Hi Gary, I've been making dairy-free truffles for a long time and I substitute alternatives (like oat milk or almond milk), concentrated fruit juices and spirits for the cream. I've always found that if the temperatures are right and I mix everything well that I get a wonderful texture and the true flavors of chocolate come forward.I've made tea truffles and Sarah is correct, don't use too hot of water and use at least double the amount of tea leaves with a very long steep, overnight is good. You will need to experiment with this. Chocolate is strong so you need to use a lot of tea for the flavor to come through the chocolate. I've used matcha in the ganache as well. Quite a kick too!Good luck! -Mark Sciscenti

Here is a recipe I got onlineWATER GANACHE1 cup chopped chocolate, about 6 ounces7 ounces of boiling waterYou can make this in a four cup Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave or on top of the stove.The method is essentially the same.If using the microwave, nuke the cut up chocolate on half power for one minute. Stir and nuke again for 30 seconds at half power. If necessary, repeat, until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the boiling water one tablespoon at a time, making sure to incorporate it before adding the next tablespoon. Dont worry if the chocolate seizes up. Sometimes this happens, and sometimes it doesnt. Just keep on adding water one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. The chocolate will eventually become smooth and glossy. Put it in an eight ounce glass jar and let it set up in the fridge. It will thicken to a wonderful consistency, and keep for a very long time.If using the stove top, melt the chopped chocolate in a deep 1 1/2 -2 quart pot on the lowest possible heat. Proceed as above.

A quick thank you to all replied. I am on the road now. I will post more about the tea I am using and more specific questions soon.

I have had good luck with cold infusions w/ cream and tea. By cold infusing you do not get the bitter, acrid tastes of a too long hot infusion. I infuse overnight usually, with more tea than if you were using heat. It is different for each tea. I am at home right now but if I remember when I am at the shop I will post the ratio I use for jasmine pearls to cream.

We don't do water ganaches as it takes away from the texture we desire but I had to comment that each tea is different in how well it can be reflected in an infusion.If you were to try cream again I would steep your tea in the cream for up to 45m and watch how much flavor comes out (and still little to no acrid nature). We make an earl grey, jasmine, & chai tea like this. Last night we just had a chocolate and tea pairing with a white chocolate + green tea & floral, 60% dark chocolate ganache & rose roobios, fudge brownie and chai tea.. Fun stuff!Good luck in your search, trials, and taste! :D

I have played around with "water" ganaches. I usually replace the "water" part of the cream with some other liquid and the fat part of the cream with some other fat. I had great shelf life.

I am looking to experiment with water ganaches. I am hoping to get some opinions, recepies, comments on the shelflife. I am thinking to make some Oolong tea truffles for my brother's Wedding. Cream only interferes with tea flavor, IMHO. Thanks a lot, Cheers.

updated by @gary-shieh: 04/17/15 19:21:16