Rich Truffles With A Hint Of Grand Marnier Recipes

GRAND MARNIER TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-sized heatproof bowl. Set aside until needed.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil, remove the cream from heat.
• Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and allow the mixture to sit, untouched, for a minute. Then whisk until smooth.
• Stir in the butter and Grand Marnier and vigorously whisk until smooth and shiny.
• Set aside and cool to room temperature. Then tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 and ½ hours or until firm enough to scoop.
• Place the cocoa powder in a wide shallow dish and set aside.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Chop the chocolates finely with a sharp knife. Place them in a heat-proof mixing bowl.
• Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just boils. Turn off the heat and allow the cream to sit for 20 seconds. Pour the cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with chocolate. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in the Grand Marnier, if using, coffee, and vanilla. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
• With 2 teaspoons, spoon round balls of the chocolate mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm. Roll each dollop of chocolate in your hands to roughly make a round ball. Roll in confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, or both. These will keep refrigerated for weeks, but serve at room temperature.

GRAND MARNIER CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Chop the chocolate and put in a heatproof bowl. Bring the heavy cream, butter and salt to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat; pour over the chocolate and let sit until completely melted, about 10 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula or whisk until smooth. (If necessary, microwave in 20-second intervals until the chocolate melts.)
• Whisk in the vanilla extract and the Grand Marnier. Stir until the ganache is smooth and shiny. Pour into a shallow baking dish and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Roll tablespoonfuls of the ganache into 18 to 24 balls, then roll in chopped pistachios. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. (To make these in advance, roll into balls but do not coat; cover and freeze up to 2 weeks. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before uncovering, then roll in coating.)

GRAND MARNIER TRUFFLES

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, chop chocolate into pea-sized chunks, and remove to a medium-sized metal bowl.
• In a small saucepan, combine cream, orange zest, and orange liquor and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat immediately. Pour cream mixture over chocolate, stir to combine. Add butter and salt. Stir until mixture is smooth and a ganache forms. Pour into a nonstick cake pan, an 8-inch round or a 12-by-6 inch rectangular pan, and refrigerate for at least an hour, up to three, until the ganache hardens.
• When the ganache is ready, use two spoons to begin to shape the ganache into balls. You do this so the truffles will be easier to roll into balls later. The size of the truffles is up to you. Mine are about a third of an ounce each. Place each measured-out truffle on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
• Refrigerate truffles for five to ten minutes, enough time to allow them to firm up again. Meanwhile, fill a large ziplock bag with ice. It's good to have ice nearby while you roll the truffles, to keep your hands cool and the truffles from melting. With the palms of your (iced) hands, roll each truffle into a smooth ball.
• You'll make a mess, but trust me: this is just about the tidiest method I've found, and I've tried it all. Remember: spoon, refrigerate, ice, roll. Pour about 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder into a bowl, and roll each truffle in it. This will smooth over any rough edges. You can stop here. They're done.
• Or you can get fancy. You can dip the truffles in more chocolate and top them with candied orange peels. Labor intensive, but never a bad idea. Here's what you do: In a double boiler, heat another 12 oz dark chocolate, stirring frequently, until just melted. Remove from heat. Add another 2 oz chopped dark chocolate, and stir until the fresh chips melt and the chocolate begins to cool and thicken.
• This is called tempering the chocolate. It produces a chocolate that will harden to be snappy and shiny, like all really good chocolate is at room temperature.
• If you're using a candy thermometer, once the chocolate reaches 88 degrees, it's ready.
• With a fork, lower the rolled truffles into the melted chocolate. Lift them out quickly, and allow some of the excess chocolate to drain off the truffle before removing to a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
• Sprinkle the dipped truffles with minced candied orange peels, or place a slivered orange peel on top. Your choice! Once the chocolate hardens, you can melt the rough edges down on a warm pan or plate.

CRAN-MARNIER TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, milk and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage)., Remove from heat; stir in dark chocolate until melted. Stir in marshmallows, Grand Marnier and orange zest until blended. Stir in cranberries. Transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate until easy to handle, about 1-1/2 hours., Shape into 1-in. balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate, covered, until firm, about 1 hour., In a microwave, melt semisweet chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip truffles in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Return to lined baking sheets; refrigerate until set. Or, if desired, roll undipped truffles in cocoa. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

RICH TRUFFLES WITH A HINT OF GRAND MARNIER

Steps:

• Heat cream and butter over medium heat add chocolate remove from heat stirring till melted and smooth adding the Grand Marnier stirring all the time.
• If it lumps up it will smooth out keep stirring.
• Cover and cool in the refrigerator 4 hours or over night till firm.
• Using a melon baller or teaspoon making 3/4 inch size balls rolling into cocoa or sugar.
• I like to put them into the mini paper or foil muffin cups.
• Nice for a gift giving.