Chocolatology

ChocolatesBonbons, Chocolate Pralines and Chocolate Truffles

Bonbons, Truffles and Chocolate Pralines

Bonbon or bon-bons refers to any of several types of sweets, especially small candies enrobed in chocolate.

Chocolate Truffle is a type of chocolate confectionery, traditionally made with a chocolate ganache center coated in chocolate, icing sugar, cocoa powder usually in a spherical, conical, or curved shape.

Chocolate Pralines are a molded chocolate candy with a ganache filling

How to make –First Temper Chocolate

When we receive chocolate from the manufacture bit is in temper. The cocoa butter crystals are proper alignment. As soon as we melt the chocolate it comes out of temper. We will need to put back in temper is we want those same physical characteristics we started with. This would be if we are making candy, using a mold or a showpiece

If you are baking, cooking or making mousse you do not temper chocolate.

Chocolate that is melted and not re-tempered will be soft, streaky in appearance and gritty in mouth-feel. This can always be melted down again and tempered or used for something else, such as baking.

Methods of TemperingMethod Procedure Best Use

EZ Melt chocolate to 125 degrees. Place bowl on ice and stir to 82 degrees. Test. Warm to 89-91 degrees working temperature. Test again

Small quantities1-2 lbs.

Seeding Melt 2/3 of desired amount of chocolate to 125 -degrees. Add 1/3 of remaining chocolate, cool and heat to the above temperatures-Test

Med. quantitiesLumps of un-melted chocolate

Tabling Melt 2/3 of desired amount of chocolate to 125 -degrees. Reserve other chocolate. Pour onto marble slab. Spread chocolate out and scrape into a mound, repeat to temp. is 82 degrees. Mix into reserved warm chocolate-Test

Large quantities.Need a largemarble slab, experience and timing

Beta 6 Crystals

Melt measured amount of chocolate to 125 degrees. Cool to 95 degrees add 1% beta crystals, stir let sit for 10 minutes. Test

Med. quantities.Takes a while to crystalize. Beta 6 crystals $$$

Next -Prepare Molds

1.Start with polycarbon chocolate molds, The mold must be CLEAN. Wash before using if necessary. Buff with a lint free towel. Place in a warm place until needed. Molds need to 80 degrees

2.Temper chocolate, invert mold so cavities are facing up.

3.Fill with tempered chocolate. Using the handle of a bench scrapper rap all sides of the mold to bring bubbles to the top and pop

Prepping Molds4. Invert mold, pour excess

chocolate back into the bowl of tempered chocolate

5.Use your bench scraper to clean off the mold of excess

chocolate.

6.Invert onto a parchment lined sheet pan and place in either a cooling cabinet

or refrigerator

7.Have you filling prepared. It must be liquid yet it can’t be warm. If it is

to warm it will take the chocolate out of temper and your chocolates will

not come out of the molds

Ganache Fillings- Cream Ganache

Product/Use Chocolate Ratio Chocolate to Cream

Chocolate Cream

Firm Ganache for slab pralines

Dark 2:1 1000g 500g

Milk 2.5:1 1000g 400g

White 2.5:1 1000g 400g

Medium Ganache for piped pralines

Dark 1.5:1 1000g 667g

Milk 2:1 1000g 500g

White 2:1 1000g 500g

Soft Ganache for molded pralines

Dark 1:1 1000g 1000g

Milk 1.5:1 1000g 667g

Butter Ganache Used in Europe, it is often made with liquors. Butter having less water

content then cream it is more shelf stable. Butter ganache is made by combining tempered chocolate with softened butter. The result is a quick setting ganache that increases the risk of separation if the chocolate and butter are not of similar temperatures. Butter needs to be between 85-90 degrees and can be whipped with a paddle to soften and aerate.

Product/Use Chocolate Ratio Chocolate to butter

Chocolate Soft Butter

Firm Ganache for slab pralines

Dark 2:1 1000g 500g

Milk 2.5:1 1000g 400g

White 2.5:1 1000g 400g

Medium Ganache for piped pralines

Dark 1.5:1 1000g 667g

Milk 2:1 1000g 500g

White 2:1 1000g 500g

Soft Ganache for molded pralines

Dark 1:1 1000g 1000g

Milk 1.5:1 1000g 667g

White 1.5:1 1000g 667g

Fruit and Vegetable Puree Ganaches Fruit and Vegetable puree ganaches can be substituted for all or part

of the cream. Since they do not contain fats, butter needs to be added to the tempered chocolate when puree is used. Follow butter ganache method to make ganache, after butter is incorporated add 85-90 degree puree, mix to combine

Product/Use

Chocolate Ratio Chocolate to puree and butter

Chocolate Puree Soft Butter

Firm Ganache for slabbed pralines

Dark 2:1 1000g 250g 250gMilk 2.5:1 1000g 200g 200gWhite 2.5:1 1000g 200g 200g

Medium Ganache for piped pralines

Dark 1.5:1 1000g 334g 333gMilk 2:1 1000g 250g 250gWhite 2:1 1000g 250g 250g

Soft Ganache for molded pralines

Dark 1:1 1000g 500g 500gMilk 1.5:1 1000g 334g 333gWhite 1.5:1 1000g 334g 333g

Source- Art of The Chocolatier, 2011-Notter

Filling Molds8.Fill 7/8 full, allow filling to “crust over” The ideal ratio for pralines and bonbons is 60:40, filling to chocolate

9.Spread a thin layer of tempered chocolate over the top of the

mold to seal the pralines

10. Scrape off excess, and return to cooling cabinet or refrigerator to set

thoroughly

Finally

10. If chocolate was, tempered correctly and the pralines or bonbons are made correctly they will pop right out of the molds

Enrobing with Chocolate

1. Temper Chocolate, place into a bowl

2. Stretch a piece of floral wire across the top of the

bowl and tape to the outside of the bowl .

3. Take item to be enrobed, rolled chocolate truffle or piece of slab

ganache and place ¾ the way on a dipping fork. Place into tempered

chocolate, gently cover with tempered chocolate

Almost doneLift it out of the tempered chocolate

using your dipping fork, the confection should be on half way on your confection

Raise just out of the chocolate and tap on the surface.

This will gently pull excess chocolate. If we hold the confection too high over the bowl this will introduce air into your chocolate and cool down your tempered chocolate

Stick the landingScrape the chocolate confection

bottom across the wirePlace on a silpat mat to set. The

groves in the mat will allow the excess chocolate not to pool at the base of the chocolate confection creating footing and will leave a neat professional looking confection.