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General Truffle Troubleshooting


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Made a batch of balsamic strawberry truffles using Alice Medrich's bittersweet proportions.

For the first time I coated them in a thin layer of tempered chocolate (well, I think it was tempered properly... that's a new thing for me to do as well).

Truffles were great- chocolate coating had a nice delicate shell effect. However, after two days or so, noted that tiny beads of liquid were forming on the outside of the shell.

Is this the result of my outer coating being too thin? The vinegar in the ganache?

Or did I accidentally consume a weeping Virgin Mary apparition?

thanks

Edited by McAuliflower (log)

flavor floozy

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Did you coat them at room temperature? As a centre warms it expands and can cause little cracks to form and push out through.

I second the idea of two layers of coating.

I had a serious problem last year with molded hearts in white chocolate with a raspberry filling. They almost all cracked and filling came through the cracks. (problem was too thin shells) We called them the Bleeding Hearts of Jesus!

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I think there might be part of another problem here as well. I have found that fruity ganaches tend to leak like that. I'm not 100% sure why, but my theory is that the fruit starts to ferment and expand. Since I started using trimoline in my raspberry truffles, it doesn't happen anymore. I think that since there is more sugar, it helps prevent the spoilage and leakage problem.

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In my class JPW mentioned that a couple of our ganaches had to sit overnight to crust or they would weep. The ganche was piped at room temperature so that wasn't a factor, but they were more moist than others. How long did you let the centers sit before you dipped them?

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thanks for the ideas-

- the truffles were rolled in a cool kitchen, probably around 62F, and it was in a significantly warmer atmosphere that this started happening.

-the original recipe said that rolling in chocolate or cocoa was acceptable.

- this batch of truffles was actually just half with strawberry, which was rolled on the outside of the truffles:

gallery_36048_3952_10234.jpg

Even truffles without strawberries on the outside weeped. The ganache consisted of half and half, 70% chocolate, and vinegar.

(Love the bleedin hearts!)

I'll do a thicker shell next time.

More I think about it my kitchen was too cold. I don't have experience using invert sugar... is it considered not hygroscopic?

flavor floozy

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Calling all chocolatiers...

My best seller truffles...milk chocolate buttercream truffles are a real pain to produce! First here's the recipe:

300 g milk choc ( I use Callebaut )

125 g cream

25 g butter

I also add a touch of Grand Marnier

- Make ganache, blend in softened butter, add GM, you know the rest...

Here's the 'pain' part:

I usually pipe half moons, let them set a bit and then roll each half moon to produce a ball, then I let the balls crust over for a day and then dip them. Is there anyone who can help me cut the time on this? I've heard the French have a way of piping so that you don't have to roll them. The Belgians tend to produce elongated ganaches that are rolled in shaved choc. but my trays can't hold such shapes. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

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Umm , why not piping little ball shape instead half moon ones.then let them crsut and dip them , sometimes chocolatiers pipe the ganache on top of a fine chocolate disk then crust then dip so you have a nice base for dipping ( the fork doesnt go thru the ganache).Just use a nice size piping tip (1/2 inch maybe? sorry dont know inches mesuraments for those ).Another thing you can do is to spread the ganache and let it rest all night and the you form the ball and dip.Just use a teaspoon to prelevate the ganche inside your pal and roll .

Vanessa

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I hope someone comes up with something better than this, but in the meantime...

I make the ganache, let it firm up, then cut or scoop (depending on final firmness) pieces that I roll into balls. Okay, really I have my employees do the rolling, then I do the dipping. I've only eliminated the piping from your method, and I'd love to find something less time-consuming than this, so I'll be watching for better answers, too.

Jen

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I pour the ganache out about 3/4 inch thick, let crystallize, then use a 1 tsp disher to portion them out. After a short crust I give them a quick roll between my hands to remove the rough edges, then let them it as long as necessary for final crusting before coating.

