Christinas Chocolate Truffles Food

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Dry Roast the spices in a saute pan over medium-high heat until you can smell the perfume from the spices. Once the spices have been roasted for a bit, then add the heavy cream. Remove from heat and steep 1 hour. Strain out the spices.
• Reheat the strained cream and pour the warm cream over the chocolate. Stir with a spatula to mix the chocolate completely until melted and combined. Once the chocolate is uniform in texture, add the butter and stir until well combined.
• Pour into another bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Place in a pastry bag and form little blobs onto a tray. Refrigerate until firm to the touch. Remove and roll to desired form.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Heat the heavy cream in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. Make sure that you have chopped the chocolate as finely as possible to allow it to melt quickly and easily. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl. Make a ganache by pouring about half of the hot cream over the chocolate and letting it sit for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate. Then slowly whisk until smooth and homogenous. Do not add all of the hot cream to the cold chocolate at once; the shock of the temperature extremes would cause the fat in the chocolate to separate. As the chocolate melts, you will see some elasticity if there is no fat separation. This means the chocolate still has an emulsion; the fat molecules are still holding together. If the ganache separates, it loses its elasticity, collapses, and becomes very liquid. I use a hand-held immersion blender to ensure a smooth ganache and to keep the emulsion of the chocolate. Add the remaining cream gradually and mix until all of the hot cream is incorporated and the ganache is smooth and homogenous.
• If the ganache separates, it is very easy to fix. Simply add a small amount of cold cream and whisk well. This will bring the ganache back together. The ganache should be thick, shiny, and smooth. Add the desired flavoring and mix until fully incorporated. Pour the ganache onto a plastic wrap-covered baking sheet and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for at least 4 hours at room temperature. I usually make the ganache at the end of the day and let it cool overnight. As it cools, it will thicken and set.
• When the ganache has cooled to the consistency of toothpaste, scrape it into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Do not stir the ganache when you do this. Incorporating air by stirring will cause the ganache to harden. Pipe 1-inch-diameter mounds spaced 1 inch apart on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. To pipe the mounds, hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment as you begin to pipe. Once you have formed the mound, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the top of each mound. You can also use a spoon and drop small mounds of ganache onto the baking sheet. Let the truffles harden at room temperature for a couple of hours (or in the refrigerator for 15 minutes), until they are hard enough to roll with your hands.
• When I roll the truffles, I usually wear surgical gloves. The gloves are not mandatory but if you do not use them, be sure your hands are very clean. To roll the mound into a ball, place a truffle between both palms, squeeze slightly, and roll between your hands. The truffles will look nicer if they are as round as possible. When all the truffles are rolled into balls, they are ready to be coated. If they have become too soft, place them in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours until they are firm enough to dip.
• You can use either a dipping fork or your hands to dip the truffles in chocolate. To use the fork, drop the truffle into the bowl of tempered chocolate and then retrieve it with the dipping fork. Hold the fork over the bowl for several seconds to allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Gently scrape the bottom of the fork against the side of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate and roll the dipped truffle in the desired garnish. Place on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. If you use your hands, dab some chocolate in the palm of one hand. Roll the truffle in that palm to completely coat it with chocolate. Place the enrobed truffle on the baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining truffles. This method is very quick but it can also be extremely messy.
• When all of the truffles have been coated once, repeat the enrobing procedure. This is necessary only when you enrobe the truffles by hand rather than with a fork. The truffles are usually more evenly coated when dipped with a fork. As soon as each truffle gets a second coating, immediately roll it in the desired garnish. You need to do this before the chocolate sets or the topping will not adhere. At this stage, it is good to have a friend help because it is hard to dip and roll at the same time. Place the truffles on a clean parchment paper-covered baking sheet and allow them to set, about 5 minutes.
• The truffles will keep for up to 2 weeks at room temperature, when stored in an airtight container.
