Truffle Class Ad
Distinguishing a good chocolate truffle from one that isn’t, is partially a matter of personal taste for the brand and type of chocolate; then you must consider the quality and freshness of the ingredients and proper preparation. The addition of other ingredients changes how you might experience the truffle, for example a truffle with chopped nuts or cocoa nibs through-out, won’t exhibit a smooth texture. For truffles made with wine, or espresso, nuts, fruits, spices, or any other ingredients, the truffle should be a pleasing blend of flavors that accent the chocolate without overpowering the chocolate, be it dark, semi or bitter sweet, milk or white chocolate. Let’s evaluate a plain chocolate truffle.
Biting into truffle releases the aroma as you breathe in the chocolate. Your teeth easily break through the outer coat of dipped chocolate with a slight snap, easing through the inner smooth, fudgy, and creamy core of the truffle. The ganache (the truffle mixture) should readily begin to melt in the warmth of your mouth. The silky flavor fills your mouth and tickles your taste buds with sweet and bitter all at once. The clear, clean flavor of chocolate has just enough vanilla to accentuate the full flavor of chocolate, though you can’t quite discern the vanilla. It is just the perfect amount of sweetness, for you. It is the “perfect storm” of flavor.
Want this kind of truffle? Get the book!
The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Low Glycemic Blue Agave Chocolate Truffles
Makes approximately 1¼ pounds or 40 truffles
| 1¼ cup liquid: (whipping cream, espresso, wine, brandy or combination) |
| ¾ cup blue agave nectar |
| 1½ tablespoons butter |
| 12 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine or grated. See “Truffle Ingredients,” page 10. |
| 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract (optional) |
Making the Truffles: |
| Put about an inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler and bring to a simmer. Set the top pan over the simmering water. The bottom of the top pan should not touch the water. Do not cover.
Heat the first three ingredients in the top of an uncovered double boiler until hot but not boiling, 115° – 118° F (46° – 48° C). Make sure the butter is melted. Turn off the heat. Remove the top of the double boiler to the counter and add the chopped chocolate and vanilla extract to the mixture. Stir occasionally, until just melted and smooth. |
| Allow the chocolate to cool and set up for several hours. |
Finishing Your Truffles: |
| Scoop out level tablespoon quantities, or smaller, and set on a plate.
Roll the truffles into balls. If desired, coat the palms of your hands with a dusting of cocoa powder to make the rolling easier. If too soft, place in refrigerator until firmer. Dip the rolled truffles in a good quality, tempered chocolate, or roll the truffles in cocoa powder, finely chopped chocolate or finely chopped nuts, coating the entire surface. Keep chilled until ready to serve. Serve in paper or foil cups for an elegant presentation. |
I’ve got to toot my own horn!
“Do you hear what I hear…”
Just in time for the HOLIDAYS
The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles
is HERE! NOW!
http://www.sichocolatetruffles.com/the-book/
This book is the perfect gift for chocolate loving cooks.
Hello again, everyone. I took a short sabbatical to begin a masters degree in trans-personal psychology. The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles Book is at the printer’s (hooray!) and I expect to have hard copies available by December 1st, Just in time for making Christmas,Chanukah (or Hanukkah) or Kwanzaa celebration treats. Keep checking in on the blog for special holiday treats, as we rotate through the seasons. I’ll keep them as healthy as possible and I’d love to hear from you. Questions, ideas to write about, and comments are welcome. Reach me at aninegrumbles@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to answer in the blogs.I’ve gotten a lot of questions about what it takes to make the good stuff. First, you need a really good chocolate truffle recipe. I’ve included several ideas in previous blogs. Once you’ve got that, here’s a comprehensive list of tools that you need:
Appliances
- A Chef’s Knife or implement to chop your chocolate and nuts. I really prefer a my Cuisinart, It makes the job of chopping up larger amounts of chocolate for fondue and layers and layers of truffle “cake” very quick and very easy.
