Dolcetto Truffles

At times I'm asked to make custom truffles for special events. This year the Knight of Columbus, a Catholic Men's Organization, asked me to provide them with a specialty truffle for one of their fundraising events.

Whidbey Island Winery participated in the event and they chose their Dolcetto Wine to be infused into the chocolate. It's quite a challenge to get the true wine flavor to come through a dark chocolate ganache. However, this is how I used the wine and recreated the flavors to shine through the dark chocolate ganache.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients for the wine reduction:

1 bottle Whidbey Island Winery Dolcetto Wine
12 ounces IQF mixed berries
1 vanilla bean scraped

Place the entire bottle of Dolcetto Wine in a four quart sauce pan and reduce it down to about 1/2 of the contents. At that point add the mixed berries and the scrapings of the Vanilla bean and continue to reduce it down to a puree. Use cheesecloth or a fine sieve to separate the seeds from the puree. Place the puree aside until needed.

Ingredients for ganache:

16 ounces Tanzanie Dark Chocolate Pieces
11 ounces Heavy Whipping Cream
5 ounces Trimoline (inverted sugar)
6 ounces Dolcetta Paste

Place cream and trimoline in a sauce pan and heat to boiling. Pour the hot cream over the paste and the Tanzanie Dark Chocolate. Allow the mixture to sit for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds have past mix vigorously by hand or use a stick blender to emulsify. Once the mixture is mixed thoroughly, pour it between two metal bars also known as rulers. Allow the mixture to set overnight. Once the mixture has hardened, it can be cut into pieces as desired or a small cookie cutter can be used to make round shapes.

Each piece is then individually dipped in dark chocolate and decorated as desired. This is a yummy truffle and only for the true chocolate lover. Tanzanie chocolate is a 74% dark chocolate couverture and definitely is dark.

It's Time for Hot Chocolate

Whether you come into our cafe for some hot chocolate or decide to enjoy it's simple pleasure at home, it's the time to start thinking about how to warm yourself as the weather turns colder.

At our cafe in Langley you can indulge in our Truffle Shots. They are thick and rich and delivered sweetly in a rich dark chocolate, a smooth milk chocolate, or a sweeter white chocolate. Close your eyes and dream of the wonderfully smooth taste on your tongue. It takes you away and relaxes creating the ultimate chocolate dream. There's lots of choices at the chocolate bar so you can have your Truffle Shot with fruit or with spice or purely chocolate. Are you adventurous? How you drink your chocolate may unveil your authentic self to the world.

Or maybe you'd prefer to indulge at home. That's easy too... Come and get our Truffle Shot Mix and take it with you to fully enjoy in the privacy of your own home. Here's a recipe for you to try:

Chocolate Brandy Boost

5 1/2 cups cream
1 cinnamon stick
Orange Zest from 1 orange
1/2 cup light brown sugar
8 ounces Dark Truffle Shot mix
1/2 cup Brandy

Combine cream, cinnamon stick, orange zest and brown sugar in large saucepan. Stirring constantly warm the mixture over medium heat until bubbles start to form around the edges of the saucepan. It's important to keep the mixture just under a boil so it won't scorch. Turn off the heat and use a small ladle to place just enough of the cream mixture over the Truffle Shot Mix stirring it to make a roux. This will melt the chocolate into a smooth and creamy mass. Strain the remaining cream mixture into the roux until it's the consistency that you most enjoy. Pour into warm mugs. Top with some whipped cream. Shake a little cinnamon on the top and drink slowly to savor.

This does sound abolutely scrumptious doesn't it? It's an adults only hot chocolate but if you use your imagination and substitute the Brandy for some other wonderful non-alchoholic flavor just think of what could happen. A recipe is really only as good as the creativity of the cook preparing it. Experiment and experience!