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Making chocolate things for Christmas
Former Member
Owl WhispererPosts: 1,020 Wise Owl
Even if you have leftover chocolates they can still be used to make truffles. Chocolate truffles can be expensive in the shops, but rewarding to make because they taste so good and take no time at all. They also make wonderful presents for Christmas. Ganache, a posh word often used by chocolatiers is only cream + chocolate, and the rest is a doddle providing the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the simmering water underneath.
This thread of recipes include several versions of chocolate truffles, a lovely fudge cake by aunty, a choccy fridge cake and a very nice looking chocolate meringue cake by Hugh Fearnley-Whittinstall.
I start with a family favourite by Nigel Slater who descripes his chocolate truffles as "a Christmas treat that is as easy to make as it is delightful to receive." The recipe came from The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/18/nigel-slater-classic-chocolate-truffles .
The recipe
Chop 225g of fine dark chocolate into small pieces about the size of gravel, then put it into a heatproof china or glass bowl. Pour 135ml of double cream into a small saucepan and heat gently. As the cream approaches the boil, remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate, stirring slowly until melted. Put the mixture in the fridge for an hour to chill. Remove heaped tablespoons of the mixture and roll very gently into balls or small logs. Drop into cocoa powder and roll them around gently to cover, then remove and serve. Makes 15 large truffles.
The trick
Use a good-quality dark chocolate with about 70% cocoa solids. Chop it very finely so that it melts in the warm cream. If the chocolate refuses to melt, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir gently. Don't leave the chocolate mixture in the fridge for more than an hour or it will become too stiff to roll easily. Make certain your hands are cool for the rolling, or better still, leave the truffles rough-edged.
The twist
You can, of course, add brandy or rum to the mixture, but other flavourings, such as spices, work nicely, too. Add these to the cream rather than the truffles. Put the crushed cardamom, cinnamon sticks or vanilla pods into the cream and bring to the boil. Cover and set aside to cool for an hour. Strain to remove the spices, then warm the cream again before using it to melt the chocolate. Instead of cocoa powder, cover the truffles in melted chocolate and leave to set to a crisp coating.
Contact Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or visit theguardian.com/profile/nigelslater for all his recipes in one place. They are very good recipes, quite inspiring.
This thread of recipes include several versions of chocolate truffles, a lovely fudge cake by aunty, a choccy fridge cake and a very nice looking chocolate meringue cake by Hugh Fearnley-Whittinstall.
I start with a family favourite by Nigel Slater who descripes his chocolate truffles as "a Christmas treat that is as easy to make as it is delightful to receive." The recipe came from The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/18/nigel-slater-classic-chocolate-truffles .
The recipe
Chop 225g of fine dark chocolate into small pieces about the size of gravel, then put it into a heatproof china or glass bowl. Pour 135ml of double cream into a small saucepan and heat gently. As the cream approaches the boil, remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate, stirring slowly until melted. Put the mixture in the fridge for an hour to chill. Remove heaped tablespoons of the mixture and roll very gently into balls or small logs. Drop into cocoa powder and roll them around gently to cover, then remove and serve. Makes 15 large truffles.
The trick
Use a good-quality dark chocolate with about 70% cocoa solids. Chop it very finely so that it melts in the warm cream. If the chocolate refuses to melt, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir gently. Don't leave the chocolate mixture in the fridge for more than an hour or it will become too stiff to roll easily. Make certain your hands are cool for the rolling, or better still, leave the truffles rough-edged.
The twist
You can, of course, add brandy or rum to the mixture, but other flavourings, such as spices, work nicely, too. Add these to the cream rather than the truffles. Put the crushed cardamom, cinnamon sticks or vanilla pods into the cream and bring to the boil. Cover and set aside to cool for an hour. Strain to remove the spices, then warm the cream again before using it to melt the chocolate. Instead of cocoa powder, cover the truffles in melted chocolate and leave to set to a crisp coating.
Contact Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or visit theguardian.com/profile/nigelslater for all his recipes in one place. They are very good recipes, quite inspiring.
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Comments
Spanish cognac and Valor (Spanish chocolate) makes this recipe authentic. Lidls and Asda sell Valor, but ask if you can't find it. If they don't stock it, then use Menier Chocolate which is very good and is found in the baking section in Sainsbury's where the flour is. Or Lindt 70% which is often on offer at this time of the year.
Notes: In step 3. add more icing sugar if you can't get the right consistency
In step 5. you can use icing sugar instead of cocoa powder if you prefer
250g good quality chocolate
50g butter
80ml fresh cream
50g icing sugar
3 tbsp brandy
50g cocoa powder
Break the chocolate up into small pieces and place in a glass bowl over simmering water (make sure the bowl isn´t touching the water) - you mustn´t stir the chocolate as it melts, but you may push the chocolate pieces beneath the melted chocolate to help it.
When the chocolate has completely melted remove from over the heat and add the butter and the cream and mix together well
Add the brandy and the icing sugar and continue mixing until all the ingredients form a thick smooth mixture
Place the mixture in the fridge for about 30 mins
Finally form small balls with the mixture and lightly dust with the cocoa powder - place on a plate to serve
Makes 20-25
275g dark chocolate, finely chopped
250ml double cream
50g unsalted butter at room temperature
50g cocoa powder
2 tsp of orange zest, finely grated
50g white chocolate, optional
Place the dark chocolate in a large bowl, heat the cream until it has just started boiling and pour it over the chocolate.
Stir this gently until all of the chocolate has melted. Leave this mixture to cool for a few minutes and then gently stir in the butter until it has been fully incorporated.
-If one wants to make chocolate orange truffles divide the truffle mixture into two bowls and mix the orange zest into one half of the mixture.
