Flavoring in Ganache

[curls]

Another suggestion for increasing the flavor is to do a two layer piece and use a combination of fruit jelly & fruit ganache. So perhaps a rhubarb compote / rhubarb preserves in the top of the mould followed by a rhubarb ganache. Not the same texture as an all ganache piece but something with more rhubarb flavor.

[pastrygirl]

I used to do a rhubarb chiboust for which i juiced fresh rhubarb then reduced it with a little hibiscus for added color intensity and tartness.  That might help.

[Jim D.]

14 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

I used to do a rhubarb chiboust for which i juiced fresh rhubarb then reduced it with a little hibiscus for added color intensity and tartness.  That might help.

I assume you are speaking of the chiboust used in pastry.  But you probably weren't using it as a filling for chocolates (because of the eggs used), were you?

[pastrygirl]

25 minutes ago, Jim D. said:

I assume you are speaking of the chiboust used in pastry.  But you probably weren't using it as a filling for chocolates (because of the eggs used), were you?

 

Correct, it was a dessert component not a chocolate filling.  Just suggesting juicing and reducing to help with flavor intensity.

[Je33]

19 hours ago, curls said:

Another suggestion for increasing the flavor is to do a two layer piece and use a combination of fruit jelly & fruit ganache. So perhaps a rhubarb compote / rhubarb preserves in the top of the mould followed by a rhubarb ganache. Not the same texture as an all ganache piece but something with more rhubarb flavor.

Thank our for the suggestion, its got me thinking that a pate de fruit may work better for shelf life, I don't use moulds so a compote wouldn't work for me ( slabbed ganache ) but i didn't really want a sweet truffle and think a pate de fruit will make it really sweet.

I just need to keep experimenting

2 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

 

Correct, it was a dessert component not a chocolate filling.  Just suggesting juicing and reducing to help with flavor intensity.

Exactly what I did, maybe I will try a further reduction and see if I can intensify it 

 

thank you all for all your suggestions

[curls]

@Je33 I would definitely try making a rhubarb pate de fruit (maybe a half batch) and see if it is too sweet. When I have used the pdf recipes from  Notter & Biorin with tart fruits, the pdf has retain some of the tartness. Hope you wind up with something you like.

[Je33]

It was a clients request and even though I explained that some fruits don't work as well they insisted. I will keep trying but I think it may be fruitless ( sorry I couldn't help the pun!) 

i will keep you all posted incase I develop a magic method! 

[martin0642]

Just thought i'd pitch in here.... I'm on the Chocolate Masterchef course with Ruth HInks and we've been using Boiron fruit purees today - they're excellent. They have both a pear and a rhubarb puree; I hav en't tried either but based on the ones we used I would say they're likely to be a good bet. Worth considering. 

 

I should add, I odn't know the ingredients list for them so that may reveal some issues for some people - I'll see if I can have a peek tomorrow to check there's nothing unnatural in there. I'm hoping not!

 

Anyway - Les Vergers Boiron for those who are interested

[Kerry Beal]

Boiron purees are great - usually just fruit and up to 10% sugar.

 

[Tri2Cook]

I've used the Boiron pear puree for the chocolate/pear mousse from the Duby's Wild Sweets: Chocolate book and the pear stood up to the chocolate very well. But I have no idea if it would have done as well scaled down to bonbon size.

[Jim D.]

Although I have some Boiron purées that are very good, I must say I found both the pear and the rhubarb much too weak to stand up even to white chocolate, never mind dark (and I boiled them to reduce them before using in ganaches for bonbons).  The only way I have gotten even close to satisfactory flavor for either of those is to make my own from fresh fruit (I know, rhubarb is technically a vegetable).  This is just my opinion, of course.  I realize this is somewhat heretical, but when I first started purchasing frozen purées for use in chocolates, I was surprised (and disappointed) that all of them seemed less purée and more juice, so whenever I can (for example, in lemon, lime, orange, strawberry, raspberry), I juice the fresh or frozen fruit and so am able to include as much of the pulp as I want.  It's my theory that in this way I am adding less water to the finished ganache and so (one hopes) extending the shelf life a bit.

[Je33]

Hope you are enjoying your visit to Ruth, she is fab!

