All things chocolate from Le Cordon Bleu, the world’s best-known culinary institution:
Our mission, at Le Cordon Bleu, is to share the skills and knowledge passed down from the great masters of French cuisine. Over 100 years of experience and expertise has gone into the creation of these chocolate recipes, yet they have been crafted for today’s home cook, and presented in ways that are clear and simple to grasp.
What’s more these treats will make excellent alternative gifts.
PLAIN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
MAKES 50 TRUFFLES
For the ganache:
300g dark chocolate
100ml whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the coating:
unsweetened cocoa powder
Finely chop the chocolate and place in a bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour over the chopped chocolate; add the vanilla extract. Whisk lightly until the mixture is smooth and thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until the ganache is set.
Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Using a teaspoon, or a pastry bag fitted with a round nozzle, make small balls of ganache on the sheet; refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Sift the cocoa powder into a flat container. Wearing rubber gloves, roll the balls in the cocoa powder, coating them evenly. Then transfer to a sieve and shake gently to remove any excess cocoa; put each truffle into a small paper baking case.
Place in an airtight container and store in a cool place (12°C maximum). Consume the chocolate truffles within 15 days.
Tip: You can keep the truffles refrigerated for one week on a plate filled with cocoa powder, before rolling them completely in cocoa and placing in paper baking cases. Children will like this recipe too, because it contains no alcohol.
Edited extract from Chocolate Bible: 160 Recipes Explained by the Chefs of the Famous French Culinary School by Le Cordon Bleu, published by Grub Street.
This article was originally published in JUNO Winter 2019. For more information visit: https://shop.junopublishing.co.uk/product/single-issues/issue-64-winter-2019/
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