- Food Processor: I recommend a good Cuisinart, but you can get a cheap food processor for $20-30 at Target, Wal-Mart, or even your local hardware store. The nut paste marzipans and fruit purees used to fill or even wrap a large “truffle cake” (see photo) are incredibly easy to make with a good processor.
-
Layers of chocolate wraped in Hazelnut marzipan
- Double Boiler for melting or tempering the chocolate: A double boiler consists of a lower saucepan and an upper pan. You can buy a nice one, or just put a larger bowl inside another to melt your chocolate. When you’re making truffles, you can burn the chocolate if you heat it up too high (chocolate melts at around body temperature, so you should keep the temperature low). See my post “Don’t Burn the Chocolate…“
- Pan Scrapper – Rubber or silicon, to make sure you get every last drop of chocolate. You can stir with the silicon type of scraper. They’re heat safe.
- Measuring Spoons and Cups – regular teaspoon, 1/4 , 1/2, and 1 teaspoon, tablespoon and 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1 cup measures. You probably already have these in your kitchen.
- Accurate Candy Thermometer is helpful for truffle making and necessary for properly tempering the chocolate. I use three different thermometers. One with a low scale that can read temperatures from 70 degrees and up accurately (I also use this one to check temperatures for my wine yeasts). One is a higher range thermometer for making the caramel. This one needs to go at least as high as 250 degrees. For caramel, you need to clearly discern the temperature range of 235 – 244 degrees. My third thermometer is digital and has a range of 0 degrees to more than 400 degrees. I often use the two in two different parts of the pan for greater accuracy when making caramel and tempering chocolate.
- Candy Dipping Tools make dipping the truffles a bit neater than using your fingers, and maybe not as much fun. These are a bit more exotic than your local stores may have, although some of the craft stores may have them. Anyway, I’ve provided a few links to make it easier to find.
- http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/candies/candypage.htm#dip
- http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=189125&CCAID=FROOGLE189125
- Kitchen Collection Stores – http://www.kitchencollection.com
- Kitchen Scale is useful for weighing the chocolate – but not mandatory. Prices vary from $10 -$30 for an adequate scale.
I thought I’d share my birthday “cake” with everyone. It is also my celebration of the completion of my new book The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles. I hope you will see the delight and versatility of truffles; that the photos inspire you and provide eye candy to help you mentally taste the nutty slightly chewy hazelnut marzipan clinging to a depth of a dark cloud of chocolate softened by creamy white chocolate and tangy pie cherries bursting their flavor and melding with deep dark bittersweet chocolate…
This gluten free “cake” is really a giant truffle. It is a combination of 5 layers, most of which I gave you in previous recipes, but with a difference – different configuration and some different ingredients: The bottom first layer is dark chocolate ganache made with half Sharffen Berger 99% Cacao and half Ghirardelli 100% Cacao sweetened with blue agave nectar, a low glycemic natural sweetener. The two chocolates balance beautifully with a wonderful richness.
The second layer was a gel made from dried pie cherries soaked in some of my personal homemade Cherry wine (Cherry Pie Wine made with pie cherries and wild dark cherries) some Bing cherry juice and agar for the gelling agent. (See the recipe for Bing cherry gel for the technique)
The third layer is a creamy white chocolate ganache spiked with Frangelico Liqueur.
The fourth and top layer is a dark chocolate ganache made of Sharffen Berger 99% Cacao sweetened with blue agave nectar. The giant truffle is made in a spring pan lined with a circle of parchment paper on the bottom and a strip of parchment around the sides..
The entire truffle wrapped in a layer of blue agave nectar hazelnut marzipan (a double recipe) rolled out between sheets of plastic. The diameter of the marzipan should be at least the diameter of the spring pan plus twice the height of the side of the finished truffle. The top plastic is removed and the marzipan is slid onto a large plate with the bottom plastic on the plate.
