Truffles Truffles ~ The Chocolate Ones

 Truffles are so much fun to make and I always make a mess. Chocolate ends up all over my face and arms. It gets all over the stove and floor and I'll be cleaning it up for days; not to mention the stains I'll never get out of my kitchen towels!  But oh that creamy silky delicious sensation ~ a party in your mouth ~is so worth it.

The recipe I used here is based on a recipe by Pierre Herme but I prefer a touch less butter than he uses.  I love the creamy smooth texture but I also love the flavor of Mast Brothers Chocolate and I find the full amount of butter diminishes the flavor of the chocolate.  So the next time I make this recipe I will reduce the amount of butter by half an ounce. I know that doesn't seem like a lot but I will test it until I find the right amount to reduce. But don't get me wrong, this recipe is the ultimate to get that silky smooth texture you want in a truffle filling.  The key to flavor is using the chocolate you like best.

Mast Brothers makes different chocolate based on the region the chocolate beans come from.  The one I love the most is made from cocoa beans grown in the Dominican Republic, hence it is called Dominican Republic. As far as I'm concerned this is my favorite, the best bar of pure chocolate I've ever eaten. The tangy citrusy floral notes are so intense and the finish so long it's a burst of happiness in your mouth. I love eating this, chewing some or just letting it melt in my mouth! Mast Brothers also lists the flavor of tobacco in the Dominican.  I think the taste is more of terroir meaning the flavor of the soil it's grown in.

They also make their signature Brooklyn Blend which is a combination of the Dominican Republic and Madagascar.  This combination is unique in that it brings the best of each creating a complex flavor of tangy floral fruit, citrus, terroir and of course chocolate notes. I love this chocolate.  I think it's a great combination which makes it very usable in all applications.  For me I like the combination of using both the Dominican and the Madagascar; one for the truffle filling and the other for the outer coating.  The Brooklyn Blend is also great for making Hot Chocolate.

Before I found Mast Brothers I was using Amano Madagascar for my hot chocolate, the flavor was outstanding.  I've never tasted a Madagascar since  that has that amazing tang until the Dominican Republic from Mast Brothers.

The Amano is roasted and made in Utah (that's great for the locals there).  The Mast Brothers is made right here in Brooklyn, New York,  my favorite food town on the East Coast! I'm so proud the Mast Brothers are making their chocolate here!

Please don't look so closely at my photos! The chocolates definitely need some work.  If you look you'll notice the little air holes which shouldn't be there. All the same they taste amazing and yours will too! Just use your favorite chocolate and you'll be very happy with the taste.

The Recipe, adapted from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme

In a metal or glass bowl that can withstand heat place:
9 ounces of chopped I prefer Mast Brothers Chocolate

Set aside:
1 1/4 ounces of unsalted room temperature butter cut into 4 pieces (the butter must be at room temperature or it will not mix in properly) also the original recipe called for 1 3/4 ounces or 3 1/2 tablespoons.

Bring to a boil:
1 cup of heavy cream (you cannot substitute milk and get the same results)

Pour the hot cream onto the chopped chocolate and let it sit for about 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula gently stir the cream into the chocolate until the ganache is smooth and homogeneous. Let rest for 1 more minute and then add the butter 2 pieces at a time. Mix gently until the butter is completely blended into the chocolate.

If you are going to scoop hand rolled truffles put the mixture into the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Or if you are using a mold you can pour the mixture into the chocolate coated mold.

For chocolate molds gently melt enough chocolate to coat the insides until the chocolate is just body temperature and can easily be poured  into the molds.  Rotate the mold making sure to coat all the nooks and crannies.  Then turn the mold upside down over a rack on parchment so any excess drips out.  Then put the mold in the refrigerator to set the chocolate. When set remove from the refrigerator and pour the ganache in, then scrape any excess off with an offset spatula. Return to the refrigerator until firm. 

