QUESTION about TRUFFLES please read

[spaZDaisE04]

I am trying to make truffles. I got the middle part done and it tastes awesome! but whenit comes to melting the chocolate it doesnt work. it turns in to a big blob. i do use a double brolier and its not working for me. please help

 

[merstarr]

Make sure the water in the bottom of the double boiler is barely simmering, and you mix the chocolate frequently with a wire whisk until melted and smooth. What kind of chocolate are you using?

 

[spaZDaisE04]

Question about Truffles please read

i use ghirardelli chips. is there something else i should use?

 

[merstarr]

Although chocolate chips melt much slower than bar chocolate, they shouldn't be a "big blob" as you described, especially if you use a wire whisk to smooth them out. But in general, it's not a good idea to use chips for melting - they have an added ingredient which help them maintain their shape, and therefore, are more difficult to melt. I suggest using bar chocolate and chopping it. I don't know what your recipe calls for, semi-sweet or bittersweet, but you can buy either in 4 oz Ghirardelli bars.

 

[Psiguyy]

Is the problem that it just doesn't melt or does it melt and then turn into a blob?

The proper way to do it is to heat the cream until it's simmering, then pour it over finely chopped chocolate. The heat from the hot cream melts the chocolate. The finer you chop the chocolate, the quicker the chocolate will melt. Mix it gently with a whisk. Try not to mix in any air.

I think you need to go with bar chocolate or chocolate pistols (discs) that are designed for melting. I never liked using chocolate chips for anything but sprinkling into or over something where you want the chips to stay chip shaped even after baking.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Too much heat firms the chocolate into a ball. As was stated above, lower the heat in the bottom boiler. Also, if the chocolate becomes too thick, add a bit of water. This will instantaneously harden the chocolate as it lowers the temperature. But as it heats up, the chocolate will become more smooth and runny. I've had no problem with chocolate chips, but do agree that bar chocolate is easier to work with.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[MochaBean04]

question about truffles please read

the problem is that it melts a little and then just turns into a blob. I boil the water then put it on low to melt the chocolate..
i wasted the bag of chips i got today. lol i wish i knoew bar chocolate was easier to use. thats for the advice. Im gonna have to pick up a bar before i give them away lol

thanks again

melissa

 

[Psiguyy]

You all sure have a different way of making truffles from what I do. Why do you melt the chocolate in a double boiler first?

 

[merstarr]

You all sure have a different way of making truffles from what I do. Why do you melt the chocolate in a double boiler first?

Why not? I find it a much better way to melt chocolate, rather than by pouring hot cream over it. Sometimes the hot cream doesn't melt the chocolate thoroughly and leaves small lumps, but with a double boiler, you are assured of completely melted chocolate. Either way, it's entirely up to the individual. I prefer the double boiler method.

 

[WayneT]

I had this happen a couple of times. My problem was using the cheaper Compounded chocolate against proper cooking chocolate or normal eating chocolate.

 

[merstarr]

I had this happen a couple of times. My problem was using the cheaper Compounded chocolate against proper cooking chocolate or normal eating chocolate.

This can happen with top quality chocolate also. I've had this happen with Scharffen Berger and other high-level brands.

 

[scott123]

But in general, it's not a good idea to use chips for melting - they have an added ingredient which help them maintain their shape, and therefore, are more difficult to melt

Ghiardelli chips and ghiardelli bar chocolate are the same recipe.

Chips are perfectly fine for using over a double boiler.

As far as making a ganache, though, I go for the more traditional route, a la Psiguyy.

 

[scott123]

Re: question about truffles please read

the problem is that it melts a little and then just turns into a blob. I boil the water then put it on low to melt the chocolate..
i wasted the bag of chips i got today.

Your water should be nowhere near boiling/simmering for melting chocolate. The whole point of a double boiler is very low sustained heat. That's why you're chocolate is clumping (it's called 'seizing').

Even if you do get lucky and your chocolate doesn't seize, those higher temperatures have done irrepairable damage to it. Chocolate has flavor components that are driven off/damaged by temperatures over 140 degrees.

You'd probably save yourself a ton of angst by just shaving the chocolate and adding it to the heated cream. Traditional methods like this were incorporated because they were the best.

The only technology that I have found to improve on this method are new stoves being built with dedicated chocolate elements that don't go above 140 degrees.

 

[Audeo]

Well, MochaBean, you're making progress! The truffle filling is holding its shape! Good job!

The folks here have given you some great advice and should help you prevent your chocolate from seizing again. Just go slow and keep the temp low...

For ganache, I pour hot cream over chopped chocolate. For tempering, I always use a double-boiler method.

 

[marmalady]

Is there any chance a drop - even a drop! - of water got into your chocolate, and made it 'seize'? The 'melting a little bit and then turning into a blob' almost sounds like it's seizing to me.

BTW, I always melt chocolate in the microwave, and have never had any problems; even white chocolate, which is a very finicky lady!

 

[kyles]

Like marmalady I always use the microwave, on 50%, and check it every minute. I find using a double boiler too stressful!!! I always manage to splash water into the chocolate and get a seized up mess.

For truffles I usually heat the cream and butter but not the chocolate, the heat from the cream soon melts it, though you need to stir very vigurously.

The compounded chocolate is the work of the devil WayneT!!!

 

[merstarr]

But in general, it's not a good idea to use chips for melting - they have an added ingredient which help them maintain their shape, and therefore, are more difficult to melt

Ghiardelli chips and ghiardelli bar chocolate are the same recipe.

Chips are perfectly fine for using over a double boiler.

As far as making a ganache, though, I go for the more traditional route, a la Psiguyy.

You're absolutely right about the Ghirardelli chips and bar chocolate - I just checked the labels. I should have said "SOME" chips have an added ingredient which help them maintain their shape and slow down the melting...

 

[scott123]

You're absolutely right about the Ghirardelli chips and bar chocolate - I just checked the labels. I should have said "SOME" chips have an added ingredient which help them maintain their shape and slow down the melting...

After a similar conversation a month or two ago, I took a trip to a few supermarkets and researched the formulations. I don't understand why people think there's strange additives to chocolate chips (wax, etc.). There isn't. Semi sweet chocolate chips are just that - tempered semi sweet chocolate. Nothing added.

This includes:

Nestles
Hershey's
Bakers
Ghirardelli
Shop Rite/Pathmark/Stop & Shop/Krogers/A&P/Wegmans (House Brand)
Trader Joes
Tropical Source
Guittard

 

[Psiguyy]

I believe you about the chips, but that doesn't explain why I've never had much luck with melting the chips. The texture of the chips just seem different from the bars, at least to me.

 

[Audeo]

Of my notice, unsweeted chocolate commonly found on store shelves (Nestles, Hersheys, Bakers) is just chocolate. Nothing else added.

But, any others, such from bittersweet to german sweet, contain soy lecithin as an emulsifier.

I won't even begin to cite the ingredients used to create commercial "almond bark" and "candy coating" discs that many use for dipping! First of all, I don't have any to read from, but I recall seeing a rather exhaustive list of ingredients and additives, most having hyphens and numerals in and among the 15-letter words.... Also, I like to try and be a wee bit more accurate in what I espouse today... :roll:

By the way, I'm not intending here to knock the use of almond bark or the coating discs. I merely choose not to use them. In my book, whatever gets people into their kitchens making their own candy, in whatever form or fashion, is tops in my book!