The technique for wrapping the truffle in Marzipan
The truffle is removed from the spring pan and the side strip of parchment is removed. The truffle is inverted so that the top of the truffle is placed onto the center of the marzipan. The bottom circle of parchment is removed. The truffle is now upside-down on the marzipan which is on a plate. Gather the marzipan around the truffle sides. Using a dinner knife (don’t use a sharp knife), Cut the marzipan at the bottom edge of the truffle. I do this by holding the marzipan sheet (on the plastic) with my hand against the side and pressing the dull knife into the marzipan against my palm.
Then I peel the excess marzipan from the plastic wrap. Do a few inches at a time until the marzipan is neatly trimmed to the base of the truffle. Use any excess marzipan to repair any gaps. Peel back the plastic from the sides only. Place a serving plate onto the top of the truffle’s bottom and carefully invert the truffle onto the serving plate. Remove the plastic wrap from the top of the truffle. Leave plain or decorate with hazelnut halves.
Since I didn’t want to mar the look of the cake I did without traditional candles. Instead, I made an extra cake to share with my co-workers.
For information on the recipes, see Cherry Hazelnut Marzipan Layered Dark Chocolate Petit Fours Truffle. For the white chocolate layer: In a the top of a double boiler melt 12 ounces of good quality white chocolate with 1/4 cup of heavy cream. When melted, pour in 2 ounces of Frangelico Liqueur.
This truffle “cake” is so versatile You can make the truffle layers with your favorite chocolate truffle ganache, using traditional truffles, or diabetic safe sugar-free truffles sweetened with xylitol or blue agave nectar, low glycemic natural sweeteners.
There are plenty of recipes to choose from in my new book The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles. There are also full directions and techniques for each of the types of truffles: Traditional, Blue Agave Nectar, Sugar-free Xylitol , White Chocolate and Double Chocolate Truffles. All the recipes in this book are gluten free and egg free. At least half of the recipes have a low glycemic index and approximately a quarter of the recipes are sugar free. With the exception of the white chocolate recipes, the recipes use only dark chocolate, as it is the healthiest, rich with anti-antioxidants so good for your health. There are vegan truffles and substitutes for making truffles vegan. There is something for anyone who loves chocolate truffles. I’ve done all the hard work to make it easier for you.
We’ve got a special two-for-all going right now - If you pre-purchase the spiral bound copy of The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles, you will get a free copy of the E-book. We expect the printed copies to be ready to go by 1 December this year . Just in time for Christmas! These will make awesome gifts. Don’t forget to get one for yourself, too. As Julia would say, Bon Appetite!
Cherry Hazelnut Marzipan Layered Dark Chocolate Petite Fours Truffles
In keeping with last week’s hazelnut theme, this week’s blog will show you how to make an easy, fast, low glycemic, gluten and egg free hazelnut marzipan. While marzipan is usually made with almonds, other nuts make wonderful tasting sweetmeats. Marzipan is very versatile. If any is left over, use it to dress up breakfast crepes along with fresh fruit. Roll teaspoon – tablespoon amounts into balls and coat with cocoa, cinnamon or a combination of both to make a sweet treat. At Christmas time, I often make a cardamom Swedish coffee cake and layer the marzipan on the dough, roll and section it like you would for cinamon buns.
A few weeks ago, in July, I shared my Bing Cherry layered Chocolate Truffles. To make it easier for you, I’ve reprinted it here, so you have it all in one place. The hazelnut marzipan is an added layer that changes the taste and adds a whole new dimension to the Bing cherry layer. If you’ve already eaten all the cherries, skip the cherry layer and you’ll still have an awesome treat.
Cherry Hazelnut Marzipan Layered Dark Chocolate Petite Fours Truffles
Makes approximately 64 one inch truffles.
Hazelnut Marzipan and Cherry layers sandwiched between rich dark chocolate truffles. Delicious and elegant.1 recipe of Easy Blue Agave Nectar Hazelnut paste prepared 1 recipe of Cherry Gel – prepared according to the directions below.
