Truffes De Chocolat French Chocolate Truffles Food

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Chop the chocolates finely with a sharp knife. Place them in a heat-proof mixing bowl.
• Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just boils. Turn off the heat and allow the cream to sit for 20 seconds. Pour the cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with chocolate. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in the Grand Marnier, if using, coffee, and vanilla. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
• With 2 teaspoons, spoon round balls of the chocolate mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm. Roll each dollop of chocolate in your hands to roughly make a round ball. Roll in confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, or both. These will keep refrigerated for weeks, but serve at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place the 10 ounces of chocolate and butter in a medium size glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, and repeat this process 1 more time. Set aside.
• Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the melted chocolate mixture; let stand for 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently, starting in the middle of bowl and working in concentric circles until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the brandy. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Using a melon baller, scoop chocolate onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Place the cocoa powder, nuts, and/or toasted coconut each in its own pie pan and set aside.
• In the meantime, place the 8 ounces of chocolate into a medium mixing bowl which is sitting on top of a heating pad lined bowl, with the heating pad set to medium. Depending on the heating pad, you may need to adjust the heat up or down. Stirring the chocolate occasionally, test the temperature of the chocolate and continue heating until it reaches 90 to 92 degrees F; do not allow the chocolate to go above 94 degrees F. If you do, the coating will not have a nice snap to it when you bite into the chocolate. Once you have reached the optimal temperature, adjust the heat to maintain it.
• Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and shape into balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Use powder-free vinyl or latex gloves, if desired.
• Dip an ice cream scoop into the chocolate and turn upside down to remove excess chocolate. Place truffles 1 at time into the scoop and roll around until coated. Then place the truffle into the dish with either the cocoa powder, nuts or coconut. Move the truffle around to coat; leave truffle in the coating for 10 to 15 seconds before removing. In the meantime, continue placing the chocolate-coated truffles in the cocoa or other secondary coating. After 10 to 15 seconds, remove the truffle to a parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat until all truffles are coated. Allow to set in a cool dry place for at least 1 hour; or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Truffles are best when served at room temperature.

A SYMPHONY OF FRENCH CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• For the basic truffle mixture, break the chocolate into squares and place it in the bowl of a food processor. Switch on and grind the chocolate until it looks granular, like sugar.
• Now place the cream, butter and rum or brandy in a small saucepan and bring these to simmering point. Then, with the motor switched on, pour the mixture through the feeder tube of the processor and continue to blend until you have a smooth, blended mixture.
• Next transfer the mixture, which will be very liquid at this stage, into a bowl, allow it to get quite cold, then cover it with clingfilm and refrigerate overnight. Don't worry: it will thicken up after several hours.
• Next day divide the mixture equally among four small bowls, and keep each one in the fridge until you need it. Then proceed with the following to make four different varieties. Make sure you have all the little paper cases opened out ready before your hands get all chocolatey!
• Plain Truffles:.
• For these, you simply sift 1 level dessertspoon of cocoa powder on to a flat plate, then take heaped half teaspoons of the first batch of truffle mixture and either dust each one straight away all over, which gives the truffle a rough, rock-like appearance, or dust your hands in cocoa and roll each piece into a ball and then roll it in the cocoa powder if you like a smoother look. Place it immediately into a paper case. Obviously, the less handling the better as the warmth of your hands melts the chocolate.
• Ginger truffles:.
• Mix the finely chopped ginger into the second batch of truffle mixture using a fork, then proceed as above, taking small pieces, rolling or not (as you wish), and dusting with cocoa powder before transferring each one to a paper case.
• Toasted almond truffles:.
• Sprinkle the very finely chopped toasted almond flakes on a flat plate, take half a teaspoonful of the third batch of truffle mixture and roll it round in the nuts, pressing them to form an outer coating.
• Chocolate-coated truffles:.
• For these you need to set the chocolate and oil in a bowl over some hot but not boiling water and allow it to melt until it becomes liquid, and then remove the pan from the heat.
• Spread some silicone paper on a flat surface and, dusting your hands with cocoa, roll each truffle into a little ball.
• Using two flat skewers, one to spike the truffle and one to manoeuvre it, dip each truffle in the chocolate so that it gets a thin coating and then quickly transfer it to the paper. If the chocolate begins to thicken, replace the pan on the heat so that it will liquefy again.
• Leave the coated truffles to set completely then, using a palette knife; quickly transfer them into their waiting paper cases.
• Cocoa Dusted Truffles:.
• Simple and quick, I use 60% French Cocoa powder for an extra chocolate rush! Simply take each truffle and drop into a bowl of cocoa powder, and gently turn the truffles around to coat them.
• Now arrange all the truffles in a box or boxes and cover. Keep them refrigerated and eat within three days. Alternatively, truffles are ideal for freezing.