Melt some additional chocolate to seal the truffles again scraping any excess off the mold with an offset spatula.  Any extra chocolate can be reused for a filling, a cake or hot chocolate! When the chocolates are firm turn the mold upside down and gently tap the truffles out of the mold. (in some cases you may have to bang the mold but they will all eventually pop out).

If you're making hand rolled truffles you want the ganache to be firm enough to scoop but not so soft that it's mushy. So, you've got two choices. The first is to use a teaspoon or melon baller.  The second is to invest in a small stainless steel scoop also sold on Amazon. I have several scoops in different sizes. That's how all your cookies and chocolate truffles can all be the same size.

Scoop some ganache into the scoop and then using your finger or the back of a knife or a small offset spatula scrape off the excess so the back is flat. Squeezing the handles together will release the truffle from the scoop. You will be left with a dome that has a flat edge.  You can leave this shape or roll each one into a ball. Have a space in your refrigerator if they get too soft and you need to firm up the ganache again.  Once you have scooped all your truffles (optional to roll them into balls using your palms) toss them into some cocoa powder. I prefer the Valrhona Cocoa Powder it's got a great taste, it's easy to get and the color is magnificent.   Michel Cluizel is another, though on the expensive side. Try what you have and see if you like it.

If you keep them for several days before serving them you may want to toss them in cocoa again.  They should be stored in the refrigerator. To serve remove them from the refrigerator 2 hours before eating.

Have fun and enjoy.

Pane Integrale Whole Grain Bread

I'm at it again, well I never stopped....  Making sourdough bread with my uncles starter and at Thanksgiving he suggested I sell it and call it Uncles Sourdough (trade marked). So I've got recipes, baking bread and selling sourdough starter on my mind. This blog is about acquiring and using a starter.

My quest has been about making a whole grain bread at home that can be eaten with cheese, eggs, soup, or anytime I wanted a slice of sourdough bread. The only recipe and reference I've found for Pane Integrale Bread has been from Jim Lahey.  What I've found is that this is the bread I've always wanted to make, (he makes his with dry yeast, I make mine with Uncles Sourdough starter or a combination of starter and fresh yeast). The No Knead Recipe is the best it's easy and it's versatile. Versatile in two ways.  The first is that it can be eaten with a variety of foods.  The second is that it can be made with dry yeast, fresh yeast or sourdough starter and or a combination.

There's a lot of recipes out there about how to make your own starter.  They take some time to make and then feeding.   

I started researching the purchase of sourdough starters and I found the following ~

Breadtopia this one seemes to be a good place to buy a starter. . They also offer a dry version of the starter but I prefer the wet kind. The starter comes in a plastic bag which is a lot cheaper than glass or ceramic for shipping. What I didn't like is that the starter comes in a plastic bag.  Once you get used to the site you'll see they sell all kinds of supplies including everything from grain mills to bread boxes and all the baking supplies you might need.  Their website is robust and though I found it wasn't so easy to find what I was looking for, it is complex and offers a lot. I would recommend looking at it especially if you don't live in an area where baking equipment and tools are easily available.

King Arthur  also sells a starter and they list easy to find recipes on their site.  They carry all kinds of flour and supplies and though their starter is reasonably priced at$6.95 most of their other products are on the pricey side.  Worth a look though.

This last batch of bread I made was fabulous and depending on how you treat your starter you can get a nice sour flavor or just a plain bread,  When I start selling my starter I'll also offer either ceramic or glass jars in which to store it. I've already found the perfect jars now I've got to find the ceramic.

It happened accidentally. I took my starter out but forgot to feed it before making the bread.  I just took the 50g I needed and added it directly to the dough.  As per the no knead method (thought I mix mine for a few minutes just to make sure it's well mixed) I left the dough to develop for 18 hours.  Turned the oven on shaped the bread and let it rise for 2 hours while the oven warmed the apartment.  The flavor is lovely and according to O rivals some of the best bread he's eaten.

I hope you're inspired to bake your own!  Have fun and enjoy!

