Thursday, March 21, 2013

Black-on-Black Truffles

"Dark, velvety, lumpy, bumpy chocolate truffles are as prized as the fungi for which whey were named, and after which they were modeled. These luxurious candies are the simplest of the truffle family, made of nothing more than cream, butter, and bittersweet chocolate. In French, dark chocolate is called chocolat noir or black chocolate, so you can understand why Pierre dubbed these "black truffles." Once the black truffles are shaped between your palms, they're plunged into cocoa powder, giving truth to the name "black on black." -quoted from Pierre Hermé.

Well, Pierre Hermé said pretty much everything about these truffles. I really have nothing else to say... well... other than that I had no idea that truffles are way easier to make than I thought they were. Only four ingredients.  

Just imagine, eating your very first truffle; you savour every bite, or choke as you stuff your face with more and more truffles, or just live in the moment as it melts in your mouth, wouldn't you want more? I did. But the only truffles thats were left in the Godiva box had nuts and I'm allergic to most nuts. And so I was anxcious to make some truffles and take all the creds for it =)  and that's exactly what I did.











-from Pierre Hermé's cookbook "Chocolate Desserts." 

Makes about 40 truffles. 

The truffles can be served as soon as they are coated or they can be stored in the fridge for a day or two, covered and away from foods with strong odors. 

INGREDIENTS:
9 ounces (260 grams) bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona Caraïbe, finely chopped
1 cup (250 grams) heavy cream
3 1/2 tablespoons (1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 4 pieces
Dutch-processed cocoa powder, preferably Valrhona, for dusting

DIRECTIONS:
Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl that can hold all of the ingredients. Bring the cream to a full boil in a saucepan or microwave oven, then pour the hot cream into the center of the chocolate. Working with a spatula, gently stir the cream into the chocolate in ever-widening concentric circles until the ganache is homogeneous and smooth. Allow the ganache to rest on the counter for about a minute before adding the butter.

Add the butter 2 pieces at a time, stirring gently to blend. When all the butter is blended into the mixture, pour the ganache into a baking pan or bowl. Put the pan in the refrigerator and, when the ganache is cool, cover it with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours. The ganache can stay in the refrigerator overnight, if that's better for you.


When you are ready to shape the truffles, spoon a generous amount of cocoa powder into a bowl, and set out a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper. Remove the truffle mixture from the fridge and scoop up a scant tablespoon of ganache for each truffle; put the dollops of ganache on the paper-lined pan. Dust the palms of your hands with cocoa powder and, one by one, roll the mounds of ganache between your palms to form rounds. Don't worry about making them even-they're supposed to be gnarly and misshapen. As you shape each truffle, drop it into the bowl of cocoa powder, toss it in the cocoa so that it is well coated, and then very gingerly toss it between your palms to shake off the excess cocoa. Alternatively, you can roll the truffles around in a sieve to encourage them to shake off their extra cocoa. As each truffle is finished, return it to the parchment-lined pan, and it's ready to be served!


Bon appétit!    


No comments :