• To toast coconut: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to keep the sugar in the coconut from burning. Return to the oven and toast until golden brown, about 3 more minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
• To toast nuts: Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C). Spread the nuts evenly on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Toast for about 30 minutes, until they are golden brown. You will be able to smell the nuts when they are ready. A good test is to break a nut in half and check to see if it is light brown on the inside. Toasting nuts brings out their natural flavor. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, about 1 minute more.)
• Meanwhile, bring the cream and honey to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave). Gradually whisk the cream into the chocolate until smooth and shiny. Whisk in the butter until very smooth. If possible, switch to an immersion blender and blend for about 1 minute for a lovely satiny texture. Cover the surface of the chocolate with plastic wrap; set aside in a cool spot until slightly firm, about 1 hour.
• Line a baking sheet or large plate very, very tightly with plastic wrap (the wrap will be slightly suspended over the surface of the pan). Transfer the truffle mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain 1/4-inch tip. Holding the bag about 1/4-inch over the surface of the plastic wrap, pipe about 25 (3/4-inch) cones or truffles. Sprinkle the truffle tops lightly with sugar. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.
• Once set, the truffles can be held in a cool spot, out of the refrigerator for up to 2 hours. Otherwise, refrigerate the truffles covered, for up to 5 days. Truffles taste best if served room temperature not straight from the refrigerator.
• Finely grate the zest from the citrus with a fine holed grater, preferably a micro plane. Add half of the zest to the cream, (reserve the rest for decorating the truffles.) Bring the cream, zest and honey to a simmer, remove from the heat. Puree mixture with an immersion blender to combine the flavors. Proceed as above to form the truffles.
• Gently rub the turbinado sugar and the reserved zest together with your fingers. Sprinkle citrus flavored sugar on top of truffles.
• Pulse the fennel seed, confectioners' sugar, and cocoa in a spice grinder to a fine powder. Roll basic chocolate truffle in fennel-cocoa mixture.
• Add 2 tablespoons malt powder to the cream and proceed with the basic recipe as above. Roll finished chocolate truffle in the 1/4 cup malt powder.
• Stem and seed the chile, then toast in a dry skillet over medium heat until small whiffs of smoke waft from the chile. Add the chile to the cream and honey mixture and bring to a simmer. Cover and let set for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how spicy you like your truffles. Strain and discard the chile. Proceed as above to form the truffles. Mix the turbinado sugar, chili powder, cinnamon, and sea salt together. Sprinkle seasoned sugar on top of the truffles.
• Add the crystallized ginger to the cream. Bring cream, ginger and honey to a simmer, remove from the heat and puree with an immersion blender to combine the flavors. Proceed as above to form the truffles. Finely chop additional crystallized ginger to equal about a tablespoon and lightly press onto the top of truffles.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• MELT chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk in large saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. POUR into medium bowl. Cover and chill 2 to 3 hours or until firm. SHAPE into 1-inch balls; roll in desired coating and/or decorate with frosting and candies. Chill 1 hour or until firm.
• Calories 59,Total Fat Grams2.7,Calories From Fat 24,Saturated Fat Grams 1.6,Saturated Fat Grams Pct DailyValue 8,CholesterolMilligrams 2,SodiumMilligrams 9,Potassium Milligrams 26,Total Carbohydrates Grams 6.2,Total Carbohydrates Grams Pct Daily Value 2,Dietary Fiber Grams 0.4,Dietary Fiber Grams Pct Daily Value 2,Sugars Grams 5.7,Protein Grams 0.5,Protein Grams Pct Daily Value 1,Niacin Pct Daily Value 1,Magnesium Pct Daily Value 3,
• **Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data."

CHRISTMAS TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Put the dark and milk chocolate in a bowl, then put the cream and butter in a pan and bring to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until it melts. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge for 7 hrs.
• Put the coatings into separate bowls. To shape the truffles, lightly rub your hands with flavourless oil and roll teaspoons of the truffle mix between your palms - this can get messy!
• Gently roll the truffles in the bowl until evenly coated, then put in a box and chill. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for three days, or freeze for up to a month. Defrost in the fridge overnight.