Rectangular truffles

[Aria]

Hey all,

I'm going to try my hand at making rectangular dipped truffles before the craziness of Valentine's begins. I've never made rect. truffles before...I'll post pics! Here are my questions:

- Are you resigned to hard ganache if you want rectangular dipped truffles?

- Are there any tips on cutting the rectangles once the ganache has set in the pan? I can envision a big mess!

- I've always made round truffles and dipped them by smearing choc. on my hand. For the rectangular truffles, I plan to drop each rectangle in tempered choc. and then get them out with a fork...see I'm already worried, I'd really appreciate some tips on dipping as well.

Thanks so much!! I really appreciate all the help given on this forum.

[Trishiad]

let your ganache set on a sheet of parchment in a pan with straight sides. Pull the whole slab out and spread a super thin layer of melted chocolate on one side. Let is set and then slice with a thin knife. Let the rectangles dry out a bit and then dip them.

[Aria]

Thanks so much Trishiad! That sounds like a great tip and I'm going to use it,

Aria

[McDuff]

You ideally would have some things called confectioner's bars, which are pieces of steel about 3/8 by 3/8 or so which are laid onto a parchment covered upside down sheet pan and set the width of a bench scraper apart.

After you make the ganache and let it cool, massage it with a spatula just until it starts to set, then spread it between the bars and level it with an offset. When it is fully set spread a thin layer of tempered chocolate on the top, let it set, use a paring knife to free the ganache from the bars, flip it over and spread tempered chocolate again and let it set.

Then, make a thick paper template of the size you wish to cut. Dip a straight edged slicer in hot water, dry it, and square one end of the ganache to one edge. Then hold the template against the ganache, mark the size of each piece along both edges, and cut with a hot dry slicer. Then turn the strips 90 degrees, mark again, and cut again.

Then dip each rectangle into tempered chocolate. This is time consuming, but it works, and this is how it's done. If you don't feel like spending the huge money they want for the bars at J.B. Prince, go to the hardware store and buy cold rolled steel bars and sand them really well till they're shiny. Keep them dry and they shouldn't rust.

[Trishiad]

"and this is how it's done."?? I'd like to add that it is done many different ways. Each chocolatier has his/her own style and each of us has our own little tricks. I learned this one from Michael Recchuiti:

If you use tempered chocolate on your slab of ganache it will be more brittle and be more difficult to slice. Just melt some chocolate and spread it on. Try it, it's a real time saver.

And, although I do own confectionery bars, I almost always use a simple pan with straight sides. Much cheaper when one is working with many flavors.

[jturn00]

About what size squares do you generally cut the ganache. I was doing 1 inch squares.

Also as for dipping, when I did my dipping, I had a 2 pronged chocolate dipping fork and 3 pronged. Any ideas as for perference of the different forks?

Edited January 22, 2006 by jturn00 (log)

[Aria]

Wow McDuff, thanks a lot!! I'm saving your email very carefully for when I'm 'there'. You seem very thorough!

As for Trishiad, thanks again!! Actually when you emailed regarding spreading a thin layer of chocolate I just assumed tempered chocolate and I do realise you're right! The tempered chocolate cracked when I cut the slices and it wasn't very pretty. So next time, I'll just melt chocolate and spread a thin layer.