Now! Just in time for the Holidays: Enjoy The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles

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.

5 Layer Chocolate Birthday Truffle “Cake”

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!

Fresh Bing Cherries Stuffed with White Chocolate, Dipped in Dark Chocolate

Cherries…

200 pounds of red ripe cherries!  What in the world would you do with that many cherries?  The day after I pick, I wine in more ways than one, and eat cherries all day long as I rinse off the fruit and remove any stems.  The first 160 or so pounds go into various buckets to make several varieties of cherry wine using different yeasts to bring out different qualities and subtleties in each wine.  Cherry wine is one of my favorites.

So, I took a trip to Eastern Washington this past Thursday to pick around 200 pounds of the most delectable fresh Bing cherries. They are dark wine colored, rich, juicy and delectably ripe, right off the trees; unsprayed, pesticide free fruits.  The cherries are even more of a treat this warm July day, as over 80% of the previous year’s crop was lost to an unseasonably cold spring and several inhospitable freezes.

So what has this got to do with chocolate?

After making hundreds (maybe thousands) of various truffles to perfect and retest recipes for my latest book The Splendid Indulgence of Chocolate Truffles, I am continuing to experiment.  The book will be available as soon as the photos are edited and the index is complete.

I’ve been toying with a different way to make truffles that is incredibly easier and quicker.  Instead of filling the truffles, I am layering them.  They are very attractive to look at and delicious to eat.

With fresh cherries to play with, I couldn’t resist a layered chocolate truffle with a layer of cherries.  I should have a recipe to share with you by next week.

For now, phyto-nutrient rich cherries dipped in tempered chocolate or fondue sounds superb.  They taste so good and are good for you.  Its a fresh fruit, gluten-free, low glycemic,  depending on the chocolate you use,  and what you use to sweeten it with, if anything.

Fresh Bing Cherries Stuffed with White Chocolate, Dipped in Dark Chocolate

Select  a pound of nice plump ripe Bing cherries with stems.  Leave the stems on the cherries and carefully pit them.  Stuff a good quality white chocolate chip into the pit-cavity and dip into tempered chocolate (below) or chocolate fondue ( blog from 06.07.2009) http://www.sichocolatetruffles.com/2009/06

Tempering Dark Chocolate

1 pound (16 ounces) of good quality dark, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped or shaved.  I use Sharffen Berger 99%.  For coatings, I don’t add any sweetener, but you could if you desire to.  Blue agave is the easiest to add a tablespoon or two of and stir into the melted chocolate.  Don’t use chocolate chips for the dipping chocolate. They contain other ingredients and will not temper properly

Put about an inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler ( 5/30/09 Blog: http://www.sichocolatetruffles.com/2009/05/ ) and bring to a simmer.  Place chopped chocolate in the top of the double boiler. Set the top pan over the simmering water.  The bottom of the top pan should not touch the water.  Do not cover the top pan.

Melt 12 ounces of the chopped chocolate in the top of an uncovered double boiler, reserving 4 ounces.

Put a candy thermometer in the chocolate and do not allow the temperature to exceed 100° F (38° C).  Keeping the temperature lower than 99° F (37° C) is best to ensure that the cocoa and cocoa butter won’t separate.

Heat the chocolate over the barely simmering water until it is melted or when the thermometer reads 95° – 100° F (35° – 38°C).

Immediately remove the pan from the burner and remove the top of the double boiler from over the water.  Add 2 ounces (half) of the reserved chopped chocolate to help the molecular structuring.  Stir until the chocolate is fully melted. Add the remaining chocolate and continue stirring until all the chocolate is melted.

Cool until the temperature of the chocolate reaches 83° F (28° C).  Stirring will speed the cooling process.

