Tried choc melts with some cream to thin it, but its too gluey. how do you avoid them getting a flat bottom?I have had truffles in freezer for an hour - not long enuf?What do you sit them on once dipped, how long to hold them on the dipping wire spoon thingy etc? Any other tips and tricks you have please?
wildflower,
Dec 11, 9:07pm
I don't know how you could avoid flat bottoms.I just dip mine in melted Whittakers and leave to set.You buy any chocolate you usually have one side that's the bottom.
gardie,
Dec 11, 9:23pm
If your melted chocolate is too thick, add some kremelta, teaspoon by teaspoon until it is the consistency you want.Pop the truffles in the freezer prior to dipping and the chocolate sets pretty much instantly.I'm a bit worried that you may have put too much cream in the chocolate and it won't set by the sounds of it.Use 2 forks to turn the truffle in the chocolate then lift it with one, let drip and then very carefully use the other fork to slide it off onto some baking paper.Like wildflower says, they'll will always be a bottom.If you've let it drip enough, it won't form a pool of chocolate underneath but will sit beautifully on a plate without rolling around.
Also, best not to freeze after dipping - the chocolate sweats.I made mint slice truffles this morning and some peanut butter ones.Once dipped, I put a swirl of white chocolate on the mint ones, and some chopped nuts on the peanut ones.They look devine - and taste good too.
wildflower,
Dec 11, 9:25pm
gardie, have you a recipe for the peanut butter ones please?
I tried the mint slice ones last week.Discovered too much dark choccie gives me a headache lol.
suzyf,
Dec 11, 9:30pm
Hi wildflower this the recipe i gave gardie yesterday, xmas balls 3 cups icing sugar 200g crunchy peanut butter 1 tea spoon vanilla 100g butter. mix together,roll into balls and freeze. Melt 1 tablespoon Kremelta and half a cake of melting chocolate, dip the balls in the chocolate.
gardie,
Dec 11, 9:32pm
Thanks suzy!
suzyf,
Dec 11, 9:32pm
When I dip the balls I use tooth picks,one to dip and the other to help get it out.lol not an easy job
wildflower,
Dec 11, 9:38pm
Thanks for that.I used metal skewers, like toothpicks they leave little trace once coated.
gardie,
Dec 11, 9:39pm
A skewer would probably work too - I found that the frozen balls were very easy to handle with the fork although you have to make sure the balls are thoroughly coated in chocolate - a couple 'leaked'.Good excuse to eat them I guess.
holmsies,
Dec 11, 9:59pm
Thanks for all the good advice.Whats your prefered chocolate for dipping, are choc melts OK or need real chocolate?Will have to get some kremelta tomorrow.
rosathemad,
Dec 11, 10:11pm
I prefer real chocolate as it tastes miles better, and after all taste is the most important thing. ;-)
I have made truffles on sticks (for bouquets, see the first pic here: http://www.mrscake.co.nz/2010/10/tim-tam-truffles-and-candy-melts-winner.html ) and because they dry on the sticks (I stand them in cups on the bench, or you can stick them in polystyrene or oasis they don't have bases, so you could do that and take the sticks out afterwards, but you would then have a little hole.
I never add anything to my chocolate, just melt and dip. Be careful when melting not to over-heat - once it starts getting soft often you can stop heating it and just stir to get it smooth.
gardie,
Dec 12, 12:41am
I just use Pams brand chocolate melts - I only get Nestles if they are on special.I don't put Kremelta in - it is a good thickness of coating - only add the kremelta if you want it to be thinner.Have a good time doing these.Tedious but oh so worth it!
fpe1,
Dec 12, 2:48am
I made ginger truffles that came out well, even though the mixture overloaded my food processor and I had to finish mixing by hand! I froze them overnight and dipped them in chocolate today. I have a problem now that the filling is squeezing out - like little worms! What causes this and how can I prevent it happening!
didorothy,
Dec 12, 3:12am
How do you temper choc
gardie,
Dec 12, 9:56pm
Had the same thing happen with my peanut butter truffles last year.I put it down to condensation between the frozen ball and the unfrozen chocolate.I have some in the freezer this year but I'm going to completely defrost them first and then dip them.(A bit closer to Christmas though).
fpe1,
Dec 13, 12:31am
Thank you Gardie - I will try that next time
shop-a-holic,
Dec 13, 12:54am
Okay.I'm in the middle of cooking and serving dinner, so I;m going to type as fast as I can, and also.if need be.will come back to this thread, if I haven't finished.
