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Erin
Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 1654 Location: Within view of Elliot Bay, The Olympics and every ship in the Sound
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Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 3:16 pm Post subject: Chocolate |
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I will follow Judy's lead and write about chocolate. What is your favorite recipe for chocolate?
My favorite way to eat chocolate is as a truffle. I love the cocoa I roll them in. I love the way they melt away as soon as you take a bite. I love the fact that when I serve them at parties my friends begin apologies to their signifigant others, for the truffle is all the lov'in they will need that night. I also love the fact that they are a great excuse to drink champagne.
Combine:
1/2 cup cream
3/4 stick unsalted butter at room temp
Bring to a boil and remove. Pour over 5oz. finely chopped chocolate and wisk well. You can add 2 Tbs liquor if you want, I usually don't. Cool 1 hour. Form and roll in cocoa powder, nuts or what ever you can dream up! _________________ "It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."
"It's hot ham water." |
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Rainey

Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 2498 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
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Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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I was making truffles last night for a family celebration the weekend after TDay. I use Alice Medrich's recipe which includes forming the ganache centers and freezing them (that's where I am starting this AM). Then they get dipped in melted chocolate and stay in the fridge until serving.
I'm going to try to roll my freshly dipped truffles too. Never done that before but when you're committed to messy why not go all the way? I flavored my ganache with three different liqueurs so I hope rolling them in different coatings will help keep clear which is which.
I haven't made these in years. I hope I remember some dipping technique but I *do* remember the first step is to take the phone off the hook so you don't accidentally try to answer it with a hand glopped to the wrist in melted chocolate.  |
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monkey

Joined: 08 Oct 2004 Posts: 87 Location: in the kitchen with a large bar of chocolate
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Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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rainey,
is that the same recipe that says "lick all excess chocolate off of fingers" right after "store in air-tight container"? _________________ monkey
nothing brings primates together like a good snack!
www.TheresAMonkeyInTheKitchenAndHesGotAKnife.com |
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Rainey

Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 2498 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
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Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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monkey wrote: | is that the same recipe that says "lick all excess chocolate off of fingers" right after "store in air-tight container"? |
The very one! ...tho sometimes it can be fun to have an adoring recipient of the truffles help with some of that particular clean-up duty.  |
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monkey

Joined: 08 Oct 2004 Posts: 87 Location: in the kitchen with a large bar of chocolate
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Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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since we are talking chocolate here, tempered or un-tempered chocolate for truffle dipping? _________________ monkey
nothing brings primates together like a good snack!
www.TheresAMonkeyInTheKitchenAndHesGotAKnife.com |
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Rainey

Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 2498 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
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Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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monkey wrote: | since we are talking chocolate here, tempered or un-tempered chocolate for truffle dipping? |
Interesting question! Alice Medrich specifically recommends untempered. You need to keep the truffles stored under refrigeration to prevent bloom. But she says they are much closer to melting temp untempered so you get the immediate rush of the straight chocolate followed by the smoother ganache. And they store well as long as two weeks. [Excuse me, I had to pick myself up from the floor after losing it at the thougth of truffles going uneaten for two weeks!]
Are you accomplished at tempering chocolate? I took a class. Enjoyed it thoroughly but I have *extremely* limited success with my tempering efforts. ...even tho I once popped for a tempering machine.  |
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Erin
Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 1654 Location: Within view of Elliot Bay, The Olympics and every ship in the Sound
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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Monkey, I never dip my truffles. _________________ "It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."
"It's hot ham water." |
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monkey

Joined: 08 Oct 2004 Posts: 87 Location: in the kitchen with a large bar of chocolate
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 6:38 pm Post subject: |
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i have never dipped my truffles either, but, i was contemplating it.
i have not tried it myself, but, i am told that the chocolate tempering instructions on the schraffenberger website is easy and effective. www.scharffenberger.com their explanation about why you temper chocoalte is interesting. mmm... chocolate! _________________ monkey
nothing brings primates together like a good snack!
www.TheresAMonkeyInTheKitchenAndHesGotAKnife.com |
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Rainey

Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 2498 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:23 pm Post subject: |
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monkey wrote: | ...i am told that the chocolate tempering instructions on the schraffenberger website is easy and effective. www.scharffenberger.com their explanation about why you temper chocoalte is interesting. mmm... chocolate! |
Thanks. That sounds simple and direct enough. My particular problem is that I'm not nearly disciplined enough myself to watch melted chocolate and march it through all the required temperature changes. But, more than that, it's *keeping* it in temper while you work with bits of it that has always eluded me. |
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Caitlin
Joined: 14 Dec 2004 Posts: 9 Location: Allentown, NJ
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Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 2:53 am Post subject: |
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Hmmm.. Favorite way to eat chocolate...
Most certainly chipping a corner off that huge block of dark chocolate you have in the back of your fridge and curling up to watch sappy romance movies after your boyfriend breaks up with you..
Other than that.. Chocolate and caramel poured over saltenes. Gotta love that sweet and salty. |
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Rainey

Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 2498 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
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Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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Caitlin wrote: | Hmmm.. Favorite way to eat chocolate...
Most certainly chipping a corner off that huge block of dark chocolate you have in the back of your fridge and curling up to watch sappy romance movies after your boyfriend breaks up with you..
Other than that.. Chocolate and caramel poured over saltenes. Gotta love that sweet and salty. |
Ouch!!! I hope you get your chocolate a whole lot more regularly than you get broken up with, kiddo!  |
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Erin
Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 1654 Location: Within view of Elliot Bay, The Olympics and every ship in the Sound
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2004 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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Catlin, be careful with chocolate in the fridge it will bloom.
Monkey, I just made a holiday assortment of truffles, some in colored sugars, some in candy cane dust and I also dipped some! I was feeling lazy and did not temper, but I think the next batch I will. I love chocolate! _________________ "It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."
"It's hot ham water." |
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Lady Amalthea

Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 136 Location: New York City
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2004 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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Favorite chocolate? Hot cocoa when it's snowing out.
Or cold chocolate pudding in the summer. _________________ Don't forget the cannolis! |
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anna
Joined: 30 Nov 2004 Posts: 45 Location: north carolina, usa
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2004 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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my partner, kevin and my housemate, david and i decided to make chocolates and other candied as gift for our buddies this year, and it was a blast. we emptied out piggybanks (no, seriously) and came out with enough money to by 7 beautiful bars of green & black's organic 70%, plus various toppings and other yummy things.
David made some amazing carmels studded with toasted hazelnuts-- they melt the moment they touch you tongue, and i (inspired by the entry on c&z) made mendiats, which i topped with a variety of goodies including toasted almond slivered, candied ginger, dried mango, dried papaya, sea salt, cardamom, granola, coconut, earl grey tea and freshly grated cinnamon stick. they came out really yummy-- the tea, cinnamon, mano and ginger were favorites.
finally, kevin and i made almond truffles: homemade almost paste mixed with freshly grated cinnamon stick, dipped in chocolate and topped with another sprinkle of cinnamon. def the prettiest of the treats and SO yummy. i'm going to make them with pistachio paste soon. |
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Erin
Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 1654 Location: Within view of Elliot Bay, The Olympics and every ship in the Sound
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Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 2:47 am Post subject: |
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For anyone that is interested check out cuicineprovencale.com they have some great combos for truffles!
Anna, I really like your ideas you are very creative! _________________ "It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."
"It's hot ham water." |
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