Truffles

Your name: Michelle "MISH"

What makes this recipe special to you: I learned how to make this at js bonbons Chocolate school. Again, a cooking present from my sister. If you love chocolate, and I mean GOOD chocolate, none of this Nestle chocolate bar stuff - then this recipe is for you.

Prep & Cooking Time: 1 hour over 2 days

Technique Involved: YIKES! stovetop work and tempering

The Number of People It Will Serve: 25-30 truffles

Ingredients:

500g - chocolate of choice

155ml 35% cream

1 tbs. butter

Special Tricks we should know:

- use the best chocolate you can find - Valhrona or calbaut are very good. You can get both at the St. Lawrence Market

- If you are strapped for time, use PC Choice chocolate, though the end result is not as good.

- Make sure you eat something before you make this, otherwise, all the sugar will go to your head.

- Mix and match dark with white. white with milk, etc...

- Do not get water into your chocolate.

- Roll truffles in cocoa, a mix of nuts or even put strips chocolate over top. The world is your oyster baby!

Instructions:

Day 1

Ganache - this is the filling inside the truffle:

Warm the cream and butter on the stove. Bring to a boil.

In a Double Boiler, melt the chocolate (just use 300g). Do not overcook.

Combine the creame mixture with the melted chocolate.

Mix very well.

Once cooled to room temperature, place in refrigerator overnight. (Make sure it is well sealed. I would even use cyran wrap to make sure air doesn't get in.

Day 2

Take the ganache and make them into small bite-size balls. Use your hands.

If the ganache is really hard to get out, use a mellon ball roller, and then, roll in hands to smooth out.

Place them on wax paper. If they are melting, put in fridge. But try not to do this.

Tempering

Meanwhile, melt the rest of the chocolate 150g over the double boiler. Keep on mixing. Do not burn.

To make sure the chocolate is well tempered, you must keep on mixing. Mix, mix, mix.

To know when it is ready, you can do a spoon test.

Put a strip of chocolate over the back of a spoon. If it hardens in 2 minutes, it is ready.

When chocolate is tempered, coat the ganache balls. Use your hands.

Then place them back on the wax paper. This has to be done fairly quickly.

If the chocolate hardens again, then go back to the double boiler to retemper it.

Nutritional Information: I am afraid to say

Best Matching Drink for Dish: Milk, Any wine