Chocolate Truffles

[Kerry Beal]

If your recipe will allow - add a bit of milk chocolate to your 811 for dipping and see if that helps.

[Baylee Chocolate Lady]

When you suggest a bit, what proportions do you mean? I have been using a 44 pound warmer for the 811. It has been oour workhorse chocolate.

[Kerry Beal]

When you suggest a bit, what proportions do you mean? I have been using a 44 pound warmer for the 811. It has been oour workhorse chocolate.

Maybe about 5 to 10 % - but I'd probably do a little testing first - smaller quantities to see if it helps.

[gap]

Alternatively, is your warmer still keeping the chocolate at the same temperature? Maybe check it with a thermometer. In my experience, having chocolate at the higher end of the "holding" temperature range will make for a better coating on curved surfaces. Maybe your machinery is the cuplrit and is no-longer holding to the same temperature it once was?

Edited June 8, 2011 by gap (log)

[Baylee Chocolate Lady]

Thank you for the suggestions. I hadn't thought about raising the temperature but it is worth a try. My warmer is usually pretty dependable; sometimes we keep the thermometer handy for testing. But it is worth a try.

Kerry, would some additional cocoa butter help? I feel a little queasy about throwing in some of the milk chocolate. I'm areaid it will alter the flavor.

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry, would some additional cocoa butter help? I feel a little queasy about throwing in some of the milk chocolate. I'm areaid it will alter the flavor.

Nope - you want the milk fat to make the tempered chocolate more 'flexible' and less likely to crack. So probably not your best solution in this case.

[Mjx]

Kerry, would some additional cocoa butter help? I feel a little queasy about throwing in some of the milk chocolate. I'm areaid it will alter the flavor.

Nope - you want the milk fat to make the tempered chocolate more 'flexible' and less likely to crack. So probably not your best solution in this case.

Could a tiny amount of butter alone be used, then?

[Kerry Beal]

Yup - clarified butter. But it makes the chocolate very soft.

[AnnieWilliams]

I was asked to make some chocolate truffles, which I have never done before since I'm not much of a candy maker. Sure, I have made ganache, but I have never gotten into the whole truffle thing. I am not looking at using molds, just the irregular chocolate "blobs" rolled in cocoa powder or whatever else. I was wondering if someone could provide a good base formula for the ganache. I am not sure what percentage of chocolate to use (I have been making ganache with 70% lately and it's been good), whether or not to add butter, and how much liqueur to use if you wanted to flavor them that way. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Kerry Beal]

Basic Dark Chocolate Truffle

(50 servings)

• 150 grams whipping cream
  
• 40 grams glucose
  
• 350 grams dark chocolate
  
• 65 grams butter - room temperature
  
• 45 grams liquor of some sort
  

Melt chocolate and cool to about 30 to 32 degrees C. Heat cream and glucose to about 40 degrees C. Stir cream mixture into chocolate and stir until emulsified. Mix in butter until smooth and stir in liquor.

[AnnieWilliams]

Wow, you are just awesome!

[AnnieWilliams]

Do you enrobe these with tempered chocolate or just roll them in cocoa powder?

[Kerry Beal]

I enrobe with tempered chocolate myself - how soon will they be eaten?

[AnnieWilliams]

Not sure actually. Would you keep them refrigerated?

[Kerry Beal]

If I enrobe I keep them at room temperature in an airtight container.

[AnnieWilliams]

Ok, do you ever enrobe with chocolate that isn't tempered? What if you didn't enrobe at all? Would they be ok at room temperature or should they be refrigerated? Sorry, I don't have much experience with this!

[Kerry Beal]

I only enrobe with untempered chocolate if I screw up and forget to check my temper! If you want to just roll in some cocoa powder (I'd add some powdered sugar to it - cause I find plain cocoa a little hard to take on a truffle) - then put in your air tight container, in the fridge. Put them at room temperature for a day before opening the container to ensure that condensation doesn't screw up your cocoa. Make sure people eat them in a day or two.

