Grandma's favorite

November 7, 2024 12:43 PM

I'd like to make some chocolate truffles with alcohol in them, like Grand Marnier or rum. Any recipes you personally recommend after use? Any particular tips?

I'm in the US and a reasonably accomplished cook and baker, but have limited experience with making candy. I have a Thermopen and the usual kitchen implements, plus parchment paper. Thank you!

posted by joyceanmachine to Food & Drink (5 answers total)

Back in the dim dark ages, I had a subscription to Gourmet and they had an excellent recipe for chocolate truffles, which can be found on epicurious here.

I have personally made this recipe eliminating the fresh raspberries and substituting for the framboise:
kirschwasser
pear williams
grand marnier
vanilla

When it comes down to it, chocolate truffles are a thick ganache rolled in cocoa powder. You don't need an eau de vie, but it really helps. A ganache that you use for a sauce is 1:1 chocolate and cream. This particular one is 7:4, so almost 2x the chocolate.
posted by plinth at 1:55 PM on November 7 [1 favorite]

Mandarian Napoleon is made from tangerines like Grand Marnier but different..
posted by hortense at 2:27 PM on November 7 [1 favorite]

When I made chocolate professionally, the ganache recipe used was (by weight) 5 parts chocolate, 1 part fat, 1 part water-soluble ingredients.

For those water-soluble ingredients to include booze, I recommend 20% by weight be corn syrup (or glucose syrup if you can get it), which will slow the evaporation of the booze. And 1% salt, because it helps make the flavor pop.
posted by Jon_Evil at 4:04 PM on November 7 [2 favorites]

This is a very rummy recipe, and my favorite.
posted by bluesky43 at 5:56 PM on November 7

not quite a truffle but I make this fireball fudge recipe often and it's super easy. Substitute any liquor for the Fireball, I've made all kinds. (Laphroaig Fudge is really something!)
posted by mmoncur at 3:36 AM on November 8