chocolate & champagne

[filipe]

Does anyone know any recipe where chocolate and champagne are used together?

[Kerry Beal]

Does anyone know any recipe where chocolate and champagne are used together?

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I haven't been too impressed when I have used champagne in chocolate, the flavour gets lost. But I do use marc de champagne (ie brandy) to flavour truffle centres.

[merstar]

Here are two that look interesting:

FROZEN CHOCOLATE CHAMPAGNE ZABAYON

(scroll down to 6th recipe)

http://www.korbel.com/modules/content/?sid=28

Chocolate Mousse with Banana Puree and Grated Coconut

http://frenchfood.about.com/od/cajuncreole...ocbanmousse.htm

[escry]

You can make a champagne truffle in three ways.

1) Most traditionally, by using champagne cognac.

2) As Kelly suggests, by using Marc de Champagne.

3) Use real champagne, which you have first reduced to one sixth of its original volume.

In each case use the same volume of liquid. A traditionally truffle recipe combines 8 parts chocolate, 4 parts cream, 2 parts butter, 2 parts alcohol. However, the actual quantities is very dependant on the chocolate that you choose.

In my experience, using real champagne has lots of cache, but is rarely worth the vast cost - one bottle of champange will make two pounds of champagne truffles!!

[SuzySushi]

Teuscher, the Swiss chocolatier, is famous for its Champagne truffles, which are flown to its stores worldwide.

And Food Network has a recipe for Jacques Torres' Champagne Truffles. The candies (molded in Champagne-cork shapes) have a chocolate shell filled with Champagne-flavored cream.

[filipe]

Thanks for the tips

I was thinking more on something to drink... which combined both flavours and textures.

Tell me if you think this is stupid :

Mixing champagne with cocoa (powder), a good quality one, blend the mixture into a iSi whipper, and then foam it over some half-filled champagne flutes, really iced ones

[Kerry Beal]

Thanks for the tips

I was thinking more on something to drink... which combined both flavours and textures.

Tell me if you think this is stupid :

Mixing champagne with cocoa (powder), a good quality one, blend the mixture into a iSi whipper, and then foam it over some half-filled champagne flutes, really iced ones

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Do you not need some sort of ingredient to form the structure when you do that, like gelatin? But it makes me think that you could make a sorbet with bittersweet chocolate dissolved in boiling water adding a good measure of champagne, freezing in your ice cream maker.

[filipe]

Do you not need some sort of ingredient to form the structure when you do that, like gelatin?

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Yeah, you're right.

I thought on some agar flocks for that purpose, since they gelify at higher temperatures than ordinary gelatin, I wouldn't need freezing it for it to shape.

[mostlylana]

Hi All,

I would like to try my hand at Champagne Truffles for New Year's. I have been trying to find Marc de Champagne to no avail. It seems I have called everywhere! I am in BC, Canada. Anyone know where I might find it? I'm happy to order it online if that's what it takes. I guess it's not widely used outside of making truffles!

[Kerry Beal]

Hi All,

I would like to try my hand at Champagne Truffles for New Year's. I have been trying to find Marc de Champagne to no avail. It seems I have called everywhere! I am in BC, Canada. Anyone know where I might find it? I'm happy to order it online if that's what it takes. I guess it's not widely used outside of making truffles!

Try Qzina.

[ermintrude]

Not yet tasted anything that combined real champagne with chocolate where I didn't think it was a not worth the cost of real champagne when other cheaper wines could be used but I must say "Mixing champagne with cocoa (powder), a good quality one, blend the mixture into a iSi whipper, and then foam it over some half-filled champagne flutes, really iced ones" could be worth a go" have you tried this ? Is the foam stable, I would have though adding some lethicin or egg white would be needed to make the foam stable and do you pressurise the iSi whipper with CO2 or N20?

It's Christmas if I remember may have a play

[mostlylana]

Try Qzina.

Would they have the REAL Marc de Champagne or just the extract (flavouring)?

[Kerry Beal]

Try Qzina.

Would they have the REAL Marc de Champagne or just the extract (flavouring)?

The real stuff - 1 litre bottles.

[dhardy123]

Yes QZina has the real stuff. I just picked up a big bottle 2 weeks ago.

[gap]

I've made champagne truffles with champagne reduced by half over heat before incorporating into the truffle - it worked well and gave a good flavour. It's an extremely expensive way of making truffles and probably not commercial - but if you're looking for something special for Christmas with family . . . .

