Candies Posts

07Feb
2

Cookies to the Rescue

 

I saw a recipe for white chocolate on BitterSweet. BitterSweet is one of my favorite blogs! I tried to make my own white chocolate. I failed to make my own white chocolate *FROWN*  I could not get the sugar to dissolve in the melted cocoa butter! I stirred, I used my electric mixer, I even tried the immersion blender and food processor. No luck. It was just one gritty, greasy mess. I guess I should have used powdered sugar instead of Sucanat!

Sucanat and melted cocoa butter don't mix!

Sucanat and melted cocoa butter don't mix!

I didn’t want to throw out the cocoa butter and sugar.  I decided to try again. I scraped everything into a bowl. Then I put it in the microwave until the cocoa butter was melted. I whipped it with my electric mixer. I hoped this time the sugar would dissolve. I kept whipping, but I could see the sugar wasn’t going to dissolve. I was FRUSTRATED! Still no white chocolate.

I almost threw the whole bowl away. But I had an idea. The whipped cocoa butter and sugar was like the start of a cookie dough. I added some soymilk, baking soda, and salt, then split the dough into three batches. I added vanilla extract to the first batch. The second batch got almond extract and finely chopped dried cherries. The third batch I added toasted hazelnuts to.  The dough was thick and very sticky.  I dropped it on the cookie sheets then flattened it with a fork.

Ready for the oven

Ready for the oven

The cookies tasted pretty good. But the texture was a little weird. I wish I would have left the soymilk out and added more cocoa butter or coconut oil. Then they would have been like shortbread cookies. Or I should have added more soymilk to make them like regular cookies. I’ll have to save white chocolate for another day!

Much better than the mess I started with!

Much better than the mess I started with!

Posted by admin in Candies, Cookies
16Jan
2

Vegan Chocolate Truffles

 

Why don’t chocolate truffles have truffles (the fungus) in them? I looked at LOTS of truffles. I checked to see if they had truffles in them. None ever did. Not even expensive ones! I learned on Wikipedia that chocolate truffles look a lot like the fungus truffles after they are dug up. That is why they are called truffles.

Truffles are easy to make at home.  You can add any flavors you like. You can also roll them in different toppings. This week I made four different kinds.

Which truffle should I eat first?

Which truffle should I eat first?

Basic Chocolate Truffle Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
  • 1 c coconut milk
  • 1/2 tsp extract (such as vanilla, almond, or hazelnut)
  • 2 T liquor (such as rum, tequila, or Cointreau)
  • 3 – 5 T topping (such as cocoa powder, chocolate shavings, or chopped nuts)

Directions:

  1. Use a serrated knife to chop chocolate into small pieces. Smaller pieces melt easier.  Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl.
  2. Heat coconut milk on medium heat until bubbles just start forming. Pour onto chocolate. Stir until smooth. If chocolate does not melt completely, heat GENTLY in a double boiler, a warming drawer, or an oven set as low as possible.
  3. Add liquer and extracts and mix thoroughly.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.
  5. Put about 1 T of the truffle mix in your hands and roll it into a ball. This can get messy! Then roll in the topping of your choice. You could try a melon baller or a small cookie scoop instead.
  6. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature.

Here are the combinations I used:

  • Cointreau truffle rolled in toasted orange peel (zest 2 oranges, toast at 350 degrees for 3 – 5 minutes, let cool, crush with a spoon)
  • Cointreau truffle rolled in ground espresso beans
  • Vanilla truffle rolled in cocoa powder
  • Tequila truffle rolled in Natural Desserts Raspberry Jel Dessert mix
Posted by admin in Candies