Janettes Lighter Truffles Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Mash the bananas in a small bowl (you should have about 1 cup), then add to the mixing bowl and beat until just combined. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the flour, milk, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and beat until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert the bread onto the rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Slice the dark crispy edges off all 4 sides of the bread.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Crumble the bread into very small pieces in a large bowl. Add the frosting and mix with a spoon until the bread is a creamy consistency that can be rolled into a ball without crumbling. Roll the banana bread mixture into heaping teaspoon-sized balls with your hands (about 1/2 ounce each) and place them on the lined baking sheet. Chill the truffles in the refrigerator until cold, about 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Put the chocolate chips and oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted, about 2 minutes.
• Toss the truffles, one at a time, in the chocolate mixture until completely coated. Use a fork to remove the truffles from the bowl and return to the lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the topping of your choice (if drizzling with caramel sauce or extra melted chocolate, let the truffles harden first). Repeat with the remaining truffles, reheating the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals if beginning to harden. Chill the truffles in the refrigerator until the chocolate is hardened, about 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Place mousse in a bowl and drizzle port over the mousse. Mash with a fork until the mixture is workable and the port is incorporated. Work in the black pepper. Do not overwork. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour or until firm.
• Remove from refrigerator and divide evenly into 24 uniform "truffles." Using your hands, quickly roll the mousse into balls. When finished roll the truffles in the miniature croutons Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cut the bread into the tiniest possible cubes (1/16-inch or smaller). Place all ingredients in a bowl and toss. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until uniformly golden. Cool and set aside to use as directed.

Steps:

• Put the chopped chocolate in a large bowl and set aside.
• Add the heavy cream to a small pot over medium heat and cover with a lid. Remove from the heat just before the cream comes to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate, cover the bowl with aluminum foil or a lid and let it sit 5 minutes. Remove the cover and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the brown rice syrup and a healthy pinch of Himalayan pink salt. Let it sit and come to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the ganache and place in the refrigerator to set for 1 hour.
• Scoop tablespoon-size portions of the ganache onto a parchment-lined plate. When filled, place the plate in the freezer for 20 minutes and continue with the remaining ganache.
• Remove the chilled ganache from the freezer; use your hands to roll the portions into smooth balls, then roll in your favorite spice or nut combination.

Steps:

• MELT chocolate chips in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Stir in orange extract and frosting; blend well. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until firm. PLACE each coating in its own pie pan. Scoop mixture into 1-inch balls; drop onto coating (mixture will be sticky). Roll to coat. Place in foil candy cups, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

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:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine chocolate and cream. Cook, stirring, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in flavoring. Pour into a small dish and refrigerate until set, but not hard, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Use to fill candies or form balls and roll in toppings.