Chocolate Truffles With Nuts And Liqueur Recipes

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES WITH LIQUEUR

Steps:

• In microwave using medium-low power, melt chocolate in a medium-sized bowl-- the length of time this will take will depend on the strength of your microwave, but expect it to take at least 1 minute.
• Whisk in butter and egg yolk until blended; then whisk in liqueur and icing sugar until smooth.
• Cover and refrigerate until firm enough to shape, about 1 hour.
• Shape mixture into small balls, roll balls in cocoa, then place in tiny foil or paper cups.
• The above will be a messy job on your hands-- they will get quite chocolatey; if mixture gets too soft, return it to the fridge to stiffen up again.
• Keep truffles refrigerated in a covered container; remove from fridge about 30 minutes before serving to take the chill off them.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES WITH NUTS AND LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Preheat a broiler. Spread the nuts on a foil-lined baking sheet and place under the broiler for about a minute to toast them lightly and evenly, stirring them once during the browning. Do not allow them to burn. Set them aside.
• Break the chocolate into a heatproof mixing bowl and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water until the chocolate is nearly all melted. Remove the bowl from the pan of water and stir the chocolate until smooth. Stir in the nuts and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Stir in butter and liqueur. Refrigerate mixture until it is firm enough to handle, an hour or longer.
• When firm, remove the mixture from the refrigerator and allow it to soften for about 15 minutes. Place the cocoa in a shallow dish. Using a spoon, scoop up half-tablespoons of the chocolate mixture, and using your fingertips, form somewhat uneven balls about an inch in diameter and roll them quickly in the cocoa. Place them in a shallow dish and refrigerate until ready to serve. The balls can also be frozen without the cocoa for later use, and then dusted with cocoa just before serving.

CHOCOLATE LIQUEUR TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Break chocolate up and place in a bowl with the brandy. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir gently to combine until the chocolate is smooth.
• Stir in the butter and egg yolk until well combined (the heat from the chocolate will help melt the butter).
• Refrigerate until firm enough to shape into balls - I made mine slightly larger than standard marbles, but it's up to you and your conscience! Roll each ball in the cocoa (or you could experiment with chocolate hail, crushed pistachio nuts, etc. I used drinking chocolate, as it's sweeter than plain cocoa).
• Return to the fridge (or freeze, as desired). Serve chilled.

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.