Today is National Microwave Oven Day. I’m not sure what that means. According to the National Day Calendar, today we are to honor the appliance that changed the way we use our kitchens. Hum, I don’t know about you but mine is on a shelf in the laundry room. Its main purpose is to warm left overs and make popcorn.
Category: Candy Truffles
National Truffle Day and Boozy Orange Truffles
Aren’t we lucky? Today is National Truffle Day. An entire day dedicated to the delights of the Candy Truffle. Truffles have been rumored to have been around in the Chocolatiere World since the Christmas holidays of 1895. However; it was an accident in the kitchen of French Chef Auguste Escoffier sometime in the 1920’s that has given us the Truffles we know and love today. As the story goes, one of his apprentices was attempting to make a pastry cream. He accidentally poured the hot cream into a bowl containing chunks of chocolate rather than the intended bowl of sugared egg mixture. As the chocolate and cream mixture cooled, he found that he could work the chocolate paste with his hands to form a bumpy ball. After rolling his new creation in a cocoa powder, the apprentice was struck by the resemblance to the luxurious truffles of the French region of Périgord and the Piedmont area of Italy. Hence the name.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles
Hey, did you think we could leave National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day with just one delicious recipe for candy featuring peanut butter? No way! One of my all-time favorite candies has to be truffles. I like things that are creamy, and nothing is more creamy than a good truffle. The first time I made truffles, I was so thrilled that they looked “professional”. The key to truffles has to be chill, chill and more chill. The colder the center, the easier it is to get the outside coating over a well-shaped ball. If things happen to go sideways, just stick the candy back into the refrigerator or freezer, and chill again.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles
3 tablespoon Butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy Peanut Butter
3/4 cup Powdered Sugar, sifted
1 1/4 cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1 tablespoon Shortening
1/4 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
1 teaspoon Shortening
Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
In a medium bowl, mix together the butter and peanut butter until smooth and well combined.
Sift powdered sugar, incorporate into the peanut butter mixture. Mix until a smooth dough forms in the bowl. Form the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon balls. Place the peanut butter ball on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until chilled through, about 30 minutes.
While the peanut butter balls are chilling, melt the sem-sweet chocolate with 1 tablespoon shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 25 second intervals, stirring between, until chocolate is fully melted.
Remove the peanut butter balls from the refrigerator. Dunk the balls, one at a time, into the melted chocolate using a fork to roll the balls in the chocolate to fully coat. Let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Place the coated peanut butter balls back on the baking sheet and repeat until all the balls have been coated.
Place chocolate covered balls back into the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.
While the candy is chilling, melt the milk chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of shortening in the same way the semi-sweet chocolate was melted.
Remove the truffles from the refrigerator. Usint a fork dipped in the milk chocolate, drizzle over the truffles for an attractive presentation.
Truffles are best when chilled and should not sit out more than 10 minutes before serving.
Lemon Pistachio Truffles for National Pistachio Day
Since the good folks at the National Day Calendar were kind enough to recommend we observe National Pistachio Day with some lovely little Lemon-Pistachio Truffles, I thought I’d take a moment to share one delicious recipe with you.
During the holidays, Hubby and I stopped in at a Edwards Cake and Candy Supplies, an awesome shop near our home. I get excited every time we go there because it’s the kind of place that sells you everything you need to bake and get creative. There are pans, and pastry bags and tips and molds and just about everything you can imagine. They even have classes! Best of all, they have huge blocks of chocolate. Good chocolate, for those of us who like to make our own candies or need more than just a candy bar to create curls for our cakes. The candies I made over the holidays were a huge hit. Needless to say, I can’t wait to get back in there. And here’s the perfect recipe . . .
Lemon Pistachio Truffles
For the Ganache Filling
12 oz Good Quality White Chocolate (must contain cocoa butter)
½ cup Heavy Cream
1 tablespoon grated Myers Lemon Zest
For the Coating
8 oz good quality Bittersweet Chocolate
¼ cup Pistachios, chopped
To make the ganache heat white chocolate, cream, and lemon zest in a double boiler over medium heat. I place a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water as I do not have a double boiler, this also eliminates having to transfer the mixture to another bowl. Stir often until chocolate has melted. Pour into a bowl and cover. Chill overnight.
Remove bowl from fridge and scoop out teaspoon sized balls of ganache. I find it easiest to portion out all of the ganache and then use my hands to roll them into balls. Place balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for two hours.
Melt bittersweet chocolate in double boiler. Once completely smooth remove ganache from freezer. Carefully slide the parchment with ganache off the baking sheet and place a clean sheet of parchment on the baking sheet. One at a time dip the ganache into bittersweet chocolate and coat completely. Place on frozen parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Repeat until all pieces have been coated and return the sheet to the freezer for one hour.
Once firm, place truffles in mini cupcake papers and put in covered container to store. Keep in refrigerator for up to one week.
Original Recipe: Arctic Garden Studio
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