[mostlylana]

The real stuff - 1 litre bottles.

Yes QZina has the real stuff. I just picked up a big bottle 2 weeks ago.

Woo Hoo! I'll call tomorrow. Thank you sooooo much! I kept calling liquor stores who hadn't even heard of it.

I've made champagne truffles with champagne reduced by half over heat before incorporating into the truffle - it worked well and gave a good flavour. It's an extremely expensive way of making truffles and probably not commercial - but if you're looking for something special for Christmas with family . . . .

That would be expensive! I'm looking to make a commercial product so I'll stick with Marc de Champagne. But maybe I'll add a little Champagne to say it's in there ??

[RichardJones]

You can make a champagne truffle in three ways.

1) Most traditionally, by using champagne cognac.

2) As Kelly suggests, by using Marc de Champagne.

It might be worth pointing out that Champagne Cognac, a kind of brandy, has nothing whatsoever to do with champagne as I think the OP means (sparkling wine).

Similarly, Marc de Champagne, another kind of brandy, is a byproduct of the process of making champagne; both its flavour profile and alcoholic nature are rather different.

I don't think one can really call Marc de Champagne or Champagne Cognac truffles 'champagne truffles' without being misleading at best. However, if you have champagne somewhere in the title you may gently pull wool over a few unwitting customers' eyes... I think I know a number of chocolatiers who do this. Hm.

[mostlylana]

Just got off the phone with Qzina. What they have is a baking flavour of Marc de Champagne in the 1 litre bottles (60% alcohol). Unfortunately not the real thing. They also told me they are discontinuing that and will only have the compound. I think I'll post in the 'Spirits and Cocktails' forum to see if anyone there knows where I can get my hands on a bottle of the real stuff. Boy it's elusive...

[Kerry Beal]

Just got off the phone with Qzina. What they have is a baking flavour of Marc de Champagne in the 1 litre bottles (60% alcohol). Unfortunately not the real thing. They also told me they are discontinuing that and will only have the compound. I think I'll post in the 'Spirits and Cocktails' forum to see if anyone there knows where I can get my hands on a bottle of the real stuff. Boy it's elusive...

By not the real thing - they mean higher alcohol right? The stuff I bought from them was for baking - but it was 'real' marc de champagne - just strong!

[mostlylana]

By not the real thing - they mean higher alcohol right?

Is what you have a Luxardo product? I see Qzina has Luxardo Pear Williams Baking Flavor in their catalogue as well as a few others. What makes it a 'baking flavor' I'm not quite sure?? I assumed it was a manufactured flavoring like artificial vanilla extract - but I just don't know...

[Kerry Beal]

By not the real thing - they mean higher alcohol right?

Is what you have a Luxardo product? I see Qzina has Luxardo Pear Williams Baking Flavor in their catalogue as well as a few others. What makes it a 'baking flavor' I'm not quite sure?? I assumed it was a manufactured flavoring like artificial vanilla extract - but I just don't know...

Nope - wasn't Luxardo - don't recall the name - Dave should be able to check his bottle. I do have a couple of the luxardo bottles from Qzina - marischino and something else as I recall - they are not smooth for drinking for sure - really high in alcohol and strongly flavoured.

I finished up the marc in my Nocino and it made a beautiful product. Tasted on it's own it was very much a nice strong brandy - I used it in a variety of things - truffles, sauces etc.

Since they are getting out of it - I'd better put getting another bottle on my list before they run out.

[dhardy123]

It is "Braun Royal Paste Marc de Champagne"

The description is: Premium paste for flavouring dairy products, ganaches, truffles, toppings, marzipan and praline fillings.

Ingredients: Wine, Marc de Champagne, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan, Ethanol

[Kerry Beal]

It is "Braun Royal Paste Marc de Champagne"

The description is: Premium paste for flavouring dairy products, ganaches, truffles, toppings, marzipan and praline fillings.

Ingredients: Wine, Marc de Champagne, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan, Ethanol

That's not the same one that I had - mine was just booze - so I guess they'd changed it already.

[mostlylana]

It is "Braun Royal Paste Marc de Champagne"

The description is: Premium paste for flavouring dairy products, ganaches, truffles, toppings, marzipan and praline fillings.

Ingredients: Wine, Marc de Champagne, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan, Ethanol

Thanks! That's helpful. I'm going to see if I can order some Marc de Champagne from the liquor store so I can have 'just booze'.

[dhardy123]

Oh Ok

I used it for champagne truffles last week and they tasted fine.