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Truffles (first timer)

jc77

With Valentine's Day approaching, I want to give my girlfriend something unique - chocolates made by me! I did a quick search and found this recipe to make 'elegant truffles'.

The (truffles) ingredients include;
12 ounces (340g.) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Unsweetened cocoa, for rolling

What is this semisweet or bittersweet chocolate?
I don't think it is eating chocolate. She'd be sick after 1 or 2 of those!
Would this suffice?...

...ingredients (for choc bar in pic)

For the unsweetened cocoa, I was thinking this....

Are my 2 ingredients sufficient for this recipe?
Is there an (easier) alternative recipe?

That both products are from the same manufacturer is coincidence, these are what were at my local Tesco store earlier this evening.

For liqueurs, I was hoping to find baby bottles of orange & mint Baileys.

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Faith

Never mind, I misread the ingredients.

What you've posted above would be fine. I think semisweet chocolate is generally from about 50-70% cocoa, and bittersweet is 75% or more cocoa.

jc77

The receipe recommends an airtight container. I don't think she'd be too happy to get them in an old chinese take-away box (although?). Any suggestions please?

Faith

A tupperware container can be picked up cheaply in Tesco or somewhere.

Magic Monkey

That Green & Black's 72% chocolate is not only sufficient, but it is excellent quality. You'll make fantastic truffles from that.

Their cocoa powder is ideal too, as it's "Dutch-processed," meaning it's less acidic than non Dutch-processed cocoa powders, and thus perfect for rolling truffles in.

But that recipe seems really poor. There is no call to use egg yolk in truffles whatsoever. I suggest you use this recipe instead, to prevent disappointment. I can vouch for the quantities and technique. Regarding the other ingredients, heavy cream is cream between 35-40% butterfat. Avonmore Fresh Cream is 38% and works perfectly. Don't use double cream.
Light corn syrup can be found in Fallon & Byrne. You could also use liquid glucose, found in Kitchen Complements on Chatham St. Alternatively, use honey or golden syrup.

Liqueur wise, the Celtic Whiskey Shop on Dawson St. sell miniature bottles of booze. Regarding the packaging, you could pick up a nice container in Avoca. Any material, paper, plastic, metal will do, once it's airtight.

duploelabs

+1 on monkey

jc77

Thanks for all the replies. I'll do a practice run next week & let ye know results.

nesbitt

jc77 wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. I'll do a practice run next week & let ye know results.

I think using those ingredients the finished truffles will be delicious. Luck lady!:D

jc77

jc77 wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. I'll do a practice run next week & let ye know results.

Had a bash at making these this evening - I used Magic Monkey's receipe suggestion (using 1/5 of all ingredients {farmyard measurements}). Followed this guy's instruction for tempering the chocolate. The reason for the practice run was to let my house-mates try them out first.

Here's the end result;

One of my housemates tried one. He said "tasted lovely at the beginning, but after finishing it there is an after-taste" followed a few minutes later by the "after-taste is f**king horrible". He is after a few vodkas - would that make a difference? Doubt it.

2nd & 3rd housemates had some. 2nd guy said they "taste strong, but good. Might be nice with a cup of tea". 3rd lad said they are "not too bad".

I haven't tried any myself. :P

annieoburns

Ingrediants sound lovely... quality stuff. No alcohol? a little rum maybe? or brandy/whiskey. I think I used to add ground almonds in my day.

Dont worry about the container! they wont be around long enough to worry! you could cover any old little box with some nice wrapping paper and maybe a lacy paper doily to line it.

I would roll them gently in palms of hands to make more rounded.

So romantic!!:)

annieoburns

just checked my recipe... yes, choc, gr almonds, rum or rum essence, bit of cream, icing sugar and chocolate vermilcelli to roll them in at end. You can also get little paper cases to put each on in.

Magic Monkey

In the recipe it says to temper the chocolate before dipping the centres, but you could get away with not tempering it. Instead just melt the chocolate and cool it, spread a little in the palm of your hand (wearing latex gloves helps here), pick up the centre with your other hand and roll it around in your chocolatey hand, then put in your tray of cocoa powder and shake to coat.

But to be honest, I'd just roll the centres straight without coating them, it won't make a huge difference (it'll still stick) and it'll make your life easier.