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Since I am in the middle of creating them I will add the notion of using truffle shells. If you use a filling tray the piping should go faster than piping half moons, and you eliminate the whole scooping and/or rolling operation. The only downside I can see is that there will be a minimum shell thickness, but if you dip in very thin chocolate it should be controlable.

Then there is this device I ran across, called a rollerboard:

http://pastrychef.com/Catalog/rollerboard_4340114.htm

It claims to let you drop a pan of ganche on it, push the top back and forth a few times and end up with a bunch of perfect spheres. It only works with the more firm ganaches however. Still very interesting. Has anyone used one of these?

If it really works it seems to be a real time saver. I've spent a couple hours scooping and rolling just one batch of stiff ganache.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey all,

Happy New Year!!!

So I had this 130 truffle order from a restaurant that I've supplied to before, but this time instead of the standard milk choc. buttercream ganache, I decide to go dark with a touch of GM. For some reason I made the ganache too soft and upon rolling and crusting they were still quite soft. After dipping, about 1/2 had cracks!!! I double dipped and some cracked even after that...this was 10:30 pm Dec. 30, the truffles were to be served New Year's Eve dinner. My panic reaction that eventually worked...I stuck all the truffles in 4 bowls and remelted them all ( the cracked ones, non cracked ones, everything ). You should have seen the look on my family's face. Well, the outside enrobing chocolate added the extra chocolate needed to harden the ganache and once melted and cooled I re-rolled and went to bed at about 12:30pm. Woke up in the am and dipped them all, the ganache wasn't what I would have liked but no one would have known what happened.

Any one else has panic stories to share???

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I was making strawberry truffles for Christmas and had about 100 things all going on in the kitchen at the same time - I overboiled the strawberry puree (while reducing it) and the bowl disintegrated into it. DOH. There were no other strawberries in the house, I couldn't leave to buy more and it was the last day to finish things.

Solution: my wife's homemade strawberry jam was used instead and the chocolates became "Emma's Strawberry Jam" truffles.

Edited by gap (log)
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first of all when when we do fruit ganache we dont cook the fruit coulis at all.

the most important thing for a good ganache is a VERY VERY good emulsion

which can be pretty much only achieved with a stick blender. if you do

a search there should be some threads with a good description how to use

the stickblender without incorporating any air (which would oxidize your ganache

and make it go bad in a short time (days). in my opinion it is also important to

give the ganache time to set at room temperature, and not throw it in the fridge

after mixing. i had ganaches that were throughly cooled in the fridge but yet quite fluid

after i left it on the counter overneight it was set quite firm. also when you cool your

ganache and enrobe it, youwill most likely get cracks since the ganache kind of contracts

when it gets to room temperature...

cheers

t.

Edited by schneich (log)

toertchen toertchen

patissier chocolatier cafe

cologne, germany

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Thanks so much schneich for your thoughtful reply!! I do agree that refridgerating ganache is not a good idea and I rarely do but I had to have the truffles ready on time!! Also, to top it off my emulsion blender broke a few weeks prior so I have to get a new one but thanks for your advise of learning how to use it without incorporating air!

first of all when when we do fruit ganache we dont cook the fruit coulis at all.

the most important thing for a good ganache is a VERY VERY good emulsion

which can be pretty much only achieved with a stick blender. if you do

a search there should be some threads with a good description how to use

the stickblender without incorporating any air (which would oxidize your ganache

and make it go bad in a short time (days). in my opinion it is also important to

give the ganache time to set at room temperature, and not throw it in the fridge

after mixing. i had ganaches that were throughly cooled in the fridge but yet quite fluid

after i left it on the counter overneight it was set quite firm. also when you cool your

ganache and enrobe it, youwill most likely get cracks since the ganache kind of contracts

when it gets to room temperature...

cheers

t.

