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Chief Longwind Of The North

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Just to challenge myself, I have decided to make the perfect filled chocolates. My first will be silk/creamy caramel filled milk chocolates, with the caramel consistency allowing it to gently flow at room temperature. The 2nd will be a butter-cream chocolate filling, similar to that found in Lindor-Lindt truffles.

To that end, I made the two fillings. I nailed the caramel by combining 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 cup water, 1/4 tsp. salt, 2 tbs. light corn syrup, 1 tsp. clear vanilla extract, and a drop of hazelnut flavoring. I brought this to a low boil and whisked continuously to a temperature of 235' F. I then poured it into a bowl and let it cool to room temp. Though the flavor is different, it had the consistancy of the caramel in a Cadbury Caramello.

For the chocolate, I hypothisized that combining a 12.5 oz. Lindt milk chocolate bar with 1/2 cup of butter would combine the butterfat, and cocoa butter to form a creamy filling. Unfortunately, I used salted butter. It changed the flavor enough that I had to add 8 tbs. of powdered sugar to get the flavor somewhat back on track. Also, before adding the powdered sugar, the cooling chocolate was very grainy. I added 1 tbs. of water (oh, don't add water; it will sieze the chocolate!:ohmy:). Where the water first comes into contact with the chocolate, it cools rapidly, causing that little place to solidify. Keep cooking for a few minutes over heat and it will re-melt. The water dissolved the sugar grains that had formed, and made the chocolate silky smooth. But then, because of the added powdered sugar that I whisked in, the chocolate flavor was diluted. I added 2 tbs. cocoa powder, which made it taste good again, but more like fudge than milk chocolate. And the texture isn't What I want. It's turned my wonderful Lindt chocolate bar into a very yummy ice cream sauce. I'm not thinking that it would work in a filled chocolate.

If anyone knows how to make the sublime chocolate center like in the Lindt truffles, please share whatcha know. I'm even saying - pretty-pleeeease.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
I'm not an expert on making chocolates, but I did start eating them at a very early age and have continued to do so for over a half century! :ermm::ohmy::LOL:

I would use a chocolate ganache/truffle recipe, shape it and refrigerate it prior to coating it with the milk chocolate.

I would also check the web for articles, recipes and videos by Jacques Torres.

Good luck!
 
I'm not an expert on making chocolates, but I did start eating them at a very early age and have continued to do so for over a half century! :ermm::ohmy::LOL:

I would use a chocolate ganache/truffle recipe, shape it and refrigerate it prior to coating it with the milk chocolate.

I would also check the web for articles, recipes and videos by Jacques Torres.Good luck!

Sound advice Aunt Bea. :angel:
 
and for the ones that don't work, it is the law to ship them to this address:-

Dragnlaw, c/o the disposal gut, Montreal, Canada.

It is a humane dumping ground that prevents contamination in the surrounding states and provinces. :yum:
 
Re-melting chocolate

Hi candy experts

Are there any wise precautions to take when re-melting chocolate? Particularly white chocolate?

Ta
 
Hi candy experts

Are there any wise precautions to take when re-melting chocolate? Particularly white chocolate?

Ta

For the best white chocolate, make sure that the only fat in the product is cocoa butter. If you can find it, use coverture chocolate. Use a double boiler. Do not bring the water to a boil. The cocoa butter melts at about body temperature. Bring the chocolate up to about 90 to 95 degrees F., not hotter, as white chocolate scorches easily. Stir frequently, even continually as it melts.

If you want to temper it, slowly bring it up to 110', and then remove from the heat cool to about 82 degrees. You must agitate the chocolate to temper it. Add a little already tempered chocolate to the melted chocolate to"seed" it while its cooling. Finally, bring it back to 90' for dipping/coating, or pouring into chocolate molds.

If you have really good white chocolate, it will be creamy smooth, have that snap of good tempered chocolate, and be glossy when hardened.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Tempered chocolate on a cake?

My intention is to drizzle/ partially coat an orange cake with white chocolate. I'm not too sure what coverture chocolate is and I've got white Cadbury cooking chocolate to work with. The packet says creamy and smooth if that makes any difference.

(For argument's sake I'm assuming that I've got regular cooking chocolate) Have you ever used shortening when melting regular chocolate? Or needed to something to make it smooth and easy to spread?

The instructions were great Chief Longwind of the North. Is a special thermometer required or will a regular cooking one be fine?
 
Substitute for coconut cream

:yum: My mouth waters just looking at those pictures.

Would you happen to know a substitute for coconut cream?

I've looked up recipes to make it but I'm too inexperienced to trust myself to do it right on my mother's 50th birthday cake, especially as what would be my first go making the cream too.:(
 
Would whipped cream do as a substitute for coconut cream to make the ganache on the second link Aunt Bea?
 
:yum: My mouth waters just looking at those pictures.

Would you happen to know a substitute for coconut cream?

I've looked up recipes to make it but I'm too inexperienced to trust myself to do it right on my mother's 50th birthday cake, especially as what would be my first go making the cream too.:(
You could replace the coconut cream with condensed, sweetened milk.

Seeeeeeya' Chief Longwind of the North
 
Extract and zest in chocolate ganache?

Thanks for the suggestion Longwind Of The North, but after having a cake come out as a mountain and a perfecting good looking cake break whilst fiddling on the cooling rack, I've thrown in the towel and went for the coconut cream when I went to the store for supplies.

My theme for the cake is orange and I was wondering if adding a few drops of orange extract to chocolate ganache would be fine? As for the zest/rind that is purely for decorating purposing, would it be alright to add that too?
 
Coconut cream weight

If anyone knows now much 100ml of coconut cream weighs in grams could you let me know? Believe it or not, but I couldn't find scales in my mother's kitchen:ohmy:
 
If anyone knows now much 100ml of coconut cream weighs in grams could you let me know? Believe it or not, but I couldn't find scales in my mother's kitchen:ohmy:
It's about 100 grams.

Are you sure you need it by weight?

I'm in Canada, so this might not apply to a US recipe. My can of coconut milk (where the heck is my coconut cream?) says, "14 fl oz (400ml)". In the nutrition facts section it says, "Per 1/2 cup (90g)"

Maybe there is a nutrition info panel on your tin of coconut cream that will give you the conversion between weight and volume.
 
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I'm not an expert on making chocolates, but I did start eating them at a very early age and have continued to do so for over a half century! :ermm::ohmy::LOL:

I would use a chocolate ganache/truffle recipe, shape it and refrigerate it prior to coating it with the milk chocolate.

I would also check the web for articles, recipes and videos by Jacques Torres.

Good luck!

Hi Aunt Bea,

I'll be making white chocolate ganache and was wondering if liquid food colour (1-2 drops) would be ok and when to add it?


I've been thinking about when to add it and my bestq m. bet would be to add it after taking the ganache out of the fridge oncedty the chocolate and cream are combined and have taken the texture like cream cheese.
 
Hi Aunt Bea,

I'll be making white chocolate ganache and was wondering if liquid food colour (1-2 drops) would be ok and when to add it?


I've been thinking about when to add it and my bestq m. bet would be to add it after taking the ganache out of the fridge oncedty the chocolate and cream are combined and have taken the texture like cream cheese.

I don't normally use food color, I would add it before the mixture is chilled.
 
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I don't normally use food color, I would add it before the mixture is chilled.

Worked great! Thanks!

I had some ganache leftover and gave it a go for a darker colour and the consistency was only slightly softer. Pretty good for my first ganache.
 

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