Wurly

OP - this is such a sweet thread (pardon the pun). Hope your girlfriend loves the chocolates. Personally, I wouldn't care what they tasted like. The effort is adorable.;):)

ladypip

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/90177320

How about this to put them in?

reallyrose

Or you could make a box!

http://www.origami-instructions.com/origami-box.html

the beer revolu

It looks like you were a bit heavy handed with the cocoa 'dusting' - could account for the bitter after taste!

jc77

I got a container similar to this (but smaller) in Tesco, reduced to €1.83.

I'll have another go at making them next week - with less cocoa powder.

Lornen

What recipe are you using?

I know Jamie Oliver has a really good recipe for home made truffles if people are complaining about them being a bit too strong. They look really nice though, I'd probably coat my palms with a bit of the cocoa powder and roll the truffles into a more round shape, then roll them in the cocoa powder just to make sure they are completely covered. If the cocoa powder is making it taste a bit too strong, roll them in some confectioners sugar or chopped hazelnuts. Fair play though!

jc77

THIS is the receipe that I used, as suggested by Magic Monkey. I just had a look at Jamie Oliver's receipe - HERE - and he uses double cream. Would this make a difference to the inside of the truffle? I have some Baileys also, is it to the centre part I'll add that? How much should I add?

In the recipe it says to temper... Instead just melt the chocolate and cool it, spread a little in the palm of your hand (wearing latex gloves helps here), pick up the centre with your other hand and roll it around in your chocolatey hand, then put in your tray of cocoa powder and shake to coat.

Regarding rolling the chocolate into balls, I didn't use gloves - just well washed hands. I found as I was rolling, that the chocolate was heating up & I was left with a lot on my fingers.

I might be able to get my hands on powdered latex gloves. I suppose plastic gloves will also do the trick?

J.O. recommends 3 tablespoons of cocoa - I used half a bowl & let them swim in it. This might be why they were bitter (I still haven't tried them).

But to be honest, I'd just roll the centres straight without coating them, it won't make a huge difference (it'll still stick) and it'll make your life easier.

Plus by not tempering, I can use that chocolate to make even more & give them to my mother.

Lornen

jc77 wrote: »

THIS is the receipe that I used, as suggested by Magic Monkey. I just had a look at Jamie Oliver's receipe - HERE - and he uses double cream. Would this make a difference to the inside of the truffle? I have some Baileys also, is it to the centre part I'll add that? How much should I add?

I would add the baileys in Step 2 in place of the brandy Jamie uses.
Also, I doubt the cream will change the inside of the truffles at all. Jamie's came out very firm.

Also watch out with powdered latex gloves, when you take them off your hands make sure you scrub your hands. I work with powdered latex gloves and I tell you there's nothing more horrible than getting that powdery substance in your mouth or on your food (bad experience with a packet of crisps after work, bluergh!)

Magic Monkey

In the Greweling recipe, he uses heavy cream, which contains 35-40% butterfat. Double cream contains 48%. Using double cream instead of heavy cream in the Greweling recipe may cause the ganache to separate, but using it in Oliver's recipe if he calls for it to be used specifically, is fine. Just don't use a mish-mash of both recipes.

Add your liqueur with the chocolate and butter. For both recipes, given the quantities, around 30g or 2 tablespoons should be enough. Stir the ganache after you've added it and taste. If you think it needs more, add more.

Don't bother coating the truffles with chocolate. And forget about the gloves then. Well washed hands are fine. Just roll your truffles into nice rounds and place on a plate. Then put them, a few at a time, in your bowl of cocoa powder and push them around to get them evenly coated, then place one in the palm of your hand.

Form your hand into a claw, fingers pointed upwards and spaced slightly apart, and roll the truffle around, letting the excess cocoa fall between your fingers into the bowl below. This will remove excess cocoa which can affect the overall taste.

You can also add a small amount of icing sugar to the cocoa powder to get that extra sweetness, but not too much so as to weaken the overall colour.

pickarooney

Was the plate by any chance fresh of the draining board? The one time I ate something which started out delicious but ended up with me gagging it was due to a small trace of washing up liquid

Vego

Im gonna be making truffles at work will try and upload a pic when there done its simple enough

a good chocolate try tesco 72% 1.37 euro per 100g (for home users)
cream
butter

No need to temper the choc unless your using it to coat the truffle "tempering is more for visual"

jc77

Here's a pic of the finished product (using approx 75g of chocolate). I used gloves for rolling the chocolate, found it much better than using my hands - they didn't melt as much. I didn't bother with outer layer of tempered chocolate, rolled a few in cocoa powder and the others in coconut flakes.

I used a cap full of Baileys - prob not enough, as you can't taste it. This lot tasted much better than the last lot I tried.

Thanks for all the input.