Hung Ry

The other night my friend O says "hey, Chris is having dinner at that noodle place I've been wanting to try.  Do you want to go?" Hahahaha of course I want to go! Hung Ry is located on Bond Street down the block from Il Buco (check them out when they roast a whole pig out on the street). 

Hung Ry is all about hand pulled noodles and locally grown farm fresh food.  The kitchen is open and the space looks great.  Hem stiched linens are on the table and the interior is decorated with reclaimed wood organic paint and an upstairs space for the staff.





We arrived around 6pm and the place was fairly empty.  By the time we left it was packed, tables full of people eating bowls of noodle soup.

The five of us each ordered a different soup along with a few appetizers. The food is great the noodles are amazing. Each soup tasted fresh and unique, the flavors melding wondefully together. I tasted 3 of the soups  The oxtail broth was rich and deep, The duck sweet, The goat full of flavor.  I didn't try the pork but Clancy devoured his soup never looking up from the bowl.  The squash broth was full of vegetables. The noodles so fresh with that perfect chew and tooth and so long you couldn't see the beginning or end.

For dinner the soup is a little pricey at $16+ but the portions huge.  The squid appetizer was unique & amazing.  Like nothing you've had before.  Fresh squid tossed in ice flour & fried, it's crisp served with pumpkin seed and a guajillo paste, perfectly cooked. The short ribs appetizer again perfectly cooked and full of flavor, served with what I think is a diakon foam and fresh fried shisho with a contrast of melon. 





Lunch is a huge bargain. $15 for Soup with a salad or dessert.

Hung Ry

Phone: 212 677 4864
Address: 55 Bond Street, New York, NY 10012
To contact us please email info@hung-ry.com.

Butter Cream

The world has a variety of Butter Cream the simplest of which is an American Butter Cream which consists of beating room temperature butter with enough confectioners sugar to create a frosting.  This type is my least favorite and I find it difficult to even consider it a true butter cream.   My definition is either the French or Italian Meringue type.  You can read about the different types on the wordpress blog Take The Cannoli as her definitions are the same as mine.  There are 4 basic types (American, French, Swiss & Italian), the first and the one I don't consider to be a true Butter Cream is really an Icing or Frosting. called American Butter Cream. What I don't like about this style is that it's often grainy and cloyingly sweet. {Maybe I'm right and maybe I'm wrong and maybe my reasoning is sound but it's still not butter cream to me.That being said, if you want to call Butter beaten with confectioners sugar ~butter cream by all means go right ahead.  Butter Cream to me is a light silky smooth satiny creamy frosting that also contains eggs as well as sugar and flavorings.} 

American Butter Cream is very simple, though I don't consider this to be a true butter cream it is the easiest to make.. The best  looking recipe I've found is from The Pastry Chef Online and they explain how to make it.  The key to getting American Butter Cream smooth is to add enough liquid such as cream or milk to lighten and thin it so it's smooth.

How To Make It 

American Butter Cream

What You'll Need

cool but room temperature butter

powdered sugar, sifted

pinch of salt

splash of vanilla

1. Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. 
2. Add the pinch of salt and then add the powdered sugar, a bit at a time, until you are happy with how sweet it is.  Figure around 2 cups of powdered sugar per 4 oz. butter, but just do it to taste. 
3. Add your vanilla and chocolate, if using.  Or, omit the vanilla and add your other extract along with some zest, if you'd like.
4. Thin to spreading consistency with the liquid of your choice. 

~ The next three types of Butter Cream are made with eggs.  The easiest type to me is the Swiss style which combines egg whites and sugar that gets heated over a Bain-marie to about 140-160 degrees F while stirring and whisking until the sugar is dissolved. {heat also stabilizes the meringue) You must whisk and stir continuously otherwise you will scramble the egg whites. This hot liquid is then beaten in a stand mixer until it's a thickly cooled meringue.  To this lucious satiny meringue the soft room temperature butter is slowly beaten in along with vanilla or other flavorings.