[AnnieWilliams]

Oh ok, so they are "time sensitive?" I wonder if they could be frozen. I was kind of hoping they would be ok for a couple of weeks at least. Shows you how ignorant I am to the world of chocolate truffles, haha!

[Kerry Beal]

Same airtight box, in the freezer - take out 48 hours before - 24 hours in fridge - 24 hours at room temperature before opening the box. Eat in a couple of days.

[AnnieWilliams]

Great, thanks so much for your help!

[Lazar89]

Has anyone tried truffles with white chocolate and lavender? I would like to share this great recipe: easy-white-chocolate-recipes

Floral and herbal flavors work wonderfully with white chocolate. Lavender is a special flavoring that comes through the white chocolate in a delicate way. These white chocolate truffles are perfect for a garden wedding or tea party.

 

Prepared Ingredients for Truffles:

• 16 oz Belgian white chocolate in a heat safe bowl - set aside.

• 5 oz cream steeped overnight (24 hours) with a small handful of lavender flowers - tightly sealed in the refrigerator.

Truffle Making Instructions: 
The following day when you pull the cream from the refrigerator, strain and pour into a saucepan. Add 1 Tbsp lavender honey or very clear floral honey (clover works too)
Bring the cream and honey mixture barely to a boil (tiny small bubbles appear on the edge of the sauce pan) - promptly pour over your white chocolate you have set aside.
Wait a few seconds and then stir the mixture to melt the chocolate and get a good emulsion. If it is not completely melted lightly run the bowl over the stove top to warm and facilitate melting of the chocolate. 

Once melted, cool your truffle ganache mixture to room temperature. Then, cover the bowl of melted chocolate and place in the refrigerator for about 4 - 6 hours.
Remove the bowl and spoon out the white chocolate truffle ganache into the palm of your hand and roll into bite sized truffles setting aside on wax or parchment paper. You can also roll the finished truffle balls into finely chopped nuts (hazelnut) or dried fruits (apricot) - even into cocoa powder

( Red Cocoa Powder is a great option).

Store your White Chocolate Lavender Truffles in the refrigerator, tightly sealed. Enjoy up to 2 weeks.

 

[Lazar89]

Has anyone tried truffles with white chocolate and lavender? I would like to share this great recipe: easy-white-chocolate-recipes

Floral and herbal flavors work wonderfully with white chocolate. Lavender is a special flavoring that comes through the white chocolate in a delicate way. These white chocolate truffles are perfect for a garden wedding or tea party.

 

Prepared Ingredients for Truffles:

• 16 oz Belgian white chocolate in a heat safe bowl - set aside.

• 5 oz cream steeped overnight (24 hours) with a small handful of lavender flowers - tightly sealed in the refrigerator.

Truffle Making Instructions: 
The following day when you pull the cream from the refrigerator, strain and pour into a saucepan. Add 1 Tbsp lavender honey or very clear floral honey (clover works too)
Bring the cream and honey mixture barely to a boil (tiny small bubbles appear on the edge of the sauce pan) - promptly pour over your white chocolate you have set aside.
Wait a few seconds and then stir the mixture to melt the chocolate and get a good emulsion. If it is not completely melted lightly run the bowl over the stove top to warm and facilitate melting of the chocolate. 

Once melted, cool your truffle ganache mixture to room temperature. Then, cover the bowl of melted chocolate and place in the refrigerator for about 4 - 6 hours.
Remove the bowl and spoon out the white chocolate truffle ganache into the palm of your hand and roll into bite sized truffles setting aside on wax or parchment paper. You can also roll the finished truffle balls into finely chopped nuts (hazelnut) or dried fruits (apricot) - even into cocoa powder

( Red Cocoa Powder is a great option).

Store your White Chocolate Lavender Truffles in the refrigerator, tightly sealed. Enjoy up to 2 weeks.