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  • 1 month later...

hello, I am new to posting here but have been reading for a while. I have searched around for the anser to this question as I can't be the first to have this problem. I am using the geodesic dome mold from prince to make some truffles and have been making them with no problem for the last few days but this last batch only 15 came out of the mold. the rest are stuck to the mod or seem to break in half if they do release. I have left them in the freezer over night and they are still not releasing from the mold. what do I do just scrtach those or is tere some way to get them out intact?

oh they are el ray 58% inteh shell and a baileys flavored milk chocolate center.

thanks for an help you can give!!!

:unsure::unsure::unsure::sad::sad::sad:

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hello, I am new to posting here but have been reading for a while. I have searched around for the anser to this question as I can't be the first to have this problem. I am using the geodesic dome mold from prince to make some truffles and have been making them with no problem for the last few days but this last batch only 15 came out of the mold. the rest are stuck to the mod or seem to break in half if they do release. I have left them in the freezer over night and they are still not releasing from the mold. what do I do just scrtach those or is tere some way to get them out intact?

oh they are el ray 58% inteh shell and a baileys flavored milk chocolate center.

thanks for an help you can give!!!

:unsure:  :unsure:  :unsure:  :sad:  :sad:  :sad:

Welcome Ohall, glad to have you here in chocolate land.

The chocolate may have been out of temper this batch. I would wash them out of the molds, give the mold a good wash with hot water, dry and polish it, and start again. Make sure you test the temper of your chocolate before you use it next batch.

I never put molds in the freezer, just the fridge for 10 minutes or so after pouring the shell and again after backing off.

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hello, I am new to posting here but have been reading for a while. I have searched around for the anser to this question as I can't be the first to have this problem. I am using the geodesic dome mold from prince to make some truffles and have been making them with no problem for the last few days but this last batch only 15 came out of the mold. the rest are stuck to the mod or seem to break in half if they do release. I have left them in the freezer over night and they are still not releasing from the mold. what do I do just scrtach those or is tere some way to get them out intact?

oh they are el ray 58% inteh shell and a baileys flavored milk chocolate center.

thanks for an help you can give!!!

:unsure:  :unsure:  :unsure:  :sad:  :sad:  :sad:

Welcome Ohall, glad to have you here in chocolate land.

The chocolate may have been out of temper this batch. I would wash them out of the molds, give the mold a good wash with hot water, dry and polish it, and start again. Make sure you test the temper of your chocolate before you use it next batch.

I never put molds in the freezer, just the fridge for 10 minutes or so after pouring the shell and again after backing off.

thanks for the help. I will get the truffles out and use the scraps for some bailey's truffle chocolate ice cream and try it again. what do you suggest polishing the mold with cotton balls of some sort of micro fiber cloth?

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Hello and Welcome :smile:

I use lint free cotton pads , but just recentrly I opted for 100% cotton batting ( for stuffing pillows etc) its much cheaper ( 6$ for a huge roll , that will last me forever).Only wash them if you encounter the problem you described above.

Godd luck

Vanessa

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I polish with one of two things (if I bother to polish). One is a nice suedy microfibre cloth, the other a non shedding guaze sponge that they use in the OR for soaking up blood. The ones I use of course are new.

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ok I am at a loss I had perfectly shiny truffles last night and now they have the dried out chocolate look is it the tempering that is causing both problems?

Run your finger over the dried out bits - is it greasy or is it crystalline?

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ok I am at a loss I had perfectly shiny truffles last night and now they have the dried out chocolate look is it the tempering that is causing both problems?

Run your finger over the dried out bits - is it greasy or is it crystalline?

crystalline

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ok I am at a loss I had perfectly shiny truffles last night and now they have the dried out chocolate look is it the tempering that is causing both problems?

Run your finger over the dried out bits - is it greasy or is it crystalline?

crystalline

That would be sugar bloom. Dampness on the surface of the chocolate draws sugar onto the surface and as the water evaporates the dissolved sugar crystallizes out. Do you always put your molds in the freezer to cool them?

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