Make your sweetie a chocolate treat
“A Baker’s Field Guide to Candies and Confections,” is the third book in this series by Dede Wilson. She’s previously tackled Christmas cookies and chocolate chip cookies in these handy spiral-bound books.
Each candy gets a two-page spread in this book, which stays open easily on the counter.
Wilson gives good step-by-step instructions, tips and “Candy Tidbits” that will help you dress up the candy or tweak the recipe for a slightly different version. The candies are arranged by holiday and include “Field Notes” to help you pick the right maple syrup, find the right flowers for crystallizing and learn more about the history of certain candies.
Each recipe also includes handy notations to indicate whether the candy is quick to make, if it keeps well, if kids can help and whether it’s sturdy enough to mail. “Extra fancy” recipes get a little ribbon.
There are recipes for some traditional candies such as Saltwater Taffy, Candy Canes, Peanut Butter Cups and a few Wilson created just for the book, including the Champagne and Cherry Heart Lollipops.
Here’s a Valentine’s Day recipe from the book. You can personalize it with your sweetheart’s favorite liqueur. If you’ve no sweetheart to impress, make it with your favorite.
Liqueur-Enhanced Chocolate Truffles
These bittersweet chocolate truffles can be made with any compatible liqueur. Try Grand Marnier, Kahlua or Chambord for starters.
11/2 cups heavy cream
2 pounds plus 4 ounces couverture bittersweet chocolate, very finely chopped, divided (see note)
4 to 6 tablespoons liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, Kahlua or Chambord
Unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
90 small fluted paper cups (optional)
Heat cream in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer.
Remove from heat and immediately sprinkle 1 pound chocolate into cream. Allow to sit for 5 minutes; the hot cream should melt the chocolate. Stir very gently, so as not to incorporate air, until smooth. If chocolate isn’t melting, place saucepan over very low heat and stir until smooth, but take care not to let it get too hot or burn. Stir in liqueur, to taste, until incorporated.
Pour mixture, now called a ganache, into a shallow bowl and allow to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate until firm enough to roll, preferable overnight.
Coat your hands with cocoa powder and roll ganache into 3/4-inch balls. These should be as round as possible but do not need to be perfect. Place in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan and chill until very firm. (Type of chocolate, ambient temperature and other variables will determine the length of chilling time, typically anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Overnight refrigeration will also work.)
Temper the remaining chocolate (see directions below). Line a jelly-roll pan with aluminum foil, shiny side up, smoothing out any wrinkles, or line the pan with a piece of acetate. Dip truffles one at a time in the melted chocolate, tossing back and forth with your fingers, 2 forks, or chocolate dipping tools.
Allow excess chocolate to drip back into the pot. Place truffles carefully on the lined pan. Refrigerate until firm. Place in fluted paper cups, if desired, and enjoy at room temperature.
Note: Coverture chocolate is chocolate that has a cocoa butter content of at least 32 percent. It will be very fluid when melted, and it gives molded chocolates or coated chocolates the thinnest, most elegant coating.
To temper chocolate: Start with the desired amount of chocolate and chop it very finely.
Place about two-thirds of it in the top of a double boiler set over gently simmering water.
Stir gently to encourage melting, but not vigorously, which will add air.
Do not allow chocolate to heat above 115 degrees for semisweet or bittersweet chocolate. As soon as the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heat and wipe the bottom of the pot to eliminate any chances of water droplets reaching the chocolate, which would cause it to seize. (You would know it has seized because it will become overly thickened and grainy.)
Add about one-third of the remaining chopped chocolate and stir gently. The residual heat will melt it and the mixture will start to cool down.
Add the remaining chocolate in two more stages, if necessary, to cool the chocolate further, continuing to stir until it reaches 79 degrees. Stir until completely melted.
Place the pot back over hot, but not simmering, water and re-warm the chocolate gently. Semisweet or bittersweet should be brought up to 88 degrees. Do not allow the chocolate to rise above 90 degrees or you will have to begin the entire process again.
The chocolate is ready to use. You must retain the chocolate’s temperature while you are working with it.
Yield: 90 truffles
Approximate nutrition per truffle: 77 calories, 5 grams fat (3 grams saturated, 59 percent fat calories, less than 1 gram protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 6 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 2 milligrams sodium.