TRUFFES DE CHOCOLAT (FRENCH CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES)

Steps:

• Place chocolate in double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly until just melted.
• Add nuts, milk, vanilla and salt. Blend well.
• Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
• Roll small amounts of chocolate, about the size of a walnut, into balls.
• Coat with chocolate sprinkles, shredded coconut, finely chopped walnuts.
• Transfer to a cookie sheet and refrigerate until set.

TRADITIONAL FRENCH DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is hot and starting to bubble but not fully boiling. Remove the cream from the heat immediately.
• Add the finely chopped chocolate and vanilla extract and stir with a wooden spoon until the ganache is completely smooth.
• Pop the pan into the fridge and chill the ganache until it is hard enough to roll into balls. Do not use the freezer, as this will make the ganache unworkable.
• Measure out each truffle by the heaping teaspoonful and use your hands to quickly roll the ganache into a ball.
• If the ganache gets too warm, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up. Work quickly so that your hands don't melt the chocolate too much. Chill the balls, a few at a time, as you go.
• Put the cocoa powder into a shallow dish. Take each chilled chocolate ball and quickly roll in the cocoa powder for an even coating. Pop the truffle onto a plate and place back into the fridge to chill down again before serving.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• For ganache, break chocolate into small pieces in a large aluminum bowl.
• Bring cream slowly to a light boil in a small saucepan over low heat.
• Pour boiling cream over chocolate and keep stirring until all the chocolate has melted and the batter is homogeneous. It is very important that there are no pieces of chocolate left here and that the batter is very smooth.
• Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until ganache is just thick enough to easily form truffle balls.
• Form even round balls and place on waxed paper, slightly flattening bottom.
• For coating, melt the chocolate in a double-boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, heat 2 inches of water in a small saucepan. Break chocolate into small pieces in a small aluminum bowl. Turn off heat and place bowl on top of saucepan with hot water. Let chocolate melt and stir until smooth. Place bowl of melted chocolate on a dry towel.
• Sift together cocoa powder and icing sugar.
• Dip each ball in the melted chocolate (slightly cooled, but not hardened); place back on waxed paper to let chocolate harden slightly.
• When chocolate is hardened enough so that it doesn't rub off on your finger, roll in cocoa mixture. Store truffles in covered container at room temperature in a slightly cool place away from heat.
• Here are a few variations. If coating in cocoa powder, sift first with a little icing sugar or it will be too bitter.
• White Chocolate Truffles: Using high quality white chocolate, follow the same recipe as above.
• Coconut Truffles: Make a white chocolate ganache, sprinkle in shredded coconut when ganache is still warm, and roll in shredded coconut instead of cocoa powder.
• Rum Raisin: Make a dark chocolate ganache, soak raisins in rum and drain, add raisins to warm ganache.
• Orange Grand Marnier: Make a dark chocolate ganache, soak small cubes of orange rind in Grand Marnier and drain, stir in orange cubes when ganache is still warm.
• Hazelnut: Make a milk chocolate ganache, stir in tiny pieces of hazelnut, and roll in chopped hazelnuts and/or cocoa powder.
• Pistachio: Make a dark chocolate ganache, crush unsalted pistachio's and stir into warm ganache, roll in crushed pistachios and/or cocoa powder.
• Coffee Truffles: Roll in coffee powder instead of cocoa.