Holiday Chocolate Sales
From Chocolatiers Wiki
The chocolatiers have been building a tradition of selling handmade truffles on Valentine's Day. However, there's no reason not to spread this into other holidays as well. Below are notes on how to run the Valentine's event, as well as ideas on how to run events for other holidays.
Contents |
Valentine's Day
In the past this has been strictly truffles, but there's no reason not to branch out. So the truffle recipe is first, followed by other things that could be made and ideas on how to make them.
Truffles
Recipe
Ganache
2 cups chocolate
Heavy/whipping cream:
- 1 cup if using dark chocolate
- 2/3 cup if using milk chocolate
- 1/2 cup if using white chocolate
If using extract for flavoring:
- Approx. total 2 tsp max for dark chocolate
- (Not sure for milk or white, but use less)
Any other flavorings desired
Heat the cream until it's almost too warm to the touch or simmering gently at the most. Add the extract until it tastes a little too strong, but be careful not to go above the amounts suggested above, or the ganache will come out very soupy. Add it a little at a time (maybe in 1/2 tsp intervals), tasting in between, and stop when the taste is right. Remember that it won't be as strong once you add the chocolate. Anything that dissolves in can be added instead/as well, like the instant coffee... Once you have the flavoring in (see below for teas), then bring the temperature down to such that the top pot is warm to the touch, but not uncomfortably so. Add the chocolate one cup at a time, stirring it until it's all melted in before adding the next cup. If it starts getting gritty, you've got it too warm; turn down the temperature, and if you'd added all or almost all the chocolate you may want to add a little extra. Once it's all stirred in, put it into whatever bowl you're cooling it in, stick that in the freezer, and then clean up (and lick the bowls).
To add a tea or some other flavoring that needs to steep and then be removed: Empty it in (that means cut the tea bag and just dump it in, as the cream won't go through the bag). Let it simmer for a while to dissolve the flavor into the cream. Then, use another bowl/pan to strain the cream into. Try to get as much of the tea leaves (or whatever else you're using) out, but it's not a huge deal if a little slips by you. Once it's down to just the cream, continue as usual.
Rolling and Dipping
You'll need a lot of chocolate for this, but how much depends on how big you make the truffles. Use a spoon to scoop the ganache out and roll it into balls. If it's really soupy, then you'll want to dip immediately, and be careful to completely cover the truffles, or the ganache will leak out. If not, then it's generally wise to put the balls onto another sheet and stick them back in the fridge or freezer to reharden a little, as chances are you softened them a lot in rolling them. Once the ganache has rehardened, melt a decent amount of whatever type of chocolate you'd like to coat them in. Using a fork, dip the truffles into the coating chocolate and cover them completely. Then place them on another tray and put them back in the fridge to harden.
If you're planning to put some sort of powder topping on the truffles, you need to put it on when you first dip them. Most other decorations can be added later, especially if you're putting more melted chocolate onto them.
Amounts and Flavors
Most popular flavors:
- dark chocolate with almond and coffee
- milk chocolate with Chai
- milk chocolate with peppermint
- milk chocolate with strawberry
Other notes: There should be at least two "normal" dark chocolate flavors. Also, the white chocolate raspberry ganache should probably all be dipped in dark chocolate.
