Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Caramel-dark chocolate truffles with fleur de sel

Caramel-dark chocolate truffles with fleur de se

Cookies, cakes, bread. I do love baking. But I also love making candy and working with chocolate as well. There was an Easter, a couple of years ago, when I made almost 50 chocolate Easter eggs. Some of them had creamy and gooey fillings, like this heart shaped chocolate I posted last year. YUM!

I printed a recipe for tangerine truffles but the result was a much too soft, messy – although quite delicious – mixture; something impossible to be shaped into balls. As I was determined to make truffles that day, I started searching the net and Epicurious came to the rescue.
These looked and sounded amazing enough to make me forget the tangerine fiasco.

I hadn’t tried salted caramel till then – even though I’d seen it popping around on some food blogs – and that stuff is so good. The truffles were great and the salty touch is an unusual surprise.

Both the truffle mixture and the shaped balls must be refrigerated for quite a while, so plan ahead.

Caramel-dark chocolate truffles with fleur de sel

Caramel-dark chocolate truffles with fleur de sel

560g (20oz) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, divided – I used 51% cocoa solids
1/3 cup (67g) sugar
2 tablespoons water
2/3 cup whipping cream
¼ teaspoon fleur de sel
½ cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
additional fleur de sel

Place 224g (8oz) chocolate in metal bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); stir until chocolate is smooth. Remove chocolate from over water.

Combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, occasionally brushing sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Increase heat; boil until syrup is deep amber color, brushing down sides and swirling pan occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add cream (mixture will bubble). Stir over very low heat until caramel is smooth. Mix caramel and ¼ teaspoon fleur de sel into melted chocolate. Chill until truffle filling is firm, at least 3 hours.

Place cocoa in bowl. Using 1 tablespoon truffle filling for each truffle, roll into balls, then roll in cocoa. Arrange on baking sheet. Cover; chill overnight.

Line a 32x22x5cm (13x9x2-in) baking sheet with foil. Place remaining 336g (12oz) chocolate in medium metal or glass bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); stir until chocolate is melted and smooth and thermometer inserted into chocolate registers 46ºC/115ºF. Remove bowl from over water. Working quickly, submerge 1 truffle in melted chocolate.
Using fork, lift out truffle and tap fork against side of bowl to allow excess coating to drip off. Transfer truffle to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining truffles. Sprinkle truffles lightly with additional fleur de sel while coating is still wet. Let stand until coating sets, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)*

*I decided to temper the chocolate so the coating would be firm and the truffles could be kept in room temperature. If you decide to do that too, don’t roll the truffles in cocoa powder (skip that part). Just make the balls, refrigerate for at least 4 hours and dip directly into tempered chocolate.
To learn how to properly temper chocolate, click here.

Makes about 32 – I halved the recipe and got 14 truffles

Caramel-dark chocolate truffles with fleur de sel

44 comments:

  1. I love these kind of recipes. They're always nice bc it's such a change from the regular/traditional...they are great for "unusual surprises" as you mentioned...A while back I did salted-caramel almond coated chocolate truffles and I really love the salt-choco flavour.

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  2. I love these kind of recipes. They're always nice bc it's such a change from the regular/traditional...they are great for "unusual surprises" as you mentioned...A while back I did salted-caramel almond coated chocolate truffles and I really love the salt-choco flavour.

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  3. I too enjoy the mixture of salt-caramel and chocolate..It's strangely addictive but oh so delicious! These look perfect Patricia.

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  4. AnonymousMay 14, 2008

    I too love this combination of flavours. If you like these you must bake Korova cookies :)

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  5. I am a HUGE caramel fan so I will need to bookmark this recipe! I've never topped chocolate with salt though (yet...)

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  6. Wow! Those look incredible Patricia, I never even knew caramel truffles existed! And you know me and caramel, these are definitely going on the list! :)

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  7. I just sent my mom a big box of sea salt chocolates from Fran's Chocolates for Mother's Day. I was sad I couldn't try any, but maybe I'll make these so I can get a taste!

