Mold in Chocolate?

[bkchocolate]

I'm encountering a mold problem (very occasionally) in my chocolate truffles, but only in one that has wine mixed in with the ganache filling. I never used to have this problem, but I have been using more wine lately to make it even creamier -- and here's my question: Can too much liquid mixed in to a ganache cause a mold? I make lots of flavors, but this one is the only one with the problem, so I'm trying to figure it out.

Thanks in advance.

[momoreg]

I assume you have cream in your ganache. Cream does limit the shelf life of your chocolate, and you should keep it refrigerated.

[bkchocolate]

yes, thanks, that's quite true -- cream and butter both in the ganache. But any thoughts as to why only the wine truffles are susceptible to the mold problem?

[m brown]

do you boil the wine? (reduction for greater flavor)
as you boil the cream, it kills bacteria
so you would boil the other liquids.
also, chocolate is very dence, cream is very dence, wine has yeasts and moisture you are adding to a very stable ganach therefore inviting the molds and bacterias with plenty of easy target foods.
best!

[bkchocolate]

yes, we reduce the wine down. And over the last six months I've been increasing the amount of reduced wine just to make them creamier, and that's when the problem has crept in. So I think the introduction of a greater amount of wine in addition to its yeasty nature may be the problem. I guess I'll cut back down to original recipe. Always dangerous when one tries to push to the outside of the envelope with chocolate. You may get lucky once or twice, but not consistently.

Thanks for the advice, I think you've hit the nail on the head.

[smiley]

alchohol content... wine is only 15 percent (as low as 10) .... therefore you need to introduce a preservative... salt, sugar, and alcohol would help, in desperation you could add a chemical, but that defeats any morality in cooking. also if you are using pre shaped balls make sure you are not leaving any air pockets. You said that you are cooking the wine.....? I think all alchohol is then cooked off henceforth no preservative action at all!

[bkchocolate]

Yes, I want to avoid chemical preservative for obvious reasons. The preservatives you mention, salt, sugar or alcohol, would change the flavor of the truffle, so those are out, I think.

Very interesting what you said about air pockets because that indeed is where the mold has been seen, if there's a flaw (i.e., hole) in the couverture at the bottom, and a liquidy mold oozes out. I dip using a fork, and little places where the tines hit often remove the couverture as the truffle is removed from the fork. It doesn't happen all the time, but I have to get it so it never happens.

Thanks for the reply -- I think now that the air pocket is the problem.

BKchocolate