To complete the tempering process, it is necessary to reheat the chocolate one last time.  Return the top of the double boiler over the hot water and allow the temperature to rise to 90° F (32° C).  The chocolate is now tempered and good for dipping.  Make sure to keep the temperature between 85° and 90° F (29° – 32° C). (White and Milk chocolate should only be brought back to 84° – 86° F (29° – 30° C) for optimal results.)

To help maintain the optimal dipping temperatures, you can alternately remove and replace the top of the double boiler to try to keep the temperature around 86° – 88° F (30° – 31° C) or you’ll lose the temper.  If that happens, you need to cool and then re-temper the chocolate.  If you do you’ll need about 2 – 4 more ounces of chopped un-melted chocolate to assist the structuring process again.

To determine if the chocolate is tempered, drizzle a thin line of the chocolate from the spoon on to a glass plate or stainless steel surface.  The chocolate should set up firm and dry with a matte finish within a few minutes.  Un-tempered or improperly tempered chocolate will remain soft and won’t harden.

Tiramisu White Chocolate Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Sauce

I’ve had a love affair with Mascarpone Cheese since I first tasted the smooth and creamy triple cream cheese.   It is light yet rich, spreads like soft butter, even when chilled, and melts with ease for pasta, or on potatoes.  I met Mascarpone in an Italian Tiramisu.  I had to get the plain cheese to taste it all alone, without the espresso and other flavors.

Now it is much more economical to purchase the 5 pound container at the local restaurant/wholesale food store (Cash & Carry) than 24 ounces at the market.  So, I am creating more recipes, so none is wasted.

You can’t freeze Mascarpone cheese as is, because it spoils the texture of the cream.  It is highly perishable and doesn’t last long in the refrigerator.  However, making truffles, cakes, ice cream, or other delectable treats which can be frozen, is how I can make this work to my advantage.  I could make the ganache for approximately 300 Tiramisu truffles or get creative.  I’ll probably do a little of both.  I just ordered more than ten pounds of white chocolate so I can play.

So I am experimenting with ice cream:  Tiramisu White Chocolate Ice Cream to be exact.  It just sounded good.  Anyway, It is supposed to be warm today and I don’t really want to cook and heat up the house.

Tiramisu White Chocolate Ice Cream

3 egg yolks

¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt

¼ cup blue agave nectar or xylitol or 2 tablespoons of each. (If using xylitol, dissolve the xylitol in the espresso.)

6 tablespoons espresso

1 ½ cups heavy cream

6 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped fine

1 cup mascarpone cheese (7 – 8  ounces)

3 tablespoons brandy or rum (I use 1½  tablespoons of each, brandy and dark rum.  They complement each other.)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Dark chocolate sauce (Recipe follows.)

Directions:

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 espresso, blue agave nectar or xylitol and ¾ cup of cream until agave nectar or xylitol are totally dissolved.  In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks until light and stir about a half a cup of the warmed espresso- heavy cream mixture into the egg yolks.  Pour the egg mixture back to the pan and stir into the espresso-cream mixture and cook, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened and evenly and thoroughly coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from the heat and pour in the remaining ¾ cup of cream and the mascarpone cheese. Wisk until thoroughly incorporated.  When  mixture is cooled to approximately 118° F (48° C), place the finely chopped white chocolate into the custard and stir until the chocolate is melted.  Wisk in the brandy, rum, and vanilla and stir.

Cool and chill.

Place into the freezer container of an ice cream maker.  Freeze in the ice cream maker, following manufacturer’s directions.  This mixture is soft and may not fully freeze in the ice cream maker.  Place in a freezer container and allow to freeze.

Dark Chocolate Sauce

4 ounces dark unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine

4 ounces dark semi-sweetened chocolate, chopped fine

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract.

Heat the cream to 115° F (46° C).  Place the finely chopped chocolate in a bowl.  Pour the warmed cream over the chocolate and stir until just melted.  Add the vanilla and stir.  Pour a zigzagged ribbon of sauce over the Tiramisu White Chocolate Ice Cream.  Serve and enjoy.