General Truffle Troubleshooting

[Popcorn]

Yeah, I knew crumble was the wrong word. Here's another try, The truffles I'm dreaming about... after you bite into them, there's a long pause where they've retained their shape before the warmth of your mouth engages the truffle's smoothness and unctuousness.

[zilla369]

Ahem. I'm just now beginning to learn some chocolate basics - of course we used some chocolate in school, but since i didn't take the intense pastry courses it was only a few recipes.

I believe i know how to make chocolate for truffles the traditional way, but i have a question.

I make a Godiva Chocolate Liqueur Biscotti that we present as an amenity with the check. After the biscotti is made and cooled, i drizzle it with melted bittersweet chocolate as as garnish, and let that harden in stripes.

Well, the other day, having a small amount of leftover liqueur on the table, i got the bright idea that i would stir it into the melted garnish chocolate for extra flavor. The melted chocolate seized immediately, so i had to melt more for the biscotti. Now i'm left with a lump of seized chocolate in a bowl in the fridge. Can this (very nicely flavored) chocolate somehow be coaxed into a usable form of ganache to make truffles with?

[nightscotsman]

I think the problem was adding just a "small amount" of liqueur to the chocolate. You either have to add a lot of liquid or none at all or chocolate will seize, since chocolate is 100% solids. Sugar, for comparison, is also 100% solids and if you add a little bit of liquid it will gather into a grainy mass, but if you add a lot of liquid it will melt and become smooth. I believe it has to do with overcoming the saturation point.

To save the chocolate, just chop it up, heat some cream and pour it over. It should melt and whisk together into a decent ganache.

[zilla369]

I think the problem was adding just a "small amount" of liqueur to the chocolate. You either have to add a lot of liquid or none at all or chocolate will seize, since chocolate is 100% solids. Sugar, for comparison, is also 100% solids and if you add a little bit of liquid it will gather into a grainy mass, but if you add a lot of liquid it will melt and become smooth. I believe it has to do with overcoming the saturation point.

To save the chocolate, just chop it up, heat some cream and pour it over. It should melt and whisk together into a decent ganache.

Thanks, NSM - i took your advice and made some fantastic Godiva liqueur truffles for dessert amenities Monday from my poor seized chocolate.

I have a question about flavoring ganache for truffles - if i want raspberry-flavored chocolate truffles, can i simply add Chambord to the ganache? Can i add my intensely-flavored berry sauce, which is made from bourbon-and-sugar-marinated berries that have been pureed and passed through a chinois?

[Lesley C]

OK, I see this very differently.

I think the problem here is that you are not coating the ganache balls in couverture before you roll them in the cocoa. To me truffles that are just balls of ganache rolled in cocoa are amateurish and silly. In my chocolatier's view, you must roll the refrigerated boules at least once in couverture (it doesn't have to be tempered) before rolling them in chocolate (don’t do this with a fork or ring, roll the balls between chocolate-coated palms). The chocolate coating helps maintain the truffle's shape and gives a bit more resistance to the tooth when you bite into it.

I always roll my truffles in couveture twice before they hit the cocoa, and every good chocolaterie I worked at in France and here in Montreal does the same.

Try it, you'll like it. And the mooshy consistency might be a good thing if it isn't melting all over your fingers.

[prasantrin]

OK, I see this very differently.

I think the problem here is that you are not coating the ganache balls in couverture before you roll them in the cocoa. To me truffles that are just balls of ganache rolled in cocoa are amateurish and silly. In my chocolatier's view, you must roll the refrigerated boules at least once in couverture (it doesn't have to be tempered) before rolling them in chocolate (don’t do this with a fork or ring, roll the balls between chocolate-coated palms). The chocolate coating helps maintain the truffle's shape and gives a bit more resistance to the tooth when you bite into it.

I always roll my truffles in couveture twice before they hit the cocoa, and every good chocolaterie I worked at in France and here in Montreal does the same.

Try it, you'll like it. And the mooshy consistency might be a good thing if it isn't melting all over your fingers. 

I have always avoided dipping truffles since I have never been very adept at tempering chocolate. Your method of rolling the truffles, therefore, intrigues me. Would you heat the couverture until just melted, or does it need to be a little hotter than that? And you say to coat your palms in the chocolate--is the coating smooth once the couverture hardens or does it ever have "palm marks"? What are the benefits of rolling twice rather than once?

I recently made 6 batches (half batches, really) of truffles using 6 different chocolates (most if not all bittersweet) but I have not yet done anything with them. The two or three people to whom I have given a few have not minded the lack of coating or dusting of cocoa, but I'd like them to look a little nicer before presenting them to others.

