Hi everyone, I've actually been out of commission for a while, in the process of slowly closing my business. But I had someone place a large order- 3000 truffles- and I need some help. I've been using truffle shells for a while now but this customer wants a larger truffle which means I have to hand-roll. I've had problems with dark choc ganaches in the past being too soft, so I was wondering if anyone has a reliable recipe? I did a test batch of 200 g 74%, 125 g cream, 16 g glucose, 32 g butter, and I'm waiting for it to cool now. . .

updated by @chocolate-luv: 04/09/15 10:43:43

General rule of thumb is 2:1 ratio for dark chocolate and cream. So you're a little light on chocolate with the above. Also, butter tends to soften the ganache. So unless you're adding a liquid flavoring (and in the above you're not) or using a low-fat cream I would consider leaving that out. You might try another test batch with 250 g choc, 125 g cream, 30 g glucose and see how that works out. And of course do not cool it in the fridge. That will make the ganache softer too. Let it cool at room temp (65-70). 24 hours. Anyway that's what I was taught. Others here may have different advice.

I used to do 2:1 and found that the ganaches would break a lot or become too soft, and somehow using less chocolate made them hold up better? All the recipes I've found are closer to 1:1. . .

What is your time frame? A 1:1 will not hold more than a few days. It also depends on your chocolate. I agree on the 2:1.

I'm no expert, but my understanding is that ganache typically breaks for two reasons: too much fat or too low of a temperature when agitating. Since you are having more breaking with less cream the fat content does not appear to be the issue for you. So it's probably the temperature. If your liquids fall below 90F before mixing with the chocolate you're asking for trouble. I'm guessing that may be what happened in your previous breaks, especially since it happened with less cream (which was the warm part). You don't want your liquid so hot that you lose your Form V crystals, but you want it above 100F before adding to the chocolate so that you can avoid breaking.

Another trick to toughen up the ganache by the way is to wait until it gets down to about 72F, and then table it for a very short time. I've never done this myself, but I've read that this will make the ganache less soft. Apparently it's really easy to overdo this however, so you want to be careful (and quick) if you try this. But it may help you out. As for the recipes you've seen, those sound like they are intended more for glazes, frostings or fillings. Of course you have to do what works for you, but 2:1 is definitely the standard, and I would give it another test.

We do regularly very large amount of hand piped/rolled truffles. we started with the 2:1 ratio and we adjusted to have a nice consistency/fat content. We know that if we change cream supplier we must adjust the recipe by reducing cream+adding milk.

Best trick to speed up process is to melt completely the chocolate; warm up cream/gluco etc stir together and pour on a tray covered with glad wrap. about 3-4 hour later you can already pipe them. Crystallize overnight, roll and dip day after...

my 2 rand.....

Nino