Chocolatier: Chocolate-Caramel Truffles

Chocolate-Caramel Truffles adapted from Chocolate Desserts By Pierre Herme









Makes about 50 x 10g Truffles 




Ingredients:
167g heavy cream
200g bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona Caraibe, finely chopped
100g milk chocolate, preferably Valrhona Jivara, finely chopped
132g sugar
27g unsalted butter, at room temperature
a pinch of fleur de sel
Dutch-processed cocoa powder, preferably Valrhona, for dusting




1) Boil the heavy cream in a pan or microwave and set aside.

2) Make the caramel using the dry method: add 3 table spoon of sugar in a heavy bottom pan. Heat until the sugar melts and brown slightly. Then add another 3 table spoon of sugar. Repeat these step until all sugar is added. Continue to heat the pan the syrup to amber colour (which is a matter of 30 seconds) The colour will darken further even you remove it from the heat, so its best to remove it a couple shades lighter than your intended (you could always put the pan back on the heat if you want to darker it further). Pierre mentioned that if the caramel is too light in colour, you wont be able to taste it in the truffles; or if its too dark, it will be too bitter. To do a colour test, dribble a drop of caramel onto a white plate.

3) After removing the pan from heat, add a pinch of fleur de sel and butter. Mix it lightly.

4) Carefully pour the hot heavy cream into the caramel and stir briskly from the centre, then gradually extend outward. This moving is critical in emulsifying the chocolate ganache. Stir until all chocolate bits are melted and the ganache appears shinny.

5) Pour the ganache into a lined baking tray or a heat-proof container. Let it cool to room temperature and keep in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Making the Truffles:

This is the fun part! I used a scale to make sure all truffles are 10g which is smaller than the usual size! These truffles are a bit on the "sweet" side with the addition of caramel. Remove a lump of firm ganache (like playing clay) from the container and roll it between two palms to from a rough round shape. Then roll it on a plate of cocoa powder.


Variations:
My favourite is adding some caramelised rise krispies in the centre.
Add a marshmallow in the centre.
Add some sesame seeds and chilli powder in the centre.
Wrap the ganache round a cherry.
It is endless really!