolate fan either so it's a bit of a downer to have to use it

[Jim D.]

58 minutes ago, Jonathan said:

I think with most of the subtle flavours I've leaned towards white chocolate which I typically don't like but tends to be neutral enough with a backdrop as well as increasing the quantity of cocoa butter in the ganache to lower the sweetness. I've had some success with elderflower using a combination of a flavour extract and Saint Germain liqueur but I personally am not the biggest white chocolate fan either so it's a bit of a downer to have to use it

 

I agree about white chocolate (and so many customers just reject it without even tasting it).  I think sometimes it is the best choice (strawberry comes to mind).  Thanks for the tip about elderflower extract.

[Chocolate_touu]

Bonjour, hi guys i want to make chocolate bonbons with strawberries (puree)  and i'm a little bit confused about that because i made them before and i didn't get the results i wanted ( i tried strawberries ganache , and strawberry  caramel ) any ideas.

Thank you so much. 

[Kerry Beal]

2 minutes ago, Chocolate_touu said:

Bonjour, hi guys i want to make chocolate bonbons with strawberries (puree)  and i'm a little bit confused about that because i made them before and i didn't get the results i wanted ( i tried strawberries ganache , and strawberry  caramel ) any ideas.

Thank you so much. 

What are the results you wanted?

[Chocolate_touu]

7 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

What are the results you wanted?

I wanted the strawberry to taste clear but it wasn't even through i used a really good puree I felt that the ganache is not the best thing maybe 

Edited February 20, 2022 by Chocolate_touu (log)

[minas6907]

I dont do too many fruit centers, but I feel like incorporating a pate de fruit would be the way to go, or including a strawberry jam into a white chocolate butter ganache.

[Jim D.]

1 hour ago, Chocolate_touu said:

Bonjour, hi guys i want to make chocolate bonbons with strawberries (puree)  and i'm a little bit confused about that because i made them before and i didn't get the results i wanted ( i tried strawberries ganache , and strawberry  caramel ) any ideas.

Thank you so much. 

 

It would help to know the ingredients in the ganache.  Did you use white chocolate as the base, then add the purée and/or cream?  If so, you have encountered a known issue with fruit ganaches--getting enough of the fruit flavor.  There are ways to concentrate or supplement the flavor:  You can substitute plain cocoa butter for some of the white chocolate.  You can make a "water ganache" by using only strawberry purée, no cream (but this will have a high water content and therefore short shelf life).  You can add other flavoring sources:  strawberry flavoring (there are some good natural ones, such as Amoretti's), strawberry compound (which is more like a jam), or freeze-dried strawberries.  Then there is the butter ganache idea that minas mentioned, using strawberry jam.

[Kerry Beal]

47 minutes ago, Chocolate_touu said:

I wanted the strawberry to taste clear but it wasn't even through i used a really good puree I felt that the ganache is not the best thing maybe 

Yup - a ganache hides the strong fruit flavor.  Try a buttercream - mixture of fondant and cooked down puree, some white chocolate, citric acid, butter and bit of booze.

[pastrygirl]

I agree, some fruit flavors get overwhelmed by the other ingredients in ganache.  Try Valrhona Strawberry Inspirations if you can find it.  It contains 14% freeze dried strawberry.  Or add your own freeze dried strawberries.

[Chocolate_touu]

9 hours ago, minas6907 said:

I dont do too many fruit centers, but I feel like incorporating a pate de fruit would be the way to go, or including a strawberry jam into a white chocolate butter ganache.

Thank you for the answer,  for me  i put a little bit of jam in the shell and i added a layer of ganache ( i felt that ganache alone was not enough ) but i didn't get the results i wanted it was so sweet ( i used white chocolate in the ganache and shell) 

[Chocolate_touu]

9 hours ago, Jim D. said:

 

It would help to know the ingredients in the ganache.  Did you use white chocolate as the base, then add the purée and/or cream?  If so, you have encountered a known issue with fruit ganaches--getting enough of the fruit flavor.  There are ways to concentrate or supplement the flavor:  You can substitute plain cocoa butter for some of the white chocolate.  You can make a "water ganache" by using only strawberry purée, no cream (but this will have a high water content and therefore short shelf life).  You can add other flavoring sources:  strawberry flavoring (there are some good natural ones, such as Amoretti's), strawberry compound (which is more like a jam), or freeze-dried strawberries.  Then there is the butter ganache idea that minas mentioned, using strawberry jam.