~ My go to butter cream is the Swiss Meringue type. This involves heating egg whites and sugar over a double boiler or bain-marie until the temperature reaches 160 degrees while constantly whisking the mixture as not to scramble the whites.  I like this type because it can be colored or flavored however you prefer.  Depending on the recipe the flavor can be very buttery yet light at the same time.  It holds up well in the refrigerator and can be frozen for up to 3 months.

How to Make It.

Swiss Meringue Butter Cream

What You'll Need

Double boiler or bain marie

Stand Mixer with whixk attachment

Hand Whisk

Soft Butter at room temperature

Egg Whites

super fine sugar

Vanilla extract or split vanilla bean

Thermometer that can register 160 degrees F

digital scale or other scale

1. Heat together over medium heat in double boiler  whisking gently but continuously until the sugar dissolves and the thermometer registers 160 degrees F

14 ounces (weighed) superfine sugar

1 cup egg whites

2. Using the Stand Mixer beat the warm egg whites and sugar mixture on medium to high speed until the meringue is stiff and cool.  This can take anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes.

3. Change to the paddle attachment and on slow to medium slow spee, slowly add the small pieces of butter 2-3 at a time.

1 1/4 pounds or 20 ounces weighed of soft room temperature butter cut into small pieces

4. Continue beating and adding the butter.  Don't worry if the mixture looks curdled this only means your butter is too cold.  Keep beating and increase the speed if necessary until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Now add the vanilla extract or scrape the inside of the vanilla bean into the mixture. At this point you can also add coloring or any other flavoring including melted chocolate.

5.  If your butter cream has too many air bubbles continue mixing on slow speed this will get rid of the air bubbles and ensure a smooth icing.  Butter cream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.  When rebeating cold butter cream the mixture will separate and curdle.  Just keep beating until the mixture comes back together and you're ready to go.

This photo shows a chocolate Swiss meringue butter cream. I've included it to show you an example of a butter cream that has too much air in it.  In this case the butter cream was too warm and should have been refrigerated before icing the cake. That being said it was still creamy and delicious. Sometimes chocolate butter cream can be a little temperamental but all it needs is a little extra patience. 

~ French Style Butter Cream is similar to the Swiss with one exception.  French butter cream uses whole eggs thereby making the butter cream a yellow color.  It is also a much richer butter cream and though I love the flavor of butter I don't like that you can't color it properly if you wish to.

I have not tested the following recipe taken from The Pastry Chef Online   I am using this recipe because it is her favorite type pf butter cream and I respect that!

How To Make It

French Meringue Butter Cream

What You'll Need

• 12 oz. sugar
• 3 oz. water
• 4.5 oz. egg yolks
• 15 oz. softened butter--around 68F
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan. 

Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let boil for 2-3 minutes.  Remove the lid and cook the sugar to 240F.

While your syrup is boiling, whip the yolks and salt on high speed until very light and thick and tripled in volume. 

When the syrup has reached temperature, turn down the mixer speed and slowly but steadily pour the syrup in a thin stream down the inside of the mixer bowl. 

***Make sure the syrup is sliding down the inside of the bowl--this will help to cool it off a little before it reaches the eggs. It will also keep molten sugar from splattering all over the inside of your mixer instead of ending up where it belongs: in the butter cream.

Increase speed to high and whip until cool.

Whip in the butter a little at a time.  Don't add it too quickly. Wait until what you've put in has been completely blended in before you add some more. 

Beat in the vanilla.

Variations

You can pretty much add any extract or liqueur to taste. 

To make chocolate butter cream, whisk in 6 oz. melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate.

For a fruit flavored butter cream, whisk in 4-6 oz. fruit puree.

To make caramel butter cream, cook the sugar syrup to a medium amber caramel before adding it to the eggs

The fourth and last type of Butter Cream that I am including is also one of my favorites , Italian Butter Cream. It is a little more difficult to make though it is similar to the French Butter Cream in that it uses a sugar syrup but uses egg whites and not whole eggs.  The wedding cake in this photo was covered with an Italian Butter Cream filled with a vanilla cake with lemon curd filling.  Yum yum delicious!

