Water Ganache Truffles Recipes

GANACHE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Shave 1 bar of 72% Green & Black 's and 1 bar 100% unsweetened Ghiradelli. It should make about 2 cups total. Use a serrated knife. The smaller the bits the better. Really brand doesn't matter as long as it is GOOD chocolate. The better the chocolate, the better the texture of ganache.
• Normally, I use 2 full cups cream and no sweetener. If you add in moisture with liquor or honey or a flavored syrup, you have to reduce the cream accordingly. You want the total VOLUME of the liquid to chocolate to be about even. So if you get 2 cups of chocolate after shaving it down, you will need 2 cups of liquid. Heavy cream and flavored syrup both included.
• For Christmas, I divided the chocolate in half and adding a 1/2 cup of liquer to each. Because the mint Bailey's is a chocolate mint, I added some mint extract to increase the mint flavor a bit. With the kahlua, I added a couple tablespoons of espresso ground beans. If you are separating this into several flavors, divide the chocolate before cutting it, it's easier when you use 2 types of chocolate.
• Shave the chocolate into a glass measuring cup. This makes it really easy to add the cream straight into it and, if the chocolate cools too fast, you can place the measuring cup right into the pot of hot water (see next step) and finish mixing.
• Bring heavy cream to a low boil (or high simmer?), using a double boiler (I actually prefer a pot of water with a glass pyrex bowl nestled in it). Stir regularly. You want it just starting to boil.
• Pour the cream over the chocolate. If you are doing more than one flavor of chocolate, try to get the cream divided equally between the chocolates. I suggest leaving the dish of chocolate (or dishes) on the stove so they don't get cold. It blends best this way.
• Let sit for 1 minute and then slowly stir each until well blended. Then beat until it shines. Refrigerate until stiff enough to roll into balls (about 6 hours. I stir hourly). I found 2 teaspoons to be a good size for me.
• If you are going to dip these in chocolate, then once you form them, freeze for one hour. Otherwise, roll them in your topping as you form them into balls. Being warm from your hands helps them pick up the coating.
• If you are rolling in topping:.
• Grind your topping in a food processor or blender. I used my coffee grinder for the cacao nibs. Pour onto a plate and spread out evenly.
• As you roll the truffles into balls, roll them into the topping of choice immediately and set them on a waxed paper lined tray. Refrigerate until serving.
• If you are dipping in chocolate:.
• Using the double boiler, melt the chocolates. DO NOT OVERSTIR. Just let them melt and stir just enough to combine the chocolates. Overstirring leads to stiff chocolate that cannot be used for dipping.
• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. One at a time, drop the truffles into the chocolate, coat, and then place on the waxed paper. I found that chopsticks were the easier to do this with, as I could grip easily and let it drip off excess. I've read suggestions about stabbing with a fork, but that just didn't work for me.
• These will soften quickly. If they start slipping off the chopsticks or smush as you work with them, put them back in the freezer for a bit. I divided my truffles onto to trays so that one was always in the freezer and just swapped them as the ones out softened. I also put an ice bag on the tray with the truffles to help keep them cool while they were out.
• Once all the truffles are coated, let them get hard enough to move. Then you can nestle them all together on the same tray and drizzle them with white chocolate. Alternately, you can sprinkle them with cocoa powder or ground cacao nibs while still soft.

TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Follow the method for Master Ganache, adding the butter to the chocolate and the corn syrup to the cream before bringing the cream to a boil.
• Pour the hot cream and corn syrup over the chopped chocolate and butter. Tap the bowl on the counter to settle the chocolate into the cream, then let sit for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, stir slowly in a circular motion, starting from the center of the bowl and working out to the sides. Be careful not to add too much air to the ganache. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted, about 2 minutes.
• Add the liqueur and stir to combine. Allow the ganache to cool at room temperature until it is firm. This should take at least 4 hours in a 65 degree F room or 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Once the ganache is firm, it can be formed into truffle balls. Using a piping bag, a mini ice cream scoop, or a tablespoon, make 1 inch diameter blobs. Then roll the blobs into somewhat uniform balls by hand. This is messy, no doubt about it. If they begin to warm up and become soft, refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes. If you have hot hands or it is a hot day, it may feel as though you can't get a grip on the truffle. Work near a sink with cold running water. When the ganache feels like it's melting, cool your hands under the running water then dry them and dust with a little cocoa powder. Be careful not to get too much cocoa powder on the truffles, or they will taste like cocoa powder.
• After the truffles are rolled, they can be finished in a variety of ways. The original cocoa powder is the easiest, and quite good.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using a serrated knife, finely chop the chocolate into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a medium heatproof bowl. Fill a medium saucepan half full of water, bring it to a simmer, and then turn off the heat. Create a double boiler by placing the bowl on top of the saucepan. Stir the chocolate occasionally with a rubber spatula until it melts, about 2 minutes.
• When the chocolate has melted, take it off the heat. Stir it slowly with a rubber spatula until the temperature drops to 90 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Place the remaining cocoa powder in a small bowl.
• Drop 1 rolled ganache ball in the melted chocolate. Remove it with a fork, tap off the excess chocolate, and toss it into the cocoa powder. Roll the truffle around in the cocoa until it is well coated. Transfer the truffle to the prepared baking sheet and let it harden. Repeat with each truffle, coating 1 at a time.
• Can deep, dark, intense, rich, velvety smooth chocolate be a spiritual experience? It certainly is heavenly when mixed with cream. Praise the pastry angels and pass the bonbons!
• This is the basic ganache recipe. Use it for truffles, tarts, fillings, you name it. Follow the same technique when adjusting the recipe for firm and soft ganache. An alternative food processor method is given, which can be applied to any ganache recipe in this chapter.
• My desire is not only to introduce you to ganache but also to make it a staple in your refrigerator. As long as you don't eat it all as a midnight snack, it can be available to help you throw together dessert at a moment's notice.
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Using a serrated knife, finely chop the chocolate into 1/4-inch pieces. Don't be lazy here. Big chunks will not melt.
• Traditional method: Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Boiling means the cream will actually rise up in the pan and threaten to boil over.
• Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chopped chocolate. Tap the bowl on the counter to settle the chocolate into the cream, then let it sit for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, slowly stir in a circular motion, starting from the center of the bowl, and working out to the sides. Be careful not to add too much air to the ganache. Stir until all the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. It may look done after 1 minute of stirring, but keep going to be sure it's emulsified.
• Food processor method: Place the chopped chocolate in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat (or bring to a boil in the microwave.)
• Immediately pour the hot cream into the food processor, on top of the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then pulse the machine 3 times. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and pulse 3 more times, until all the chocolate is melted. This smooth, silky chocolate is now ganache. Transfer the ganache to a bowl.
• Let the ganache sit at room temperature until it cools to 70 degrees F. In a 65 degree F room, this will take approximately 4 hours or 2 hours in the refrigerator. You can speed up the process by pouring the ganache out onto a clean baking sheet (thinner layers cool faster.) Once the ganache reaches 70 degrees F, it is ready to be used. At this point it can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• Yield: 2 cups