So much goodness in one small package
While digging around in the horror drawer in our kitchen, I came across one of those mysterious devices that leave’s one scratching their head and wondering what relevant use exists for such a thing. For the curious, “it” resembles this.
I’m never too shy to ask she who knows such things, and I received the word (with a look) that it was a “melonballer”. Now here’s the truth: we don’t each much melon around here, and we certainly don’t shape the few slices consumed each year into spheres. Off to Google up more information. Others have asked the same question, and there are alternate uses for one. In my case, I’ve adapted the tool; it now serves to make chocolate truffles.
I’ve been storing the free bars of 70% chocolate that our grocery store gave as a loyalty gift a couple of weeks ago. After some careful comparison of recipes, I acquired the other ingredients to produce a batch of ganache. In no particular order, we have
- 500 ml of 35% cream
- 125 g of unsalted butter
- 250 g of icing sugar
- 1000 g of 70% cocoa chocolate
- 25 g of peppermint extract
- 250 g of Fry’s cocoa powder
My pasta pot served as the heater for a homebrew double boiler, with a large metal mixing bowl suspended over the boiling water. I mixed the butter, sugar, cream, peppermint extract and all of my chocolate bars together; then, with the infinite patience of the neophyte, I stirred everything together into a melted mass of (obviously) chocolate. My only reason for using any sugar was to cover a complaint that good chocolate is too bitter. I defer to those around me. The whole bowlful went to the refrigerator for an overnight rest.
This afternoon, I filled a small bowl with the Fry’s cocoa (which serves as an outer powdery covering). Then, using the melon baller, I prepared to scoop, shape and cover my truffles. This is a hand’s on job; expect to have your fingers turn into chocolate coated fingers. Save them for later…
I’m not nearly through of the job; there is an amazing quantity of ganache on hand, but the first few look like this…