Thank you for the answer,  i used white chocolate as the base and i added the fruit puree ( i didn't use the cream) i felt that the taste was not clear , i think i will try dried strawberries with them, and about the shelf life , how long can they remain ( water ganache )

[Chocolate_touu]

8 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Yup - a ganache hides the strong fruit flavor.  Try a buttercream - mixture of fondant and cooked down puree, some white chocolate, citric acid, butter and bit of booze.

Thank you so much 

[Jim D.]

7 hours ago, Chocolate_touu said:

Thank you for the answer,  i used white chocolate as the base and i added the fruit puree ( i didn't use the cream) i felt that the taste was not clear , i think i will try dried strawberries with them, and about the shelf life , how long can they remain ( water ganache )

 

It's not possible to predict shelf life without knowing the exact recipe.  It would also depend on whether the purée contains some strawberries or is completely smooth.  The dried strawberries will add solids, so lowering water content and increasing shelf life a little.  Much of this depends on whether you are making these bonbons for personal use (in which case shelf life doesn't matter so much) or for other people (you can't know how they will store the bonbons or how long they will keep them).  As far as sweetness goes (which you mentioned in your post to minas), you can control that by adding a bit of citric acid (or, if you don't have that, lemon juice).

[Chocolate_touu]

1 minute ago, Jim D. said:

 

It's not possible to predict shelf life without knowing the exact recipe.  It would also depend on whether the purée contains some strawberries or is completely smooth.  The dried strawberries will add solids, so lowering water content and increasing shelf life a little.  Much of this depends on whether you are making these bonbons for personal use (in which case shelf life doesn't matter so much) or for other people (you can't know how they will store the bonbons or how long they will keep them).  As far as sweetness goes (which you mentioned in your post to minas), you can control that by adding a bit of citric acid (or, if you don't have that, lemon juice).

Thank u so much for the answer 

[Chocolate_touu]

15 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Yup - a ganache hides the strong fruit flavor.  Try a buttercream - mixture of fondant and cooked down puree, some white chocolate, citric acid, butter and bit of booze.

Thank you so much for the idea 💡 

[Chocolate_touu]

14 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

I agree, some fruit flavors get overwhelmed by the other ingredients in ganache.  Try Valrhona Strawberry Inspirations if you can find it.  It contains 14% freeze dried strawberry.  Or add your own freeze dried strawberries.

Thank you so much 

[tinajhung]

I've been painting chocolate molds with tempered cocoa butter and molding them with chocolate. Are the chocolate shells supposed to release after the chocolate is set? I often see that on Instagram, but mine doesn't release unless I shock the molds in the freezer for 15-20 min. Should I fill the molds, close them before placing them in the freezers? Or are the shell (unfilled) supposed to shrink as a sign of being properly tempered? 

[MikanPotatos]

On 2/21/2022 at 6:26 AM, Kerry Beal said:

Yup - a ganache hides the strong fruit flavor.  Try a buttercream - mixture of fondant and cooked down puree, some white chocolate, citric acid, butter and bit of booze.

Hey Kerry. Its the first time I've heard of fondant. Do you have a mother recipe you can share? I've only ever worked with ganaches and caramels for bonbons

[A Polderman]

YES, they are supposed to release. There are SO many different variables that could be causing your issues. Could be you have not tempered your cocoa butter correctly, could be your chocolate is not tempered correctly, could be because your chocolate is too cold when you fill your molds. Could be that your chocolate is crystalizing in your molds too quickly. 

 

[Kerry Beal]

9 hours ago, MikanPotatos said:

Hey Kerry. Its the first time I've heard of fondant. Do you have a mother recipe you can share? I've only ever worked with ganaches and caramels for bonbons

Find a copy of our own @Chocolot's book Candymaking to learn about fondant.

 

My strawberry recipe - 

Strawberry Center

 

160 grams strawberry puree

15 grams freeze-dried strawberry powder

6 grams shredded freeze dried strawberries

pinch citric acid

1 teaspoon strawberry compound

150 grams fondant

285 grams white chocolate melted and cooled

25 grams butter

2 tsp booze

DIRECTIONS

mix fondant and room temp butter in food processor, add melted white choclate, puree and flavouring. 

 

[Chocolate_touu]

Hello, I hope you are fine, healthy and well. I came across this picture on Instagram and asked how it is possible to make that golden touch. Any ideas, thank you

Edited March 9, 2022 by Chocolate_touu
I do not have the permission of the owner of the picture to post it and I think this is impolite (log)