TEMPERING CHOCOLATE True chocolatiers will "temper" melted chocolate to obtain that SNAP back. They do this, generally on a marble or granite work top. What they are doing is reducing the temperature of melted chocolate, so that it is workable and gains the snap back.
When you melt chocolate (heat being applied), the molecules are being separated from each other, and letting go their ties to each other. Thus become liquid.They act in the same way, because of the high saturated fat content, like butter and cheese. When they cool, they are not in the same form, as when you started with them.Butter proteins are separated, as in using cheese. When you melt (or separate these items); they do not go back to their original form.
So, what we need to do.is "knit" the molecules back together.
shop-a-holic,
Dec 13, 1:01am
Not everyone has a granite kitchen, or marble big enough to temper the chocolate they are working with. Investment in Candy Thermometers are required for cooks who need to reduce the melted temperature to a temperature back, when working with chocolate. But here's a foolproof way to do it.
MELTED CHOCOLATE If you can understand the molecules are now loose, free, not connected with each other. What we need to do, is add "seed chocolate" to knit the whole community together.
Take the amount of chocolate you want to melt - say 200gms; of at least 70% cocao. Divide it by two thirds, and melt, in a bowl over a simmering pot.
When the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and add, the broken up remaining third of chocolate.Stir constantly, to allow the 'seed' chocolate to connect with the melted stuff. It will melt; thus reduce the temperature of the melted temperature.You are seeding, and tempering chocolate.
shop-a-holic,
Dec 13, 1:09am
Chocolate is now ready to be used for dipping truffles, and like cookessential advises, it is imperative to use a dipping swirl, to shake the excess dipped chocolate off; when placing your truffles in to be coated.
200gms of tempered chocolate will coat 30-40 truffles.
Personally, I think the term "tempering" is very scary for people, so I like to call it "Seeding". Seeding allows normal molecules of chocolate to attach themselves to the melted ones, resulting in getting "your snap back".
missmoo4,
Dec 13, 4:14pm
need some truffle expert advice. This is the first time I have attempted to make them as balls. The recipe calls for melted white choc and condensed milk, mixed with crumbed plain bikkies and chopped apricots, mixed together then rolled into balls on a baking tray to set in the fridge. Mine just ended up as puddles! After being in the fridge for about 5 mins, i scrapped them up and mooshed them into something vaguely resembling balls. Should I have rested the mix for a while before attempting to ball them! Or something else! Or is having to moosh them later just something that you have to do. The recipe makes it sound so easy!
elliehen,
Dec 13, 4:47pm
shop-a-holic, thanks for that concise explanation.Just in time for me to get a better result with my next batch.
didorothy,
Dec 14, 7:44pm
thank you shop -a -holic I,ll have another go. Last lot went crumbly again ! It hadnt melted it quite enough to dip, so added some cream. Didnt like it so have just spreadchoc on silicone mat and put in fridge to eat! Thanks for you explanation on tempering.
nunesy,
Dec 15, 9:25pm
To stop getting a 'base' of choc on your dipped choc balls etc you can run a toothpick around the base before it's set completely (ie before putting them in the fridge) and then when they're set you can lift them off and the ball breaks away from the excess choc where the toothpick line is.But if you dip with the choc and kremelta mix as explained by others here, there's not usually too much of a base to worry about.
cookessentials,
Dec 16, 12:38am
Use a dipping swirl
samanya,
Dec 16, 3:19am
I agree ...marvellous gadget.
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