Because Easter Needs Truffles too
April 15, 2017 10:26 PM   Subscribe

 
Coconut oil, which is bad for cardiac health, is frequently used to lower the melt point of chocolate, providing a meltier, smoother mouthfeel. Years ago a product called "Ice Cubes" consisted of squares of "chocolate" whose cocoa butter had been replaced with coconut oil. Lindt truffles also use this trick.

Heavy cream can be used but the result has dairy and must be chilled. Still not too healthy, but an improvement over coconut oil and with (to me at least) better flavor profile.

I'm sure these are very tasty but my LDL cholestrol level wants no part of them.
posted by kinnakeet at 3:36 AM on April 16, 2017 [1 favorite]


Years ago a product called "Ice Cubes" consisted of squares of "chocolate" whose cocoa butter had been replaced with coconut oil. Lindt truffles also use this trick.

It's called eiskonfekt or ischoklad. It's a thing, not a trick.
posted by effbot at 4:03 AM on April 16, 2017 [3 favorites]


Well, I might play around and try these sometime. The coconut element seems like it might taste like a Mounds Bar or something.

For the dairy-based version, here's a basic recipe (which I'm adapting from Ina Garten):

Chop up a pound of good quality chocolate pretty fine (you can mix kinds of chocolate, or even brands, why not) and place into a bowl. Heat a cup of cream until just boiling, then take off the heat and let it sit for 20 seconds. Then pour through a sieve into the bowl of chocolate. Stir together slowly until the chocolate is melted and everything is combined. If you're going to add some kind of fancy flavoring, like liqueur or coffee, stir in a tablespoon once everything is combined. (Or if you want to get even more fancy, divvy the chocolate/cream mix into smaller bowls, and flavor each with something different - a third gets a teaspoon of rum, a third gets a teaspoon of espresso, and a third stays just chocolate).

Let it cool and firm up - you can use your fridge if you want to hurry things up - then once they're firm, scoop out little truffle-size amounts, roll them into balls (they can be a little lumpy) and then roll in something like powdered sugar, chopped nuts, cocoa powder, or something like that. Et voila.

If you really want to get fancy with truffles, I really really like the series on the Youtube channel "How To Cook That"; she has four videos that walk you through different truffle and bonbon flavors. Some of her work gets really fancy-looking, and one or two cases call for speciality tools, but you can easily do away with the "luster dust" or "cocoa transfer sheets" and just focus on the flavoring techniques. Here's the first one.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:12 AM on April 16, 2017 [3 favorites]


(Upon re-watch of the first video - that also shows a different flavoring technique, where you steep the flavoring in the cream before you pour it onto the chocolate.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:19 AM on April 16, 2017


Sounds fancy. I am going to go and get another home made chocolate cornflake nest with mini eggs.
posted by biffa at 5:52 AM on April 16, 2017 [1 favorite]


And even did some forward planning by sticking a wispa bar in the fridge for later.
posted by biffa at 5:55 AM on April 16, 2017


And I'm going totally the other way and am entertaining a jaunt out to the local Michaels' to see what they have in the way of cute molds so I can make truffley things. There's a chocolate-orange flavor truffle from the "How To Cook That" site I want to try now.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:07 AM on April 16, 2017


I can't justify making anything chocolaty given how much we have in and the oven is full of lamb. Plus the sun is shining, the butterflies are dancing and the cat has needed policing in the garden.
posted by biffa at 7:10 AM on April 16, 2017 [2 favorites]


Yeah, no... I doubt their commitment to Sparkle Motion paleo. They don't get a cheat day. Their basic insufferable nature about their dietary choices force them to forfeit their cheat days. So, yeah, be snarky and superior about your high meat, no truffles for you.
posted by Samizdata at 9:02 AM on April 16, 2017 [1 favorite]


The recipe posted isn't for me, because I despise coconut.

Years ago a product called "Ice Cubes" consisted of squares of "chocolate" whose cocoa butter had been replaced with coconut oil.

OMG no one remembers Ice Cubes! Ice Cubes were my favorite chocolate ever! I love Ice Cubes! Wait.

Dammit.

In any event, thanks for posting this because I learned about Nom Nom Paleo, which looks like a great resource.
posted by Room 641-A at 9:07 AM on April 16, 2017 [1 favorite]


I made chocolate truffles recently that used avocado instead of the usual fatty culprits. If you're careful about the chocolate you choose, you can wind up with vegan truffles that are unique and exotically delicious. And they're dead easy to churn out.
posted by carsonb at 9:27 AM on April 16, 2017 [2 favorites]


I remember ice cubes! I wondered how they got that ultra-creamy texture. Those things were amazing.
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 9:30 PM on April 16, 2017 [2 favorites]


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