I use different types of coconut oil in specific confections. 

I prefer using the unrefined oil for the most part, although with more delicate confections, I have an option of a more refined product, that retains most of the characteristics of the unrefined, but with no coconut taste. Costco carries both types, here.

Except in the dead of summer, I find confections made with coconut oil hold up pretty well, with limited leakage issues. I do live in a cooler climate, so this isn't as big of an issue...I'd imagine it would be more of an issue for some of you. In warmer climes, the oil does find fissures in the outer chocolate shell to exploit, if you plan on enrobing your product.

In Greweling's book, he suggest one plays with ratios up to 28% coconut oil, for different mouth feels.

Coconut cream is nice in ganaches...I have a confection that uses it in place of cream. I havent conducted any really lengthy tests on its shelf life yet, but it easily doubles the shelf life of a confection, as compared to cream-based.

updated by @dallas: 11/10/15 09:13:03

I've started using coconut cream in my ganache and it works perfectly. Question in how long will the shelf life be?

Are you sure you're making a meltaway?  With enough off the coconut milk and agave syrup, you'll be making a type of ganache, an oil in water emulsion. 

Nicole5: Thanks for that information.  Since I already have some "virgin," unrefined coconut oil (with full coconut taste), I think I'll try mixing that with milk chocolate (so we get a bit of the Almond Joy flavors) and see how it goes.  I'll keep some for a while just to check shelf life and leakage.  When I get some refined coconut oil, I'll try other flavors, such as mint and peanut butter (separately), both of which are in Peter Greweling's Chocolates and Confections.

updated by @jim-dutton: 10/08/15 14:50:26

I just use LouAna Coconut Oil from a grocery store; it's near every other type of oil in a white container.  I temper milk chocolate, add melted (but cooled) coconut oil and flavor in with the chocolate.  I pipe the filling into milk chocolate shells, let them set and back them.  I know there is a difference between refined and unrefined, but I've forgotten which is which.  I just keep using the same thing I've always used!

I've never had any stick around long enough to know what happens after a while!

I would be very interested in more details on how you make these meltaways.  Is there any difficulty with them once they sit in the shell for a while (such as leaking)?  I'm also curious as to what type of coconut oil you use.  I bought "unrefined, cold-pressed."  It is quite good but has a strong taste of coconut.  This is fine for fillings that I want to have a coconut flavor, but meltaways can also have other flavors, such as mint, and there is, I understand, a "deodorized" coconut oil, but I don't know exactly what to look for.

Thanks for any help.

I'll be doing tests tomorrow with the coconut cream and let you know. At the moment, the recipe is only cocoa with coconut milk and agave syrup. It definitely has a melt away mouth feel and I believe that if we can get a bit more strenght from the coconut cream, then we can have something that won't collapse or melt as easily, but still keep the texture in our mouths. Got my fingers crossed!

 

Would the ratios of chocolate to coconut oil be the same as chocolate to cream to achieve a meltaway?  I currenly pipe my meltaways into a shell and they are very popular, but I'd like to try some that are not shelled.  I don't know how to get that meltaway texture without it being too soft.

I am working with a chocolatier who makes a ganache using coconut oil. They have a great "melting" mouth feel, but the ganache melts when it is hot and causes the bonbon to collapse. I am considering using coconut ceam to make it have a slightly harder consistency. Any idea how this will affect shelf life? Has anyone tried this combination of coconut oil and coconut cream/milk?

Good to know, Thanks Sebastian. It turns out I had simply not mixed it enough, the result being grainy. I reheated and mixed it a lot and it turned out well. I've only just started using coconut products for shelf stability as customers want it. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Cheers

Remember not all coconut oil's created the same. A natural coconut oil will harden at room temperature; while a fractionated will remain liquid. You may be getting 'lumps' as a result of using a natural, unfractionated coconut oil that solidifies at room temperature. Note: the fractionation process simply separates the higher melting point 'fractions' of oils from their lower melting point fractions. It does not suggest that because the starting material is referred to as 'natural' that fractionated oils are 'artificial'.

good point, I will try that. Thanks

If you use coconut oil instead of cream, you will end up with a melt away, not a truffle. Still tastes good, but not a truffle.

I am attempting to create a shelf stable truffle by using coconut oil instead of heavy cream but am finding the resulting ganache is grainy. Does anyone else use a similar recipe for extending shelf life. I want a smooth ganache that I would getting using a heavy cream. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

updated by @dirke-botsford: 04/11/15 10:08:42