Ingredients for 1 recipe of Traditional Chocolate Truffles
12 ounces dark chocolate for dipping, if desired. 64 Hazelnut halves to decorate.
Easy Blue Agave Nectar Hazelnut Marzipan
Makes approximately ¾ pound of delicious Nut Paste.
1 cup whole hazelnuts, preferably organically grown, without the shells
⅓ – ½ cup blue agave nectar**
½ teaspoon real hazelnut extract or 1-2 tablespoons Frangelico Liquer, optional.
Grind the hazelnuts in a food processor. Process until nuts are uniformly extra finely ground, almost like flour.
Measure ⅓ cup of blue agave nectar. Start the processor and slowly pour the blue agave nectar in a steady thin stream. Continue to process for 60 – 90 seconds, or longer If needed, until the paste looks smooth and uniform. Add the extract or Frangelico if desired. Taste it and check the texture. If too stiff, add more blue agave nectar, a teaspoon at a time until consistency is like a stiff dough that holds together.
It should be smooth with just a slightly chewy texture. If you can detect more than a hint of discernable graininess, process it a bit longer, until it feels almost smooth on your tongue.
Store the nut paste in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks, or freeze it for up to 6 months. You can make it a day or two before you need to use it – It gives the flavors time to meld and blend.
Bing Cherry Gel Layer
1 ¾ cups pitted cherries , crushed or puréed. You can puree the fruit in a blender or processor.
- should have about 1½ cups seedless Cherry puree. Use chlorine/fluoride free water to bring to 1 2/2 cups if necessary.
Sweeten to taste with blue agave nectar or xylitol to sweeten to your taste. Bing cherry usually needs no sweetening.
3 tablespoons agar agar flakes
Making the Gel:
Place puree into a pan. Sprinkle agar onto the puree. Heat the Cherry puree on low heat until it boils. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until the agar agar dissolves.
Line an 8″ x 8″ square pan with parchment or plastic wrap. Pour the Cherry puree gel into the pan and even the surface. Chill until firmly set, at least 2 hours.
Chocolate “Petit Fours” Truffles – Assembly
Prepare the Traditional Chocolate Truffles according to the first two steps of “Making the truffles”. While still warm, pour half of the ganache into the 8″ x 8″ lined pan. Spread the ganache evenly over the bottom of the pan. Keep the remaining ganache warm over the hot water in the bottom of the double boiler.
Spread half the hazelnut paste in a layer over the chocolate layer.
Invert the Cherry Gel layer over the hazelnut paste. Remove the parchment or plastic wrap.
Spread the remaining hazelnut paste evenly over the top of the Cherry gel.
Pour the remaining ganache over the Cherry layer and spread the top layer evenly. Place in the refrigerator until set. (If desired, you can make a single, thicker layer of hazelnut paste using approximately ¾ of the recipe. It’s not as fancy but tastes just as good.) Chill for several hours to set.
Cover a flat cutting board with parchment paper. Invert the layered truffles onto the parchment. Remove the parchment pan lining from the truffle and discard.
With a long thin sharp knife, square off the sides of the truffle block. Save the trims for snacking. Cut the block into approximately 1″ squares.
Serve as is or dip in bittersweet couverture chocolate. See ” Tempering Chocolate“
It just so happens that I live fairly close to where hazelnuts are grown commercially. I even have wild hazelnut trees on my property that produce a small harvest each fall – when I can manage to convince the cagey greedy Steller Jays who eat them green, and a small family of adorable red squirrels to let me have a few. The wild nuts are smaller; their shells are thick and tough to crack, unlike the commercially grown varieties; but they taste good.
Everyone knows that hazelnuts and chocolate go splendidly together. While toasting the hazelnuts brings out the full flavor of the nut, they are also excellent untoasted. Some might tell you they are better for you raw. I will leave that to your discernment. Enjoy.