Another question, which may deserve another thread--do you have any comments on reducing the cream when making truffles? The recipe I use calls for reducing the cream until most of the liquid has evaporated. I have never made truffles any other way so I have wondered if the flavour of the truffles might be affected negatively by doing so. People seem to like them, but most of my friends are far from chocolate connoisseurs (nor am I--I don't really even like chocolate ).

Finally, may I ask which chocalterie in Montreal does hand-rolling? Just so I know for the next visit .

[Lesley C]

I would think most people who make truffles in Montreal are hand rolling them, unless they are using corps creux, those hollow chocolate shells in which ganache is poured. All the cocoa-covered truffles at Patisserie de Gascogne are hand rolled.

To coat your ganache balls with chocolate, place the tray of balls in the fridge and chill until very firm. Melt your couverture until it's warm to the touch (above 32 degrees C) and place the bowl on your work table to the left of a tray filled with a thick and even layer of sifted cocoa.

Remove the ganache balls from the fridge and place them on the left of the bowl of chocolate. Pick up three of four balls with your left hand, dip your right palm into the chocolate, and roll the balls between your palms until they are completely and evenly coated with a thin layer of chocolate (no, there are no palm marks). Drop the balls in a straight line, horizontally, along one side of the tray, wait a few seconds, then, using a chocolate dipping fork or a regular fork, roll the truffles to the middle of the tray. Repeat the operation several times, then rotate the tray to the other side. Eventually you will end up with a large mound of rolled truffles in the middle of your tray. When you're sure they are set, pick them up carefully and pile them into a large container.

If you choose to coat them twice, just refrigerate the once-coated balls on parchmant lined trays a second time, then proceed with the cocoa step.

I prefer the two-coating method because it povides a thicker protective shell for the ganache, and it gives the truffle a more interesting mouthfeel and enriched chocolate flavour. It's very important, however, that you do not use a ring and "dip" the chocolate. The layers must be as thin as possible. By dipping them one by one you end up with a thick shell.

About the reduced cream method: Sorry, I just don't get it. Why bother? I just boil cream for one minute when I make ganache destined for chocolate.

[fredbram]

The texture was very close to what I was looking for, firm even while sitting out (cool room temperature), though I would have liked them to have a slight crumble (I think, I'm struggling with a description of this) when first bitten into.

If you are looking for a slight "crumbly" texture, to me that is the texture that you acheive when the ganache is whipped some when cooling. The air that is incorporated creates what I would call crumbly.

[Lesley C]

Er...truffles should never be crumbly . Why would you want crumbly truffles?

[fredbram]

Er...truffles should never be crumbly . Why would you want crumbly truffles?

I may be completely misinterpeting Popcorns "crumble" comment, and I think crumble is the wrong word, but do you think that a legitimate truffle can be made from whipped ganache? And if so, help me describe that texture better. Whipped ganache, when chilled, has a texture which is less dense and, well, it's kind of like it would break apart into pieces in a somewhat crumbly way.

[Wendy DeBord]

I've played around and made them this way too Fredbaum. The taste is the same because your using your reg. ganche filling, it's just a change in texture. This happens when you whip your ganche till it's ALMOST solid.

I haven't done this with already chilled ganche, only freshly made. I also add butter and liquour when doing these. It's extremely light and melts in your mouth quicker then a reg. ganche. You do have to work quickly when shaping them because your taking it to the point where if you let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes you'll have a solid mass. When it's a solid mass it will crumble if you try to scoop it, but in your mouth it's smooth and light. It's solid air...........ish.

Edited October 21, 2003 by Sinclair (log)

[Lesley C]

For a whipped ganache truffle, pipe it immediately in long logs using a very large round tip. Cut about 1 inch in size and ball immediately. Or to better conserve the light consistency, keep the truffles in that odd square shape, roll in chocolate, then cocoa.

[stscam]

I've got an odd truffle problem maybe somebody can help with. I'm using a standard 2:1 ganache receipe (Cacao Noel 58%). As a flavoring I'm adding extra strong espresso made from a local cherry/coffee blend to the cream - lowering the amount of cream by 30ml but adding 60ml of coffee. The result is an amazingly rich, flavorful, but softish ganache.

Here's the problem: when I dip the the truffles (rolled into a ball by hand) and let the couverture harden, the confections are cracking, and then oozing what appears to be some of the espresso liquid.

I've found that if I wait a day and re-dip, the problem does not recur.

Any thoughts on why this might be happening? Is, perhaps, the ganache expanding under the shell? If so, why? Temperature? Maybe if I followed Leslie C's methods I might get better results.

Cheers,

Steve Smith

[nightscotsman]

If you are dipping the fillings very cold - like directly from the fridge or freezer - they could be expanding. But what is most likely happening is the chocolate coating is contracting, which is exactly what properly tempered chocolate should do. A few things I would try:

- let your fillings set in a cool room overnight. Not refrigerated, just about 60-65 F.

