at Sun, 12 Feb 2006 15:38:13 GMT in <FDIHf.960$g9.29@trndny07>,
(Janet Puistonen) wrote :

>
>"Alex Rast" > wrote in message
.. .
>> at Sat, 11 Feb 2006 18:18:08 GMT in
>> <kt9su1t9qeclojjjs3g3o34uvlv9fm7vs2@ 4ax.com>,
>> (Debra Fritz) wrote :
>>
>>>Hi all,
>>>
>>>I am going to try to do molded, filled chocolates for the first time.
>>>I have made truffles for years, but wanted to try something new.
....
>> It's best to fill shells with multiple, thin coatings instead of
>> trying to get all the chocolate for the shells in at once.
>
>I don't think this is necessary, or even desirable, unless the chocolate
>you are working with is over-thinned. If you set the mold upside down on
>some kind of support such as chopsticks after filling it,
>tapping/shaking it, dumping it, and scraping the excess, nothing will
>pool at the bottom.

Nifty idea. I'd never thought of that one. However, it seems to me that if
you're doing that, your shells are really quite thin. My personal
preference is for shells that are sufficiently thick that you actually have
some bite to them. This is unlike the situation for the classic dipped
truffle where a thin shell, if indeed, anything at all, is IMHO better, but
for a moulded piece, my style has always been that it should lean heavily
towards the shell in terms of amounts.

I'm curious - what chocolate do you usually work with? I tend to be using
fairly fluid high-cocoa-butter formulations - generally in the 40% cocoa
butter range.

> When the chocolate is setting but still soft--this
>usually takes only a minute or two--turn the mold over and scrape off
>the excess neatly with a bench scraper. You should achieve a proper coat
>that is even.
>
>> Whichever method you use, chilling the centres is a good precaution.
>> However, beware of condensation when you do this.
>
>I prefer to let them set up in a cool, but not chilled, environment for
>that reason. Making chocolates by hand is a multi-step process that
>takes some time, and trying to rush it usually causes problems, in my
>experience.

One thing I wish is that someone would make a controlled-temperature
chiller for storage and creation of chocolate and chocolates in small
volumes. Something about the size of a half fridge should do it. As it is,
however, at least in a home setting generally the only practicable cool
environment when the weather is warm is the fridge.


--
Alex Rast

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