Hazelnut Cream
Makes approximately 1½ cups cream.¾ cup raw pesticide free whole hazelnuts, remove shells or purchase shelled nuts
1½ -2½ cups water – pure, with no chlorine or fluoride
If possible (although it is not necessary) soak hazelnut in 1½ cups water for about 2 hours or overnight, drain. Soaking can improve digestibility.
Combine nuts and 1½ cups water in a blender and liquefy until smooth. Strain if desired. Remember that there are no preservatives, so use promptly.
Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Truffles
Sugar-free, Gluten free, Dairy Free, Vegan
Makes approximately 1¾ pounds or 60 truffles.1½ cup Hazelnut cream (Recipe above.)
¾ cup xylitol
2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin
1 tablespoon Hazelnut oil (optional, but makes a richer product)
12 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine or grated.
¾ cup finely chopped toasted hazelnut (or raw hazelnuts for raw foods)
Making the Truffles:
Please Note: This process should be followed as directed to achieve a smooth texture and smooth consistency.
Put about an inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler and bring to a simmer. Set the top pan over the simmering water.
The bottom of the top pan should not touch the water. Do not cover.
I f using toasted hazelnuts, preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C). When heated, toast hazelnut in single layer for 5 – 7 minutes. Cool, then finely chop.
Warm the Hazelnut cream in the top of an uncovered double boiler until hot. Add the xylitol and glycerin to the Hazelnut cream and stir until the xylitol is fully dissolved. Only after the xylitol has completely dissolved, add the Hazelnut oil. When mixture cools or heats to 115° – 118° F (46° F – 48° C), remove the top of the double boiler and add the chopped chocolate and vanilla into the top of the double boiler. Stir until chocolate is just melted and smooth. Add the chopped hazelnut. Stir until uniformly mixed in.
Allow the ganache to cool and set up for several hours.
Scoop out level tablespoon quantities, or smaller, and set on a plate.
Roll the truffles into balls. If too soft, place in refrigerator until set. If desired, coat the palms of your hands with a dusting of cocoa powder to make the rolling easier.
Dip the rolled truffles in a good quality, tempered chocolate; or roll the truffles in cocoa powder, finely chopped chocolate or finely chopped toasted hazelnut, coating the entire surface.
Keep chilled until ready to serve. Serve in paper or foil cups for an elegant presentation.
I’m relaxing, sipping at a three year old homemade Bing cherry Port Wine, while writing this addendum to my routine Sunday Healthy Chocolate Blog. Didn’t want to leave you hanging on the Bing cherry addition I promised you a week ago.
I’ve been experimenting with “layered” truffles.
- They’re easier to make, for us non-professionals (and I count myself in that category)
- They’re faster to make than filled truffles, if less fancy.
- I wanted a filling that would stay gelled at room temperature
- I wanted MORE filling and MORE taste than a filled truffle can give you!
So, building on last Sunday’s traditional truffle recipe (below):
Bing Cherry Layered Chocolate Truffles
Makes approximately 64 one inch truffles.
A Bing cherry layer sandwiched between rich dark chocolate truffle ganache. Very elegant.Ingredients for 1 recipe of Traditional Chocolate Truffles*/** 7/19/09 blog: http://www.sichocolatetruffles.com/2009/07/
Ingredients for 1 recipe of Bing cherry Gel Layer (below)
12 ounces dark chocolate for dipping, if desired.
* To make low glycemic truffles, replace sweetened chocolate with unsweetened (99 – 100% cacao) and 1 tablespoon of blue agave nectar per ounce of chocolate; e.g. For 12 oz chocolate: add 12 tablespoons blue agave nectar , reduce the liquid by 1/4 – 1/2 cup.
** To make sugar-free truffles, replace sweetened chocolate with unsweetened (99 – 100% cacao) and 1 tablespoon of xylitol per ounce of chocolate; e.g. For 12 oz chocolate: disolve 12 tablespoons of xylitol into the liquid prior to adding the chocolate.
Bing cherry Gel Layer
1 ¾ cups pitted Bing cherries, crushed or puréed. You can puree the fruit in a blender or processor.
