All about truffles

[Peachcreek]

Great thread. And very timely. I'm making truffles this weekend. Xmas presents. Nothing earth-shaking, the usual orange, walnut and almond. One of those once a year things or as I like to say often enough to get not-very-good-at-it. But they turn out O.K. My question is this-storage. I have a couple of options. I have a walk-in and reach-ins, and also a storage room. The room stays 35-45F this time of year. My fridges stay a pretty constant 34F. Room or Fridge? I'm not sending them out till at least the 15th. And is it better to wrap and package them sooner or later, or does it matter?
Ingredients
Cooked egg
Cooked cream
sugar
booze
nuts
Chocolate
vanilla

[momoreg]

Keep them as cool as possible, and wrap them now, so that if they should become exposed to warm air, condensation won't develop on the outside.

[Isa]

In The New Professional Chef, there is a recipe for hard ganache. They sufggest using it as a truffle base.

[W.DeBord]

Peachcreek I've never seen a truffle recipe with eggs in it. If you've made them before and not had problems that's fine but I would suggest using a different recipe. It actually has to be harder whatever your doing with the eggs then a typical recipe.... their really basic...chocolate, cream and liquer,etc..

Cooler definately! They hold a long time wrapped well.

[m brown]

Don't forget to make extra and keep them in the freezer or cooler tightly covered and ready for scooping and rolling in chocolate and/or cocoa or ground nuts!


Dutch egg yolk liquor (advocate?) would be SUPER RICH in a truffle. That would be the truffle you eat in place of a meal.

[Kimmie]

Hi Momo,

by you: Incidentally, I make buckets full of ganache and freeze them. It freezes beautifully, and it's always there when I need it.

Now that's interesting! Please give me a clue as to how to wrap it? Or do you simply put the ganache in a tupperware type container? With or without cling film (i mean Saran) on top, if it's in a container

[Isa]

I freeze ganache in a plastic container. It keeps forever really Kimmie. I must have defrost and re freeze it a couple of time. It still taste great and never loose it shine.

[panini]

peachcreek,
I would put those truffles in your storage room wrapped, as long as they don't freeze. The air in your coolers is likely to have much more humidity than ambient air.
I'm not disagreeing with anyone, but if you freeze any chocolate item, prepared or plain, it does not take a trained palette to pick out the pre-frozen one. I know this from a very costly $$ challange. I always thought the product tasted right after freezing untill put side by side.
just my 2cents.
pan

[momoreg]

Tupperware is fine, and no Saran is needed.

Panini, I'll have to conduct that side by side test one of these days.

[W.DeBord]

I saw someone the other day serving square truffles on "best of" on foodtv. I had never even thought of doing that (just pour into pan, chilly and cut). What do you think? Not classy...I kind of thought it was cool.

Would you serve them square?

[m brown]

Hazlenut and coffee flavors are done square as are marzipans and several others. When done well they are a thing of beauty to behold!

[pastry--chef]

We just had an international buffet at our hotel this weekend and on part of our petit four/truffle selection platter we had the same square chocolate truffles, we lined a sheet tray with a thin layer of marzipan then poured a dark ganache over it so it was an inch high, froze it cut into 1 inch squares dusted with cocoa a great hit velvety smooth mmmmmm (actually one of my favourites because you can make a absolute pile of these things in no time at all, can make 3 days in advance but are still simple but highly tasty ) we made the moulded chocolates and petit four glace and petit four sec as well croque en bouche and bouche de noel all for a G8 themed dinner .

[W.DeBord]

The square ones I saw where just dusted with cocoa powder. Could you decribe what you mean by "when done well they are a thing of beauty", how have you seen them presented?

[m brown]

layered dark,milk and hazelnut ganaches cut to show layers with a tempered chocolate top.
low and enrobed with gold leaf dot on top.
Low and enrobed with pistachio half on top
enrobed in dark chocolate with white chocolate zig-zag on top~

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

check out Larry Burdicks site, he is an outstanding American Chocolatier in New England. He does the most wonderful work!http://www.burdickchocolate.com/abou...chocolates.htm

[W.DeBord]

Thanks for the reference. They look very nice!

Actually (I do mice like that (chocolate passion book)... I'd ask for more then them) I thought some of their prices like the mice, boxed with a bow for $2.50 are a steal (most bridal favors cost more)! Even the box of cigars....seemed very very reasonable!

Love the concept of layer truffles......I do cheesecake bites like that and now I'll surely do truffles that way....it's a great look (and don't tell anyone but it's easy too).

Thanks for the info.!