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. . .
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. . .
Thanks for the advice, everyone. It's hard for me to go from completely hand made EVERYTHING to using shells, but my research has shown they are extremely common. I even ordered some truffles from a French guy in the states, and he was using them. So I figure, if it's good enough for a French guy, it's good enough for me! 
My next question is: what's the best way to fill/cap the shells? When I was making molded chocolates (where I made the shells myself) I would let the fillings set overnight before capping. Is this recommended for truffles too? I've read that people cap them right after filling, but my concern would be that the filling would contract as it sets, leaving a gap for air, which could result in mold.
Hello friends,
I own a small chocolate company which has been slowly growing over the last 4 years. I mainly sell wholesale to small gourmet shops, and am really looking to expand out of my city and to a more national basis. With that in mind, I really need for this business to become profitable. My sales doubled in 2010 and I did see a profit (for the first time) but I have yet to pay myself (or any employees). In other words, I need to start making money.
My biggest selling item are my truffles- they make up about 25% of my total sales. I have been doing everything by hand- making the ganache (though I have started using a food processor to help with this), scooping (#100 ice cream type scoop), rolling, dipping, everything. I can personally scoop, roll & dip about 200 truffles/hour. However, I have problems with consistency of size, as well as shelf life (I typically get a very thing shell). I am considering using premade shells, but I have always been opposed to them in the past. They seem like a copout to me, a shortcut, etc.
I got some samples from my local distributor (who does sell the Valrhona shells, though these were not V's) and tried it with one ganache, and I don't really notice a difference. Obviously if the shells made a difference in taste or texture, I wouldn't consider them.
So my question is, does using premade shells make me a bad person? I've never been one to take the easy way out just to make a buck, but to be honest, if I don't start making money soon, I won't be making chocolates at all for much longer!
