275487 Sat Dec 18 15:02:20 -0800 2004 13 31 Home Cooking 0 1451284 Hey, Chowhounds-- I used to make chocolate truffles as a treat for the Yule season, but haven't done it for ages. I know that the process is similar to making ganache, but I cannot remember the exact proportions. I do want to stay pretty traditional, but I do not want to use egg yolks, as this is going to be a gift for some elderly folks, and the basically uncooked eggyolks are not a grand idea for people whose immune systems are not perfect. I did a quick Google check on recipes for chocolate truffles and came up with some of the most god-awful concatenations of crap coming up under the name, "truffles." Recipes including chocolate frosting mix, canned chocolate frosting and meringue powder. No, no and no. Anyone have the plain old basic chocolate + butter or cream + liquor recipe they can share? Thanks! Sat Dec 18 15:02:20 -0800 2004 0 culinary nerd 1 1451289 We had these truffles at a Gourmet Club dinner. They are wonderful. Chocolate Caramel Truffles ith Fleur de Sel from Epicurious http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/109085 Sat Dec 18 15:10:37 -0800 2004 1451284 0 Candy 2 1959887 Stumbled across this post while in search for a truffle recipe. Made these Truffles with Fleur de Sel and they are really wonderful. Will make a great addition to my Christmas goodie boxes. Thanks! Fri Oct 20 14:05:02 -0700 2006 1451289 20603 akp 1 1451290 Chocolate Truffles http://www.recipesource.com/desserts/chocolate/01/rec0198.html Classic Chocolate Truffles http://frenchfood.miningco.com/library/bltruffleclassic.htm BAILEY'S MILK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1913,149176-230205,00.html CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLES http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1913,153178-253204,00.html Search I used http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=french+chocolate+truffles+recipe Sat Dec 18 15:18:14 -0800 2004 1451284 0 venus_de_mpls 1 1451308 Here's a recipe that I use (some biologists might note that it's written like a protocol for moelcular biology). Modified it slightly from the recipe I found on the Richard Donnelly website (http://www.donnellychocolates.com/truffle.shtml) Ingredients ----------- 8 oz valrhona chocolate 61% finely chopped (I like the silky quality of this choc, makes a good filling) 4 oz heavy cream 4 oz schaffenberger 70% finely chopped (bitter, nice a hard, great for the shell) dutch processed cocoa powder liquer and fruit jams for flavoring Making Ganache -------------- warm cream till lightly boiling. Can infuse cream with any flavor if you like (e.g. throw in a teabag, spices etc...). Pour hot cream onto chopped valrhona chocolate to melt it and make a ganache -- mix gently and evenly, but not any more than necessary Cool the ganache a little. mix in liquer or any fruit jam to taste. (Can also use brandy or cognac, which can also be infused with spices etc...) Take a few sips of liquer. I often divide into several bowls to make a few flavors. BTW, my favourite flavor is blood orange marmalade and grand marnier. Raspberry jam and port is a close second. (When using jam flavouring, consider replacing some of the cream with butter to reduce moisture.) Chill ganache for about 20-30 mins or so in fridge. While waiting for ganache to cool, melt schaffenberger chocolate in double boiler (temper it for a better hard snap in the shell if you like). Once the chocolate has melted, turn off stove, but leave in the double boiler so that it cools slightly buts stays fluid. If the ganache in the fridge is still too liquid despite cooling (happens when I use too much liquer etc..), mix in a little bit of this melted chocolate (by the teaspoon) and test texture of the ganache. if the ganache is right texture (like peanut butter or slightly softer), shape into little balls about 1.5cm diameter. Or use 2 teaspoons to shape them into small irregular pieces (I do this). Pop one or two them into mouth just to make sure they are ok. Leave the rest on parchement paper covered baking sheet. Cool them in the fridge for 15 mins or so. Here's the fun part.....adding a shell -------------------------------------- Wash hands & dry. get the shaped truffles from the frridge. put about 1 table spoon of melted schaffenberger in palm of left hand (use right hand for lefties). (DO NOT LICK!) very quickly, put one of the shaped truffles in the pool of chocolate in left hand, roll and coat with melted chocolate. (I guess the temperature of the the hand is just right to keep the choc melted.) place back on parchement paper covered tray, back to fridge till the coat hardens. Coating (not optional) ------- put some dutch processed cocoa powder in a small bowl. Put a few truffles in. shake gently -- the truffles should be coated with powder. Put powdered truffles in a large bowl. Shake to remove excess powder. Sat Dec 18 17:18:19 -0800 2004 1451284 0 Limster 2 1451309 forgot one thing: finely chopped cocoa nibs are good for a coating too. Sat Dec 18 17:19:30 -0800 2004 1451308 0 Limster 2 1451327 Thanks, Limster--those proportions look like the way I used to make them. And I love the instructions--do not lick, indeed! This with be the first time that my husband has made truffles with me--but he is a philestine--he doesn't like chocolate! But at least I don't have to worry about him taking too many surrepticious licks....at least not from the chocolate. (The liqueors might be in danger, though....) Sat Dec 18 21:44:48 -0800 2004 1451308 0 