Wait till you see the inside

I mentioned in the last post  this week has had a rocky start, to say the least, I wish I could report that it has leveled a bit, however today was pretty chaotic as well, a snow storm has decided to visit us, every appointment we had today ran 15 minutes late, and DF ‘s plane was delayed over an hour, due to operations which always causes me to worry. We found out the woman who was responsible for the car accident yesterday had been intoxicated and uninsured. On a positive note Sydney only dislocated a few ribs, painful yes,but minor considering.

I have seemed to gone off the truffle track. This is day 2 on the Halloween Count Down of treats. Truffles are a Noto Unit Holiday tradition; each year Sydney and I challenge ourselves to create a new flavor for the ganache. This year we decided on a vanilla-espresso with a hint of cinnamon. When Sydney tasted the ganache she proclaimed we had invented a new delectable chocolate flavor, I will let you be the judge. On half of the ruffles we added dulce de leche in the center and the other half was only ganache, this recipe tastes exquisite both ways.

delightful dulce de leche

Dulce de Leche Truffles:

250 grams/ 1 1/8 cups heavy cream

1 cinnamon stick

70 grams/ 1/3 cup glucose

60 grams/ ½ cup liquor

620 grams/ 3 2/3 cups dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

760 grams dulce de leche, 2 cans of store bought ducle de leche or you can prepare it homemade, we choose the store bought

Prepare your mise en place.

Mise en place

Infuse the cream with the cinnamon stick, espresso beans, and vanilla powder. Bring the cream mixture to a kiss of a boil, remove from heat, and allow the mixture to steep for about 5 minutes.

Prior to steeping

While the cream steeps finely chop the bittersweet chocolate.

I prefer Valrhona chocolate, but use your personal preference

Strain the infused cream through several layers of a cheese cloth, take care the cream is completely clear of any granolas and powder.

Pour the entire pan of infused cream onto the cheese cloth; proceed to wring the cheese cloth until all the cream is emptied

You will have to add more cream to achieve the same measurement as before. Add the glucose to the cream mixture and bring to a boil again.

Sorry for the blurriness

Place the finely chopped bittersweet chocolate in a large bowl, pour the hot infused cream over the chocolate.

Pouring the infused strained cream over the finely chopped chocolate

Allow the cream and chocolate to rest for a few minutes.

Hanging out

Starting from the center of the bowl stir in a circular motion towards the outside. Keep stirring till the mixture becomes very shiny and turns into ganache.

I find using a whisk is easier to achieve a smooth and shiny texture

Add the Calvados and repeat the stirring procedure.

Stir quickly before adding the Calvados

Pour into a 8×13-inch glass pan, cover with film touching the ganache, and place with in the refrigerator for two hours.

A large bowl works well too; Look how shiny! 

In the meantime prepare the ducle de leche balls. Using a melon baller, scoop about ½ of the melon baller full of the dulce de leche onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the refrigerator till needed.

Once the chocolate is ready to come back in, using a melon baller, scoop chocolate, roll into a ball, with your thumb push an indent. Add a ball of dulce de leche, continue to roll into a ball again, and place onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the refrigerator for over night.

Chocolate shell coating:

500 grams/ 16-ounceBittersweet chocolate melted and tempered

Prepare either a Bain Marie water bath or use a tabletop tempering machine.

Tabletop tempering machine

 Temper the chocolate to 32 degrees C/ 89 degrees F.

Dip the chilled truffles into the tempered chocolate and place on a cooling rack over a jellyroll pan lined with parchment paper.

These truffles are being turned into spiders, to come in a later blog

I promise these will not disappoint, and might become a holiday tradition for your family unit!

Voila!