 How To Make It

Italian Meringue Butter Cream

What You'll Need

 Double Boiler or Bain Marie

Hand Whisk

Stand Mixer with Whisk & Paddle Attachment

Soft Butter at room temperature

Egg Whites

Sugar

Water

Vanilla extract or split vanilla bean

Thermometer that can register 240 degrees F

Digital Scale

Bowl of Ice & Water

Cook together to 240-245 degrees F using the thermometer

1c sugar

1/4  cup of water or 1/2 cup flavored water (coffee or lemon water)

(Keep the bowl of Ice & Water near-by in case some of the hot syrup gets on you.  Immediately dip your hand into the ice water to stop the heat.  When sugar gets hot it stays hot and can cause serious burns).

In large bowl Whip  egg whites with the cream of tartar adding the sugar, to just firm peaks.

5 large egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

pinch cream of tartar

When the syrup has reached temperature, turn down the mixer speed and slowly but steadily pour the syrup in a thin stream down the inside of the mixer bowl into the meringue.. 

***Make sure the syrup is sliding down the inside of the bowl--this will help to cool it off a little before it reaches the eggs. It will also keep molten sugar from splattering all over the inside of your mixer instead of ending up where it belongs: in the butter cream.

Increase speed to high and whip until cool.  The egg whites will become very firm and glossy.  

When the meringue has cooled begin adding the butter a little at a time  until all the butter and the vanilla seeds have been added.


***Note:  Butter cream can be refrigerated or frozen.  When it is re-beaten the mixture may separate especially if it's cold. ~ DO NOT PANIC as this is normal.  You can pour any liquid into a cup and begin to add it back in slowly. The higher the speed the faster the liquid will be reabsorbed. If your butter cream has a lot of air bubbles  continue to mix on slow speed for several minutes until the bubbles go away.  If your butter cream is weepy because it's too hot either refrigerate it for a little while or set a bowl of cold water under the mixing bowl.  Perfect butter cream should almost resemble plaster but it should be shiny and hold it's shape..


***Vanilla beans can be softened by snipping the ends off and soaking them in rum. It's best to let them sit for a wee before using. (depending on how fresh they are it can take 3 days or 2 weeks).  Then you can easily squeeze the beans out and the rum will turn into vanilla extract.  Vanilla beans will last indefinitely soaking in alcohol or dried.


Please contact me and let me know if you have any problems or discover any errors!
Have Fun & Enjoy

Pomegranate Salsa

Recently at one of O's amazing dinners he served sea scallops from the farmers market with a pomegranate salsa Unfortunately I don't have a photo to show how gorgeous this dish was. O had the salsa at his friend S's for Thanksgiving & I believe the original recipe came  from  Food and Wine.  The salsa is so delicious we decided to serve it with a bone in pork loin from Dickson's , for New Years Day dinner.  The recipe is so versatile with some variation you can make a simple dish extravagant.  

When O made the salsa for the scallops he used a little less Pomegranate Molasses than I used for the pork loiin

Pomegranate Salsa

1. Mix together and let sit for 5-10 minutes
1 large or 2 medium shallots minced
Juice of 1 lemon or 2 Tablespoons

2. Combine and add to the shallots approximately
1-2 Tablespoons of Pomegranate Molasses
2 Tablespoons to 1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3. Add and mix in the following
Seeds of 1 large Pomegranate (cut in half and bang with a small hammper turn inside out and do your best to get all the seeds out without the inside pith)
1/2 bunch of roughly chopped flat leaf parsley (depending on the look you prefer ~the size of the pomegranate seeds looks great)
Sea Salt to taste
Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

Serve with Chicken, Pork, or Seafood ~ add Avocado or Tomato for a variation.
Enjoy & Have Fun!