Leave the truffle mixture to cool and set in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours. Remove the ganache from the fridge about 15 minutes before you want to make the truffles.
Dust your hands with cocoa powder and begin rolling spoonfulls of the chocolate mixture into cocoa covered balls roughly 2-2.5 cm in diameter. Or a bit larger if you want to pig it.
-If one would like some added decoration one may melt a little white chocolate and flick it over the truffles, we did this in order to distinguish between the two types of truffles.
Note. Be careful to do this on grease-proof paper and allow the white chocolate enough time to set. The truffles can then be returned to the fridge and kept for up to 2 days in an air tight container.
Makes around 15
100ml double cream
40g light muscovado sugar
110g dark chocolate
25g butter, softened
250g milk chocolate
Cocoa, to dust
Heat the cream and sugar together over a gentle heat until it comes to the boil. Allow to simmer for a minute, then take off the heat and leave to cool for a couple of minutes.
Meanwhile, smash the chocolate into small pieces (slamming the bars against a work surface is a satisfying way to do this) and cut the butter into small dice. Put in a large heatproof bowl.
Pour the cream and sugar mixture on to the chocolate and butter and leave for a couple of minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy. Add a pinch of salt and allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate until set (about 2 hours).
Use a teaspoon to scoop out truffles, then roll them by hand into spheres.
Chill your truffles while you temper the chocolate.
Next, put two thirds of the milk chocolate into a heatproof bowl over, but not touching the simmering water and allow to melt.
Remove from the heat and add the rest of the chocolate.
Stir to melt. If you have a sugar thermometer, check when the temperature reaches 31C. Once the chocolate has reached the right temperature, dip each truffle into it to coat, sprinkle with cocoa and place on a piece of greaseproof paper to set.
Note on sugar thermometers. They are quite cheap to buy online if you shop around.
50g cocoa powder
150g self raising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
150g butter, softened
100g light brown muscovado sugar
4 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons milk
for the icing:
100g dark chocolate or use half milk and half plain
100g butter, softened
75-100g icing sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
mini eggs or chocolate curls to decorate
Preheat the oven to 180c. Grease then line a 23cm springform cake tin.
Sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl (or your food mixer.)
Add the butter, sugar, eggs and milk and beat until smooth and light.
Put the mixture in the cake tin, make a shallow hollow in the middle and cook for 30 minutes until it is ready.
Once done, leave to cool then remove from the cake tin.
To make the icing, melt the chocolate and butter in a bain marie.
Stir together, then sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder to make a smooth paste.
Cover the top of the cake with the cooled icing and decorate with mini eggs or chocolate curls.
Prep time 15 mins
Chill time 4 hours
125g unsalted butter
75g golden syrup
200g 70% dark chocolate, broken into bits.
1 egg
50g digestive biscuits
50g whole walnuts
50g sultanas
50g glacé cherries, plus a few for decoration
Line the loaf tin with greaseproof paper or baking parchment and set aside.
Melt the butter and syrup together in a small saucepan over a gentle heat until they begin to boil.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over a saucepan of barely simmering water, then mix thoroughly with the butter and golden syrup.
Pasteurise the egg by beating it slowly and continuously into the hot chocolate mixture.
Break up the biscuits into large chunks. (Remember, they will be broken further when mixed, so don't make them too small.)
Add the walnuts, sultanas and most of the cherries.
Pour the chocolate mixture on to the dry ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon.
Press the mixture into the tin and decorate with reserved glacé cherries (optional. I don't bother, but bung them in to the mixture.
Leave to set in the fridge for about 4 hours. Remove from the fridge, peel off the paper and cut into slices or cubes. Serve chilled.
300g digestive biscuits
100g raisins and/or sultanas
200g unsalted butter
4 tablespoons golden syrup
1 heaped tablespoon cocoa powder
300g high quality chocolate
Put the digestive biscuits in a bag and bash into small pieces with a rolling pin then mix in a bowl with the raisins.
Melt the butter, syrup and cocoa powder in pan, stirring constantly until it just starts to bubble.
Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well so all combined.
Pour into a foil lined baking tray (approx 18cm x 24cm) and press out until level.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl placed in a pan with a couple of inches of hot (not boiling) water until it flows freely then pour over the top and spread out evenly.
Refrigerate overnight before cutting up.
It looks awesome, and isn't that difficult to make if you follow the recipe exactly.
As an alternative, spoon the mix into glasses, set it in the fridge and serve as a mousse.
Serves eight.
1 quantity basic meringues, as above
Raspberries, to serve
For the semifreddo
150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
3 large eggs
75g caster sugar
225ml double cream
Line a 1kg loaf tin (ie, around 11cm x 22cm internal dimensions) with clingfilm.
Put the chocolate in a basin over a pan of simmering water until melted, then leave to cool until tepid.
Put the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and whisk with an electric whisk (or mixer) until quadrupled in volume, thick, pale and creamy. The mix should hold a trail when you lift the beaters.
Fold in the chocolate. Whip the cream until it holds soft peaks and fold into the mixture, too.
Roughly crush the meringues - you want some nice big bits in there - and fold into the chocolate mix.
Spread into the tin and freeze for about eight hours.
You should be able to slice it straight from the freezer. Serve in small slices (it's very rich!!), with some raspberries alongside.
These all sound amazing. Hopefully I can get some time between Christmas and going traveling to make some of these (or attempt to)
Thanks Aife, but photos don't seem to stay visible on my posts or Jules'. Otherwise I'd be only too pleased. They end up as links, but clicking on them get us nowhere.
Jules and I visited Ladurée in Paris. This old, but well established bakery made the most delicious hot chocolate I've ever sipped. It's deliciously thick and is quite easily made. The recipe for it can be found here.
http://www.parislovespastry.com/2010/09/ladurees-hot-chocolate.html