Firm ganache for rolling truffles 

There are two methods that I use to prepare the ganache. Method one is more for the non professional:

If you have problems or questions, please email me at : ilbarhai@gmail.com


Ingredients

Ratios of chocolate to cream: 
For the same amount of cream there are different amounts of chocolate.  If you want to add some liqueur, I suggest using the higher amount of chocolate. If  after waiting a good few hours or overnight before rolling the ganache into chocolate, you see that the ganache is still too soft, you can warm and melt some more chocolate- up to 60 grams or so, and add to the slightly warmed ganache. A lot depends on the type and brand of chocolate you choose to use. It all has to do with how much cacao butter and milk product is in your chocolate...

You can half or even quarter the amounts:

400-500g dark chocolate - the more chocolate the more dense the truffle. ( 2 parts chocolate to one part cream)

500-600g milk chocolate  (2 and 1/2 parts chocolate to one part cream)

600-700g White Chocolate  (3 parts chocolate to one part cream)

200 g Cream

Method 1

Place the chopped pieces of chocolate into a bowl.

Bring the cream to almost boiling, turn off the flame and let it cool for just a few minutes.  Pour the cream gradually over  the chocolate while mixing. Some people like to pour it all at once, wait a few miutes and then mix. Make sure that the temperature of the ganache mixture stays between 34.5^o-41^o C (94^o-106^oF) while mixing. You may give it a zap with the hairdryer or in the microwave if necessary.

When the ganache reaches 35^o C (95^oF) you may add a tablespoon or two of liqueur . Mix gently until all the  liqueur is incorporated. Cover the surface of the ganache with Saran wrap and leave on counter overnight. If you are in a rush, you can place in the refrigerator for at least  half an hour. If the room temperature is too hot, put the ganache in the fridge after it has cooled down to room temperature.  Waiting stabilizes or crystalizes the ganache. Sometimes more than a few hours is necessary for the ganache to be firm enough to roll.

If you want to flavor the truffles with herbs or spices, teas or coffee, add the spice/tea/coffee etc to the cream before boiling. You may want to strain the cream while poring it over the chopped chocolate. Nice additions are added according to taste as you would with a soup! I like adding cardomom, coffee, vanilla, chile like chipotle, cinnamon... whatever is your favorite-just add!

Method 2:

Heat the cream to just before boiling point. If you want to add herbs, teas, coffees or spices add before heating the cream. After the cream has cooled down  a bit you can adda tablespoon of invert sugar, glucose or even honey or agave . Adding to cooled cream  makes for more effective use of the sugar syrup, which by the way, improves shelf life and texture. Allow the cream to cool down to nearly room temperature before adding to tempered chocolate- see next step.

Temper the chocolate.  While it is still melted, but tempered, add the room temperature cream to the melted tempered chocolate and mix. Add liqueur if desired and mix gently.

Cover the surface of the ganache with Saran wrap and leave on counter overnight. If the room temperature is too hot, put the ganache in the fridge after it has cooled down to room temperature. You may even wait only a few hours if you are in a rush. Waiting stabilizes or crystalizes the ganache. Sometimes more than a few hours is necessary for the ganache to be firm enough to roll.

When the ganache is firm enough to roll, use a teaspoon to scoop up about 8-10 g of ganache and hand roll into balls. At this point you can either roll these balls into cocoa powder, cocoa powder mixed with powered sugar, dessicated coconut (you can even toast it), crushed raw or roasted nuts, crushed cookies, nibs etc!

Or you can temper some chocolate, place a smear in your palm, roll the ganache ball around in it, and then let the ball roll off, from your palm to the tips of your fingers and into the tray of coating material, like crushed cookies. Give the tray a shake in order to coat the ball, leave it there and begin on the next ball. Soon you will be as fast as lightening at this method!

Note: Instead of liqueur, you can use fruit puree or any other liquid.