Chocolate Truffles – Weird 2008 Guidelines
Thursday, February 17th, 201116 oz dark chocolate
Star anise is a really unique star shaped seed pod derived from a smaller to medium sized evergreen shrub, which is truly a member of the magnolia family. Grown primarily in Southern China, Japan and Vietnam, it’s utilized extensively in Asian cuisines, and to a lesser extent, also makes an appearance in many Indian dishes as well. Star anise is also one of the primary ingredients ingredients found in most chai tea recipes as well. It has a really pungent licorice flavor and aroma, similar to anise seed, only stronger. The assertive flavor of this unusual spice lends itself well to bittersweet chocolate truffle recipes, due to the fact it’s lots powerful enough to stand as much as even the highest percentage cacao chocolates. In fact, it’s finest to use a cautious and restrained hand when adding ground star anise to any dish, such as chocolate truffles, for the reason that it can quickly overwhelm the formula, and throw the overall flavor out of balance.
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp liquor (optional) (if using, coffee liquor goes genuinely nicely here)
Therefore, star anise need to often be bought either in whole seed pods, or broken into pieces, when you can come across them… not ground. Star anise will also benefit from a light toasting prior to grinding, so commence your recipe by taking 2-3 entire seed pods and placing them in a hot, dry skillet to toast for a couple of moments to toast them up, and commence releasing the volatile oils. As soon as you commence smelling the licorice notes, (2 minutes maximum) take them out and place the seed pods into a coffee grinder. Grind them up a bit, but not too fine, in order that you may strain them out later. Then chop up about 200 grams of 70% or larger bitterseet chocolate, until rather fine. Place the chopped chocolates into a mixing bowl, and set aside. Then place about 100 grams of good fresh, heavy cream into a heavy bottom sauce pot, and add inside the chunks of toasted star anise. Let the hot cream and chocolate sit for a minute, after which stir it together, till smooth, with a rubber spatula. After the gananche is very smooth, add in about 30 grams of room temperature unsalted butter, and stir the mixture till it becomes glossy. After the chocolate sets as much as a firm, yet still pliable consistency, use two teaspoons to form little elegant quenelles. Drop the truffles straight into a bowl of fine cocoa powder, after which sift the truffles out. Arrange the star anise truffles on a fairly serving platter and serve them with some nice creamy chai, or strong black tea for a sophisticated presentation that is certain to impress!
Directions:
Break up the chocolate into little pieces.
Heat the cream just to the point of simmering. Watch it the whole time, given that boiling cream can overflow the pot! Remove from heat correct away as soon as it starts to simmer.
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