Champagne Truffle Squares Recipes

Steps:

• Using a ladle, fill 2 cork molds with chocolate. When they are full, empty the excess back into the bowl of chocolate. The inside of the molds should be evenly coated with chocolate. Wipe the lip of the molds clean and place them upside down on a wire rack over a baking sheet to drain. Once the chocolate starts to harden, about 5 minutes, use a wide pastry scraper to clean the edges of each cavity clean. This is important because when the chocolate sets, it shrinks or retracts from the sides of the mold. A clean edge will keep it from sticking and cracking as it shrinks. You can place the mold in the refrigerator for several minutes to help the chocolate to harden.
• Place the champagne and cream into a small saucepan and heat the mixture to a boil. Pour the hot champagne mixture over the chopped chocolate and corn syrup and blend until smooth with an immersion hand blender. Add the marc du champagne and the butter and blend until smooth with an immersion hand blender. Allow the mixture to cool until it has a thick consistency (thick enough to pipe). Place the mixture in a piping bag and pipe it into the chocolate filled molds. Let set overnight. Close the bottom of one mold by apply chocolate with an offset spatula. Scrape clean then press the two molds together evenly. Allow to set. When the chocolate has set, remove the whole "corks" from the molds.
• How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

Steps:

• Baking pan or roasting pan at least 2 inches deep and large enough to hold the cake pan with at least 2 inches to spare on each side.
• Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with foil. Put a kettle of water on to boil for the bain marie when baking in the oven.
• Place chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Combine the 2 egg yolks with vanilla in a small bowl. Place the 3 egg whites in a medium bowl with cream of tartar. Set all 3 bowls aside.
• Combine the cocoa, flour and 2/3 cup sugar in a 1 1/2 quart heavy bottomed saucepan. Whisk in enough of the milk to form a smooth paste. Mix in the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, to prevent burning (especially around the bottom edges of the pot), until mixture begins to simmer. Simmer very gently, stirring constantly, for about 1 1/2 minutes, or until the mixture visibly thickens. Pour the hot mixture immediately over the chopped chocolate. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Whisk in egg yolk mixture. Set aside.
• Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, beating at high speed until stiff but not dry. Fold a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining egg whites. Scrape mixture into the cake pan and spread evenly. Set cake pan in baking pan and place on oven rack. Pour enough boiling water into the baking pan to come a third to halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
• Bake for exactly 20 minutes. The cake will only be about 3/4 inches tall. The surface will spring back when gently pressed but cake will still be quite gooey inside. Remove cake pan and water pan from oven. Remove the cake pan from the water and cool completely on a rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before serving. Refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 months.
• After the truffle sheet is well chilled, lift the edges of the foil to remove the truffle sheet from the pan. Cut the sheet into 7 strips, each about 1 1/4 inches wide, using a long thin sharp knife dipping in hot water and wiped dry between each cut (the cake is very sticky) or cut with dental floss. Cut each strip into 7 squares. Transfer each square to a fluted paper candy cup and or arrange on a serving platter. If garnishing with raspberries, simmer the preserves for a minute or until thick and sticky. Touch the hot preserves with the bottom of each berry before placing it on the truffle square. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• Line a 23x12cm (9x5in) dish or tin with clingfilm and set aside. Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.
• Heat the cream in a pan until gently bubbling, then pour half over the chocolate, leave for 1 minute to melt a little, then mix with an electric whisk. Add the remaining cream and continue mixing until smooth and glossy. (Adding the cream in two parts prevents the mixture from splitting; if it does separate, whisk in a splash of cold cream to bring it back together). Stir in the fizz and vanilla.
• Pour the truffle mixture into the prepared tin. Smooth the top, then chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to set.
• Using a hot knife (dip in hot water then dry with kitchen towel), cut the truffles into bite-sized sqares. Chill until ready to eat. If you like, dust with cocoa powder, to prevent them from sticking, before arranging in mini cupcake cases.