culinary nerd 2 1451404 That sounds similar to the recipe that I use that I got from Jacques Pepin TV show. Except that I cheat (as he demonstrated). I don't do the outer chocolate coating but roll them directly in the cocoa powder. It's simpler and takes a lot less time, and they still taste great. I try to always make three flavors. One plain chocolate, one with a brandy or bourbon, and one with a fruit flavor, with raspberry my favorite. I'll have to give earl gray tea a try this year. As an interesting aside, when I make them, the smell of all that chocolate makes me totally lose my appetite! I'm thinking that perhaps if I worked in a candy factory, I would be able to finally lose that excess weight. Sun Dec 19 21:48:36 -0800 2004 1451308 0 bacchante 3 1451501 I skipped the dip in chocolate, too, and they taste great without it. I used espresso and Irish cream to flavor them, and they turned out great--though instead of refrigerating to set the ganache, I covered the bowl tightly and set it out in the snow on the back deck. Worked quite well, I must say--the air was colder than in the fridge. Mon Dec 20 12:41:50 -0800 2004 1451404 0 culinary nerd 1 1451487 i use 1 cup of cream to 10 ounces of chocolate (no more that 58-64 % cocoa solids. for some reason, the texture isn't as good with 70%). this year, i infused the cream with ginger and orange peel. i also opt for rolling on cocoa, rather that dipping. Mon Dec 20 11:51:42 -0800 2004 1451284 0 lynn 1 1451714 The center of a truffle is a ganache. You need to get your ratio of liquid to chocolate correct for a good ganache. From there go crazy. As I just finished 7 batches of truffles the ratios are still fresh in my head. For dark chocolate: 1lb chocolate to 1.5 cups cream. For milk chocolate: 1lb chocolate to 1.0 cups cream. For white chocolate: 1lb chocolate to 0.75 cups cream. These ratios aren't set in stone, you can deviate a little, but they are a solid start. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over the gentlest of heat. As soon as it is melted, remove the top half of the double boiler wiping down the bottom of it with a dish towel. Bring the cream to a boil over med-high heat and then stir into the chocolate. If using butter, use unsalted, softened butter and stir it in now along with any liquor at room temp. Once you've stirred it up, put it in the fridge to firm up. If left out at room temp the ganache can separate, especially a white chocolate one, but also a dark. For liquor and butter substitute ounce for ounce with the cream. 2Tbsp of liquor is good for 1 lb chocolate. 2Tbsp is also a good amount of butter for 1 lb of chocolate. A Tbsp is an ounce by the way. If you want to add nuts, stir in 1/2 cup to 1 cup of finely chopped nuts. Cognac, Amaretto and Gran Marnier are all good liquors to use with dark or white. Baileys is good with milk and Kahlua for that coffee taste. I am not a fan of white chocolate, but I did stumble into the greatest thing this weekend. Add a 1/2c chopped (roasted - not salted) almonds and a 1/2c finely chopped dried apricots to a white chocolate ganache made with 2Tbsp Countreau (sp?) and 2tsp almond extract (don't subtract cream for either the almond extract or liquor in this one). I use the El Rey Icoa white, which is made from non-deoderized (sp?) cocoa butter and was this ganache sensational. Tue Dec 21 15:01:00 -0800 2004 1451284 0 muD 1 1960372 I'm always slightly worried with truffles about how long they will keep. I know this sounds ridiculous as they get eaten so damn fast but how long can I keep them before giving them away. All advice gratefully received. Fri Oct 20 16:45:25 -0700 2006 1451284 24646 ali patts 1 1969485 This is from an old issue of Food & Wine Magazine. I'm pretty sure it dates back to the '80s. This recipe makes about 30 truffles but I always make multiple batches. But don'tmultiply too much or you'll have a heck of a time melting the chocolate in the warm cream. You can make a big batch of the mix and roll the truffles at your leisure. It appears to last indefinitely. 3/4 cup (4 oz) pitted prunes cut into eighths 1/4 cup armagnac 1/3 cup heavy cream 6 oz bitter chocolate broken into small pieces 1 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp. 1/2 cup (2 oz) toasted, finely chopped pecans Unsweetened cocoa powder for coating the truffles (1) Combined prunes & armagnac, cover and let macerate for 1 hour at room temp. (I always start this well in advance and keep the prunes in the refrigerator for a long time ... once for 6 or so years [blush]) (2) Bring the cream to a boil over moderate heat, add chococate, remove from heat and whisk or beat until the chocolate is smooth. Beat in the butter. (3) Drain the prunes reserving 1 tbsp of armagnac. Add the prunes, the reserved armagnac, and the pecans to the chocolate mix. Refrigerate until fully cooled and firm. I like to let the mix sit for a few days, at least, so the flavors can meld. (4) Roll into balls and dredge in the unsweetened cocoa. Or roll into balls and set aside in a cool spot to dredge at the last minute. The truffles tend to absorb the cocoa if left to sit for a long time. I think this recipe would be open to almost infinite variation. Tue Oct 24 19:49:05 -0700 2006 1451284 10517 Timowitz 1 1970305 Godiva has a great recipe fortruffles My daughter voluteered me to make truffles for French Day at school, and O made the following. Lot a work though Chocolate Caramel Truffles http://www.godiva.com/recipes/recipe.aspx?id=247 Wed Oct 25 01:02:16 -0700 2006 1451284 11290 jfood