- should have about 1½ cups seedless Bing cherry puree. Use chlorine/fluoride free water to bring to 1 1/2 cups if necessary.
Sweeten to taste with blue agave nectar or xylitol to sweeten to your taste. Bing cherry usually needs no sweetening.
3 tablespoons agar agar flakes
Making the Gel:
Place puree into a pan. Sprinkle agar onto the puree. Heat the Bing cherry puree on low heat until it boils. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until the agar agar dissolves.
Line an 8″ x 8″ square pan with parchment or plastic wrap. Pour the Bing cherry puree gel into the pan and even the surface. Chill until firmly set, at least 2 hours.
Bing Cherry Chocolate Truffle – Assembly
Prepare the Traditional Chocolate Truffles according to the first two steps of “Making the truffles”. While still warm, pour half of the ganache into the 8″ x 8″ lined pan. Spread the ganache evenly over the bottom of the pan. Keep the remaining ganache warm over the hot water in the bottom of the double boiler.
Invert the Bing cherry Gel layer over the chocolate layer. Remove the parchment or plastic wrap.
Pour the remaining ganache over the Bing cherry layer and spread the top layer evenly. Place in the refrigerator until set. Chill for several hours to set.
Cover a flat cutting board with parchment paper. Invert the layered truffles onto the parchment. Remove the parchment pan lining from the truffle and discard.
With a long thin sharp knife, square off the sides of the truffle block. Save the trims for snacking. Cut the block into approximately 1″ squares.
Serve as is or dip in bittersweet couverture chocolate. See ” Tempering Chocolate,” Blog dated 7/12/09 http://www.sichocolatetruffles.com/2009/07/
Here is the firt step in truffle making.
This simple to make recipe is the foundation of all my other chocolate truffles. All the other truffle recipes are derived from this one. Use your favorite semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate. My personal favorites for this recipe are Dagoba Free Trade bars, Theo Artisan Chocolates, or a combination of 6 oz. Ghiradelli semisweet baking bar and 6 oz. Sharffen Berger 99%.
To your health, Enjoy!
Traditional Chocolate Truffles
Makes approximately 1¼ pounds of truffles or 40 truffles.
1½ cups whipping cream
1½ tablespoons butter
12 ounces good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine or grated,
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract (optional)
These truffles can be dipped in additional chocolate, or use unsweetened cocoa powder, chopped chocolate or finely chopped nuts for coating truffles.
Suggested Nuts: Almonds, hazelnuts, macadamia pecans, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, etc. Each nut imparts a slightly different flavor. Try toasting whole nuts prior to chopping.
Making the Truffles:
Put about an inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler and bring to a simmer. Set the top pan over the simmering water. The bottom of the top pan should not touch the water. Do not cover.
Place the butter in the top section of the double boiler until melted. Add the cream. Heat uncovered, until hot, 115° F (46° C). Turn off the heat. Remove the top of the double boiler to the counter and add the chopped chocolate and the vanilla extract to the butter and cream. Stir occasionally, until just melted and smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl.
Allow the chocolate to cool and set up for several hours.
Finishing Your Truffles:
Scoop out level tablespoon quantities, or smaller, and set on a plate.
Roll the truffles into balls. If too soft, place in refrigerator until set. If desired, coat the palms of your hands with a dusting of cocoa powder to make the rolling easier.
Dip the rolled truffles in a good quality, tempered chocolate; or
Roll the truffles in cocoa powder, finely chopped chocolate or finely chopped nuts, coating the entire surface.
Keep chilled until ready to serve. Serve in paper or foil cups for an elegant presentation.
In “The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles” there are dark chocolate truffles sweetened with blue agave nectar, sugar-free truffles, sweetened with xylitol, white chocolate truffles and double chocolate truffles. All the truffles are gluten free. Some are vegan, some have espresso and some are spirited. All are incredibly delicious.