- after dipping, let them set again in the same room for several hours, or overnight.

- it's also possible your ganache isn't completely emulsified, so you might try hitting it with a hand blender for a few seconds while it's still quite liquid.

- instead of adding brewed espresso to the cream, you might try just adding the crushed beans to just warm cream and letting them infuse in the cooler overnight. Strain, scale and use the cream for ganache as usual.

[alanamoana]

p.s. this is a little off topic but everyone seems to be dusting in cocoa. there are lots of other options in which to coat truffles. think about the flavor/texture of your truffles. if you're making different flavors, dust each different flavor in it's own coating. just a suggestion.

[mckayinutah]

p.s. this is a little off topic but everyone seems to be dusting in cocoa.  there are lots of other options in which to coat truffles.  think about the flavor/texture of your truffles.  if you're making different flavors, dust each different flavor in it's own coating.  just a suggestion.

I never dust my truffles in cocoa. Way too messy. Instead, I roll in tempered chocolate and let set, thus creating a crunch factor in contrast to the smoothness of the truffle itself. I have also dipped in chocolate and pushed around a screen, creating a "spiked" effect. Toasted nuts, coconut, chocolate shavings also work well, although the shelf life is shorter with the toasted stuff.

Mckay (JASON McCARTHY )

[Lesley C]

The classic truffle is coated in cocoa powder (it's supposed to look like a real truffle). The spiky chocolate ball is called a chardon.

[mckayinutah]

The classic truffle is coated in cocoa powder (it's supposed to look like a real truffle). The spiky chocolate ball is called a chardon.

Lesley,

Who wants to do classic? BORING! variety is the spice of life

McKay

[chefette]

For a roll your own truffle project (really more of a coat your own truffle to taste some yummy chocolate and expand your horizons on flavor combos) for kids this summer we did ganache balls which the kids could roll in their choice of cocoa powder, 10X sugar, colored sprinkles, colored sugar, or try sweet green tea powder, instant espresso powder, powdered ginger, sea salt, crushed caramelized nuts, cruchy maple sugar, or another cruchy mix.

It was a fun project and I think it opened people's minds to some fun possibilities with chocolate that they could approach on their own at home without having to know how to temper chocolate. And, as I said, the whole class was really aimed at introducing kids to good chocolate/real chocolate and showing them how they could use chocolate to make something at home.

It was actually quite interesting to see the level of taste sophistication and awareness among many of the kids most of whom really liked the deep dark chocolate and loved tasting the ganache with many of the condiments we brought along.

[Lesley C]

McKay, classic is never boring when properly executed. Never, ever.

I'll take one of those boring cocoa-dusted truffles any day over one of those crappy truffles made with pre fab chocolate shells.

And regarding Steve's method of making ganache (chocolate into the cream) I sat next to the great French food chemist Herve This tonight, and he's all for Steve's method, the fat being slowly incorporated into the liquid. I'm now changing my method to Steve's.

[mckayinutah]

Lesley.

You are right. Classic is great when done well. What I meant ( and apparantly didn't express correctly in my writing ) is that if everyone presents truffles in the classic form ( dusted with cocoa ) then that would make truffles " boring ' and therefore not as popular as they should be. Adding different textures I believe creates a sense of originality, for who wants everything to be the same? Creating truffles that are not exactly presented in the classic form , in my opinion, will enable the PC or chocolatier or home cook or whoever, to stand out from the crowd and be noticed.

I do agree with you 100% on the crappy chocolate shell truffles. Those are horrendous and I would never even think of doing those.

Take care,

Jason

[Samaki]

No matter what I try I have a devil of a time keeping my raspberry truffles from oozing out of their shells. My filling is at room temperature, I double, and have even tried triple coating them, but still there are the inevitable bunch that leak. I don't have this trouble with my other flavors, just the raspberry. Help! How do I get them to behave?

[alanamoana]

what kind of raspberry filling are you using?

i've just made some filled chocolates which are filled with a mixture of raspberry jam, rum, butter, glucose and dark chocolate. they aren't trying to escape the shell, but this is a rather loose ganache that is for molded chocolates.

[Samaki]

I'm using 70% chocolate, blended with cream, butter, a bit of sugar syrup, and raspberry puree, reduced until it's very thick. The filling is pretty thick. I used to make it softer, so that I could barely enrobe it, but I made it thicker this time, thinking that was my problem. Surprisingly, it wasn't!

[alanamoana]

samaki, i wish i had better knowledge of chocolate to help you out! from your web-site, your chocolates look beautiful! maybe you should just try a different recipe altogether and see if it behaves the same...sorry not much help!

Edited December 12, 2003 by alanamoana (log)