I have used purée from various brands in patisserie before but the usual suspect flavours (pear,rhubarb)  are always still a bit vacant. if you ever manage to get hold of the kalamansi lime it's worth a play with 

[Jim D.]

 

19 minutes ago, Je33 said:

if you ever manage to get hold of the kalamansi lime it's worth a play with 

 

I have kalamansi and like it a lot--it has no problem coming through the taste of the chocolate.  Same for passion fruit and yuzu.

[ahomechocolatier]

This year I wanted to make a special chocolate for Valentines Day  and a Passion Fruit Ganache seemed appropriate.

 

I looked at different ways of making the ganache using passion fruit puree and white chocolate. The method I chose was to use a ready made passion fruit coulis I stumbled upon in Marks & Spencer’s grocery store as it contained around 71% mixture of fruit /fruit concentrate. The coulis had a little natural sugar but would work well with the ganache. It was also very cost effective (£2.00) to use a bought coulis rather than make the coulis from scratch. If I were to make this with ripe fruit it would be extremely expensive at £2.50 for 2 passion fruits and I would need around 12 passion fruits.

 

I used dark tempered chocolate (70%) and heart shaped moulds for these chocolates. Making 21 plain cases and 9 decorated with edible metallic gold and silver powder as an experiment. I was concerned that the passion fruit taste might be overwhelmed with the white chocolate but I should not have worried as the result was superb. A well tempered dark chocolate case leading into a rich passion fruit taste…. as the Italians say…. That’s Amore!

 

To see more please visit my Blog at http://www.ahomechocolatier.com/passion-fruit-ganache/

 

[ahomechocolatier]

As its the time of the year (March) in England we see the first supplies of Rhubarb to come into the shops, i decided to make some chocolates using this fine ingredient.  The best young Rhubarb in this country comes from Yorkshire and is of the forced type and its very tender. 

 

My idea was to form a puree from the Rhubarb in a little sugar syrup, reducing it down, blending until smooth adding double (heavy) cream and finely chopped stem ginger. I would then pour the puree over some organic white chocolate to form the ganache. I made some square tempered dark chocolate cases and added the ganache, finally capping off the cases with more tempered dark chocolate.

 

The result was a very smooth ganache with a delicate background Rhubarb taste with a foreground taste of stem ginger.

 

 

I will be adding a recipe to my blog soon at www.ahomechocolatier.com

[Deryn]

Those sound and look absolutely delicious. What could be better than rhubarb and ginger - and 2 kinds of chocolate! Thanks for the spring-y wakeup. I was born in Yorkshire - but left when I was a baby ... nice to know they 'export' more than just one good thing!

[DianaB]

On 12 March 2016 at 11:49 PM, ahomechocolatier said:

This year I wanted to make a special chocolate for Valentines Day  and a Passion Fruit Ganache seemed appropriate.

 

I looked at different ways of making the ganache using passion fruit puree and white chocolate. The method I chose was to use a ready made passion fruit coulis I stumbled upon in Marks & Spencer’s grocery store as it contained around 71% mixture of fruit /fruit concentrate. The coulis had a little natural sugar but would work well with the ganache. It was also very cost effective (£2.00) to use a bought coulis rather than make the coulis from scratch. If I were to make this with ripe fruit it would be extremely expensive at £2.50 for 2 passion fruits and I would need around 12 passion fruits.

 

I used dark tempered chocolate (70%) and heart shaped moulds for these chocolates. Making 21 plain cases and 9 decorated with edible metallic gold and silver powder as an experiment. I was concerned that the passion fruit taste might be overwhelmed with the white chocolate but I should not have worried as the result was superb. A well tempered dark chocolate case leading into a rich passion fruit taste…. as the Italians say…. That’s Amore!

 

To see more please visit my Blog at http://www.ahomechocolatier.com/passion-fruit-ganache/

 

I have also found the M&S Passion Fruit Coulis a great product for patisseries and chocolate fillings, as you say incredible value when compared to buying fresh fruit even though these are considerably less expensive than your £2.50 for two here in N Yorkshire.

I used Valrhona Ivoire as the base for a passion fruit ganache with a dark chocolate shell. I also used the same ganache as a filling for macarons. The coulis mixed with lemon juice and gelatine makes a great topping for a Bavarois. 

Really enjoyed reading your blog.