Chocolate Truffles & Ganache

Chocolate Ganache - makes about 2 cups 

Chocolate Ganache is a mixture of chocolate and cream. Depending on the amount of each ingredient and whether it's warm or cold, it can be a silky smooth sauce or a firm chocolate truffle. When cooled, it can also be whipped into a frosting. 

By using organic, fairly, and ethically traded dark chocolate, and raw cream like Raw Farm usa, you've got a decadent, probiotic, healthy treat. Purchased chocolate truffles include corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, artificial colors, and chocolate that is not ethically sourced.

P.S. My mocktail is bubbly water, pomegranate juice, and the brine from fermented cranberries ❤️

Anjali of Chocolat Bella recommends:

• Look for organic and fairly, and ethically traded chocolate ingredients as much as possible

  • Cacao is a highly sprayed crop

  • The cacao industry is also notorious for the use of child/slave labor, especially cacao from the Ivory Coast/other African regions

  • Fair-trade certification is NOT always a guarantee of ethical practices. Ideally, look for "ethically sourced."

Chocolate Ganache Sauce - Use warm Ganache sauce over ice cream, pound cake, etc.

Ingredients:

7 to 8 ounces organic, fair trade chocolate (61+ percent cacao or more)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Optional: 1 Tbls bourbon, rum, kalua, or other liquor (optional)

Directions:

• Coarsely chop the chocolate. You can also leave it in the foil wrapping and tap it on the counter, allowing it to break into pieces.

• Bring the cream just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Don't stir but instead, let the mixture stand for 10 minutes. Immediately stirring the ganache will cool it too quickly, making it grainy.

• Stir with a whisk until smooth and shiny to break up any pieces and emulsify cream and chocolate. Add the two tablespoons reserved cold cream. It will help to avoid or resolve a grainy sauce. Scrape the dish with a rubber spatula to incorporate chocolate settled at the bottom of the pan.

• Serve warm. Ganache can also be rewarmed very gently in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

To make a whipped filling or frosting: 

Let the ganache cool to room temperature, occasionally stirring, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. You can:

• Beat it with a paddle on medium-high speed until slightly fluffy. Pipe immediately. Perfect for macarons, thick and creamy.

• Whip the ganache with a whisk attachment to a lighter, fluffier frosting-like consistency, 2 to 4 minutes.

• If it separates, gently re-melt and start over.

Ganache Truffles

Ingredients:

7 to 8 oz fair trade organic chocolate 61% or higher for dark chocolate ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream    

1 Tbls unsalted grass-fed butter or regular butter

2 to 3 tsp rum, Grand Marnier, Cognac, Amaretto, etc.

Coating; choose one or several (about 1/2 cup)

• Unsweetened organic cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder to coat truffles

• Powdered peanut butter, like PBfit Peanut Butter Powder

• Freeze-dried strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries ground to a powder in a small grinder like a coffee grinder.

• Finely chopped or ground nuts

• Toasted sesame seeds - exchange butter in truffles for 1 tablespoon tahini - add to the cooled truffle mixture when you blend the chocolate into the cream, not into the cream alone.

• Freeze-dried honey granules

• Any crazy thing you can think of! Let me know what you come up with!

To make Truffles:

1. Coarsely chop the chocolate.

2. Reserve the 2 additional tablespoons of cream to the side.

3. Bring the one-half cup cream just to a bubbly simmer over medium heat in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan large enough to hold cream and chocolate.

4. Once the cream comes to a simmer, remove it from the heat, and add the chocolate. Allow it to stand for 10 minutes (don't stir -- doing so will cool the chocolate too quickly, making it grainy.)

5. Add one tablespoon of reserved cream and whisk gently until smooth and shiny.

6. Add the alcohol if used and the second tablespoon of cream. It will help to avoid or resolve a grainy truffle. Scrape the dish with a rubber spatula to incorporate the mixture.

7. Allow to cool completely, cover, and chill until firm and cold.

8. Once the ganache is cold and firm, scoop balls using a very small cookie scoop, melon baller, or spoon, and place them on a wax paper-lined sheet pan.

9. Roll the pieces quickly into organic-looking rounds that look like truffles. Thin disposable gloves are helpful. Work quickly using your fingertips which are not as warm as the palms of your hands.

10. Chill until firm but still tacky, 5 to 10 minutes.

11. Place the cacao powder or coating of choice below in a small, wide bowl.

12. Roll each truffle in the coating to coat and place back on the cookie sheet.

13. Chill until completely firm.

14. Store in a cookie tin or glass container layered with wax paper in the fridge. Note: Plastic can give the truffles a plastic flavor.