White Chocolate Pyramid

[M2k]

Could anyone tell me please the best way to make the above. Haven't seemed to have much luck with my attempts. It was a little grainy for my liking.

If anyone could give me a recipe that will work that would be great. I was thinking of putting a passion fruit parfait inside it, and serving with a mango and star anise coulis. Does this sound ok?

Thanks
Michael

[M2k]

Can anyone give me some help on this?

[kuan]

You are trying to temper and mold white chocolate and it is coming out grainy?

[M2k]

It is indeed...Maybe because I added a splash of Baileys?? But personally I wouldn't have thought that would have an effect. And the chocolate wasn't melted at too high a temperature.

I did put the pyramids in the fridge for about 15 minutes could this be why? Surely in this short space of time the chocolate shouldn't have started to separate.

[munchers]

hi there, this is an old recipy of mine and it always works. it sets well and the flavour is grand.

white choc mousse
ingredients;
400g Vanilla Pastry cream (home made)
800g White choc ( melted slowly, to prevent grains in the choc)
2pts Cream - semi-whipped

method
1- Melt the choc and cool slightly, whisk in the pastry cream.
2- Fold in the cream.
3- Pour the mix into your mould and freeze. Always easier to demould. And shelf life longer also.

hope thats ok for you. If you hav any probs come back to me and ill give you another recipy, good luck.

[M2k]

Thanks for the recipe, the one I use for white chocolate mousse is very similar, but I'm wanting to have a white chocolate pyramid but then with a passion fruit parfait inside it. So the it's not white chocolate all the way through.

Sorry if thats really poorly explained, I hope you understand and thanks for the recipe, I will add it to my collection.

[tammylc]

Originally Posted by M2k

It is indeed...Maybe because I added a splash of Baileys?? But personally I wouldn't have thought that would have an effect. And the chocolate wasn't melted at too high a temperature.

I did put the pyramids in the fridge for about 15 minutes could this be why? Surely in this short space of time the chocolate shouldn't have started to separate.

You shouldn't ever add liquid to chocolate you're trying to temper. It will seize and get grainy or worse, and won't set up properly.

Can you describe your tempering technique and what kind of molds you're using?

[munchers]

M2K
let me know how you get on with the dessert.
An added suggestion ,why dont you make the mousse fist, only fill it half way up and the sides, freeze , then do your parfait and pipe into the center, freeze , and fill up to the top with the remaining mousse and freeze again.
Try get a photo of it ,im interested.

[M2k]

Will get a picture for you Munchers next time I try the experiment.

And tammy I place chocolate in the microwave for thirty-five seconds on high power until the chocolate it melted. The chocolate should be only slightly warm. Usually the chocolate begins to set (recrystallize) along the side of the bowl. As it begins to crystallize, I mix the crystals into the melted chocolate and they will begin the recrystallization process. I tend to use a glass bowl because it retains the heat and keeps the chocolate tempered for a long time.

[tammylc]

I suggest trying it without the Bailey's and see if that helps. If not, you might want to try some alternate tempering methods, like adding some seed to your melted chocolate. Or at least use a thermometer to see if you're overshooting the temperature range and that's part of the problem. But my guess is the Bailey's is the problem. If you want to add flavor to the chocolate, use something oil based, not water based.

[baddabing]

M2K
Are you an all-clad user? Just curious? off topic, I know
baddaboom

[M2k]

Whats an all-clad user?

SOrry for the dumb question!

[baddabing]

No, mine was a stupid question. All-clad is a maker of cookware pots and pans. They have a line called M2K.
baddaboom

[Brianthecook]

Just simply temper the fine chocolate without adding the irish cream. If you add any liquid to it it turns to ganash. Look online for the silicone pyramid molds. Put the silicone mold in the freezer and get them cold. Pour a thin layer over the mold and refrigerate until the chocolate sets up, then pour another layer of the chocolate over the first one and set it up in the fridge again. fill the hollow inside of the pyramid with a thick filling that will not run.

To seal up the Pyramid with the bottom side do this, refrigerate a slab of smooth marble until it is cold. work quickly from here on out. Take the slab out and lay a smooth coat of tempered chocolate on it thats big enough to lay the mold on top of. put it back in the fridge to set up and then lay another coat and flip the mold onto it while it is still wet, the put back into the fridge to set. Carefully take off the mold being careful not to break the chocolate and cut the pyramid out with a sharp knife. Take a mini spatula and use it to pry the chocolate pyramid off the marble and store in the fridge in an air tight container lined with wax paper.

[Frayedknot]

Great advice from others here. One quick question about the grainyness, is it possible you are getting "some/any" water in the chocolate and seeding the chocolate?

When I have made pyamids out of chocolate (I usually layer white and dark tempered) on Acetate. I use a cake comb to make some ridges and then layer on the next layer. Once I have the proper thickness of the of the chocolate on the acetate, I will use a template and cut the sides to what ever size is needed. Put another sheet pan on top to keep the pyramids from curling. Then they stay on the sheet pan until time to use them. Then when plating I construct the pyramids and place what ever filling I am using. I suppose a mold could be easier as BTC has mentioned.