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.
Chocolate Bliss Truffles
My son recently introduced me to a sensational product I just have to share with you. What a name and what a delicious nutritious food. It is raw – but don’t let that stop you from trying it. This super tasting drink is just that super food. In a base of richly flavored raw cacao powder are some of the highest antioxidant, phyto-nutrient, vitamin and mineral rich foods. Who’d ever guess something this scrumptious is so awesome for your body.
It’s called Chocolate Bliss. Simple and quick to make for a fast breakfast drink, but it has good staying power.
Of course I had to try and make truffles with the mix. They are simple to make and can replace a drink for an equally portable breakfast or pick-me-up snack.
You can double, triple, etc. the recipe:
½ cup Sunfire Super Foods Chocolate BlissTM
¼ cup + 1 scant tablespoon Vanilla AgaveTM
Yes, that’s all. Two ingredients. More like seeing a universe in a grain of sand. (Apologies to William Blake.)
Whirl Chocolate Bliss powder in processor to make into a uniform powder and break open the whole seeds. Don’t process more than 90 seconds at a time and allow the powder to cool between processing to maintain nutritional integrity of the Bliss.
Add Vanilla Agave and process until agave is incorporated into Bliss powder and forms a ball. Place “dough” in bowl and allow it to sit and absorb the agave. Portion out 2 – 3 teaspoon portions. Dip in finely ground raw cacao powder and roll into balls. Roll again in additional raw cacao powder. They are ready to eat. These will be highly perishable (if they last that long) so cover to keep the air out and refrigerate.
The Divine Nutrition website has some great information on these and additional super foods that can energize your life. http://www.rawfooddiet-holistichealth.com/
Anine
P.S I just ordered 5 pounds of the mix and some of their other products. I don’t sell their products – just had to share this great find with you.
Don’t Burn the Chocolate! Use a double boiler
Double boilers ensure slow, even heating for foods like chocolate, custards or sauces that could easily be overcooked or burned when cooked in a saucepan over direct heat.
A double boiler consists of a lower saucepan filled with approximately an inch of boiling water. It has another pot which sits inside of it, over but not in direct contact with the boiling water. The steam from the simmering water heats the upper pan and indirectly warms the contents of the pan.
If you don’t have a double boiler, one can be improvised with a regular saucepan and a tempered glass or stainless steel bowl that sits only partially in the saucepan and has at least ¾ inch of air space between the water and the bowl.
Example of Double Boiler
To Use a Double boiler
Fill the bottom saucepan with approximately an inch of water. Place the top pan or bowl portion of your double boiler inside the pan to make sure it will not touch the water.
Remove the bowl, and heat the water to boiling. Lower the burner until the water is just barely simmering.
Add the bowl portion of the double boiler, and follow cooking instructions.
When using a double boiler to melt chocolate, it is a good idea to pay attention and watch to make sure that the chocolate is not overheated. Raw or minimally processed chocolates or cacao must not be heated above 118° F. or 48° C, to protect their nutritive value. Raw blue agave nectars, have extra nutritional benefits and they should also not be heated above 118° F. or 48° C. Agave nectar changes when heated above these temperatures. After that change, it is metabolized differently in the body
Note, that even though there is less danger of over-heating, over-cooking or scorching foods in a double boiler, it can be done. (And has been, by those of us who are tangentially inclined.) Remember to check your water level in the bottom pan if you are using the double boiler for longer heating periods, such as more than an hour.
