PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF JEFF HAGE, GREEN FROG PHOTO
BY ELISABETH VELTMAN, THE TENDER FOODIE
What would Valentine's Day be without chocolate? It would be the day I made the front page of the New York Times ("Single Gal Sets Hallmark Store on Fire"). My love affair w/ this beautiful bean began many moons ago, and has evolved to accommodate the onset of dairy and now, tapioca allergies (tapioca is used in place of soy lecithin in soy-free chocolate). Thanks to a few forward thinking chocolatiers, there are truly dairy-free, even soy-free choices out there, the quality of which, make excellent truffles.
Truffles, in my opinion, are the quintessential gift, though I do confess that these don't always make it to the intended recipient. This recipe is my favorite. It combines a soft, sensuous center that leaves you a little buzzed, cupped by a hard chocolate shell waiting to be snapped. Yeah, they taste as sexy as they sound. Go forth Lovers, make them, eat them, and be ... inspired.
RECIPE: ALMOND COGNAC TRUFFLES
Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Egg-free
Copyright, Elisabeth Veltman, The Tender Palate
INGREDIENTS
10 oz. of dairy-free bittersweet chocolate – chopped in small chunks for the ganache
6 more oz. tempered for the ganache (see below)
8 more oz. tempered for the coating (see below)
Recommended brands: Enjoy Life Bittersweet Chocolate Chunks (made w/o soy, but w/ tapioca) or Callebaut Bittersweet Chocolate (made w/ soy lecithin)
½ cup of coconut cream (measured after the fat is stirred in)
(Recommended Brand: Thai East Coconut Milk)
1 TBS of coconut oil (melted)
2 tsp. of almond extract (gluten-free)
4 TBS of cognac (pure distilled)
½ cup of granulated sugar (for sprinkling)
MAKE THE GANACHE
Place 10 oz. of chopped chocolate into a medium-sized bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the coconut cream just to a boil and immediately pour over the chocolate chunks. Add the coconut oil. Shake to evenly coat, and then cover the bowl with a plate to seal in the steam. This will melt the chocolate. Ignore for 10-15 minutes, and then whisk the mixture vigorously until there are no lumps and the chocolate has a lovely shine to it. Whisk in the cognac and the almond extract.
Temper 6 oz. of chocolate: As you wait for ganache to melt together (above), place 6 additional oz. (3/4 c.) of chocolate chunks into a Pyrex* measuring cup and place into the microwave for 20 seconds. Stir, even if the chunks aren’t melted yet. Place the chocolate back into the microwave for 20 more seconds, and then stir again. Repeat this until the chocolate melts at 15-second intervals. When all of the chocolate is melted and stirred, you have tempered chocolate. This will add to the texture of the truffles. Add this to the Ganache and whisk until the shiny again.
At this point, place your ganache, covered, in the refrigerator to firm up for an hour or over night.
*Use the Pyrex brand of measuring cup, since it conducts heat evenly. Some containers will burn the chocolate in the microwave.
ROLL & COAT
Temper another 8 oz. of chocolate chunks in the microwave, using the same method above, but set aside.
Remove the ganache from the refrigerator. If it is too hard, simply let it sit for 30 minutes. With a small melon baller, tiny ice cream scoop, or a spoon, scoop out the ganache and roll in your hands to make a small, round ball. Continue until the ganache is all balled up. Place each ball on a plate with an inch of space around each one. The carefully spoon the last batch of tempered chocolate over the top of each ball so that it seeps over the top and down the side and creates an upside down cup. Place the plate(s) of truffles in the refrigerator to set for about 30 minutes. When the chocolate is set (the outer coating will be hard, and the filling will be firm but soft) turn each truffle over and sprinkle the ganache filling with sugar.
Serve cold or at room temperature. Best to store covered in the refrigerator.
About the Author
Writer, owner of Blue Pearl Strategies, and lover of all culinary delights, Elisabeth is a Tender Foodie. She started The Tender Palate, a website for foodies with food allergies where she consults with experts from every area of the Tender Foodie life. She believes that everyone should live deliciously and have a healthy seat at the table. Find her at www.tenderpalate.com.