Dipping cold centers

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Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on October 10, 2011 at 10:09am

There is another option to consider, which is pre-made truffle shells. Pipe your caramel into those then cover the hole with chocolate. Let the plug harden, then dip.

There was a very long discussion on this recently, the consensus being that it's a pretty common thing to do and it makes sense to use the technique where it makes sense. There are some very big names that got their start using pre-made shells and filling them. Vosges is one. They may still be doing it, though my guess is that by now they are using a one-shot machine due to the volume they produce.

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Permalink Reply by Magrietha Hendrika du Plessis on October 10, 2011 at 10:17am

Thanks for the reply Clay. I think I did not make myself clear. I know about the pre-made truffle shells, but the problem is that in South Africa, unless I want to use very inferior quality and not the Valrhona I am using, I have to import them. There are only one importer, that I know of, in South Africa at the moment that imports Valrhona and I cannot afford importing the shells at this stage. I am not allowed to use anything but Valrhona. This is why I am trying to get another solution. I have no problem with using pre-made truffle shells if only they where not so expensive in South Africa.

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Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on October 10, 2011 at 11:22am

You are only "allowed" to use Valrhona?

You can certainly experiment with chilling the caramel but I think you will find it very hard to work with. Looking to make the caramel firmer, while the same flavor, is probably your best bet.

Using molds is not an option? Have you tried making snobinettes? People make those with wine corks covered in plastic wrap. Dip that in tempered chocolate, let harden, then remove the cork and plastic (carefully). You now have a "cup" that you can fill with liquid caramel ... and cap if you want or not. Great thing about this approach is that the "molds" are really cheap.

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Permalink Reply by Magrietha Hendrika du Plessis on October 10, 2011 at 2:38pm

Hi Clay, yes the only "allowed" was just a joke on myself as my partner hates Callebaut that I have been using and now I am only "allowed" to use Valrhona. I love the idea of the wine corks and I will start collecting them from family and friends (it may even give me an excuse to drink a little more wine!)

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Permalink Reply by Brad Churchill on October 10, 2011 at 12:27pm

Super easy solution.  We make 100's of them every week.

 

Purchase the Pavoni silicon spherical molds, and pour the warm liquid caramel into them.  Put them into the fridge to harden, and then pop them out of the molds while still cold and firm and dip them.  The caramel inside will soften at room temperature, but be held in shape by the chocolate shell you've just created.

 

Some will crack for sure, but just dip them again, and all is good.

 

Cheers

Brad

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Permalink Reply by Magrietha Hendrika du Plessis on October 10, 2011 at 2:41pm

Thanks Brad, I think between Clay and yourself you have given me some food for thought. I am going to try the silicon molds and the cork "molds" and find out what works for me. I think the silicon molds sounds like the easiest way to do it.

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Permalink Reply by Kerry on October 10, 2011 at 6:51pm

Would you consider making your own cups or spheres with your permitted chocolate?  Molds are certainly available to make them.

Trouble with dipping cold centers - they expand as they warm, the chocolate contracts as it cools, and you'll get more pieces with 'caramel worms' than pieces without.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Heim on October 10, 2011 at 8:00pm

I've used Clay's snobinettes technique for years, but wrap the plastic around soft foam rubber fingers, I cut them to size and shape.  They collapse easily making it easy to remove.  Also, if you want high gloss on the surface, dip the plastic wrapped cork or foam as described, then loosely wrap again with more plastic. 

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Permalink Reply by Kerry on October 10, 2011 at 8:01pm

Yup - I like the foam best with deli wrap around them to make the snobinettes.

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Magrietha Hendrika du Plessis on October 11, 2011 at 2:34am

Ok, thanks everyone. So I have two things to think about this week.I will get hold of some soft foam rubber and try the snobinettes.

I will see if I can get the molds for the spheres. You will be surprised at how difficult it is to get decent molds in South Africa. You mostly only get the "hobby" kind. I am sure other chocolatiers know where to get them and if anyone from South Africa can point me in the right direction I will appreciate it. I can find nothing on the net or any stores in the Pretoria and Johannesburg vicinity that stock a decent selection.

As a long term solution I do think the spheres may be easier, but the snobinettes can sure help in the mean while as I need a solution pretty quick.

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Permalink Reply by Brad Churchill on October 11, 2011 at 3:41am

I think Chef Rubber in the US carries the molds, and so does Pavoni, the italian company selling them as well.

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Permalink Reply by Magrietha Hendrika du Plessis on October 11, 2011 at 4:22am

Thanks Brad. If I cannot find any in South Africa I will have to order them from somewhere else as soon as I can afford the freight costs. The postal services in South Africa is notoriously bad and you are never sure if you are going to get your post.

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