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  8. Good morning Patricia!
    but...can I give a lick to the screen? :-D
    they look amazing dear!!
    Good job!
    Silvia

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  9. This is such good stuff Patricia! I just had a wonderful caramel and dark chocolate truffle with smoked salt the other day at this awesome choclatier near our house! I am sure yours are just as good!

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  10. Oh...they look just like the picture on epicurious.com.

    I think I added this very same recipe to my recipe box on epicurious...and now I think I must have them!!!

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  11. Swoon...I am in love. Caramels are my all time favorite!

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  12. I love homemade truffles, and these look AMAZING!

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  13. Salt and Sweet is my favorite combination, these look fantastic.

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  14. They look really delicious Patricia!!
    U made truffles once only, I loved them but they were too bitter for my better half ;) Those seem to be perfect!

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  15. Oh my goodness, I must have these! I'm just beginning to discover the combination of chocolate and salt, and it's wonderful.

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  16. AnonymousMay 14, 2008

    Caramel with chocolate and fleur de sel which i just bought some more of...I think I will have to indulge in this.

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  17. AnonymousMay 14, 2008

    Hi. These are wonderful. I just recently bought several different salts from all over the world with the intention of making them into desserts. This is great inspiration to me.

    Thanks!

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  18. These look so great! They'd make such nice gifts or after-dinner treats for guests. With champagne. Yummmm.

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  19. Delicious! They looks great!!!

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  20. I love chocolate and caramel with fleur de sel. Your candies look and sound amazing. Between you and Stef I am feeling positively inspired to get back to making unusual truffles.

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  21. AnonymousMay 14, 2008

    i need them, i need a lot of them, and i need them right now.

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  22. I love the sweet and salty combo...I can never deny it! These look lovely!

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  23. Salt and chocolate is so fantastic. These look very pretty, thanks for sharing!

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  24. Oh these look so delicious! I've yet to try candy making (wow, I seem to say that a lot)...broke my candy thermometer before successfully making caramel. Now I really want to go out & buy a new one! Yum!

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  25. AnonymousMay 15, 2008

    Sweet, salty; what's not to love! They look incredible. :)

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  26. AnonymousMay 15, 2008

    Salt and caramel go so well together. Have you ever tried smoked salt?

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  27. That looks like luxuriously rich chocolate, Patricia.

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  28. Those truffles are gorgeous. Caramel and chocolate is one my favorite combos! Beautiful photos too!

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  29. AnonymousMay 15, 2008

    These sound soooo perfect, sweetie!

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  30. AnonymousMay 15, 2008

    Patricia, these look absolutely incredible! :D

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  31. Marianna, it's wonderful to try something new, isn't it?

    Pete, thank you, my friend.

    Kitchen Goddess, I have baked those (it's in the archives) and they are absolutely fabulous!

    Hi darling! I hope you try it, it's really good!

    LyB, you should be one trying these soon, definitely. ;)

    Dana, that box sounds wonderful!

    Silvia, I would more than gladly send you these if they shipped well, sweetie!
    xoxo

    Jenn, that sounds interesting, I have never tried smoked salt!
    Thank you, darling!

    Lindsey, you have to make these. :)

    Private Chef, thank you for your comment.

    Pea, make these!

    Deb, truffles are the ultimate homemade gift!

    Margot, these are great, indeed!

    Lydia, you are right. It's new to me, too, and I'm addicted already.

    Cathy, go ahead. ;)

    Zoe, I'm glad you like these, tks!

    Abby, I agree. I love champagne. ;)

    Ginny, tks!

    Lisa, I think you'll be making extraordinary chocolate.

    Michelle, I miss them already. ;)

    Melody, tks, darling!

    Sara, thank you for commenting!

    Sarah, buy that thermometer asap. ;)

    Hannah, thank you!

    Marc I have not and you've got me curious. ;)

    Susan, thank you, my friend.

    Half Baked, thank you very much!

    Hi dear! Tks a bunch!

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  32. AnonymousMay 15, 2008

    I am so glad that I found this site! Those chocolate candies have my mouth watering. Thanks so much for posting this recipe. I was just thinking to myself that I wanted to make a different candy, but I didn't have a different recipe to try. Thanks to you, I do now! I can't wait to devour one of these babies!!!!

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  33. luxury pure. these are so decadent and gorgeous. nice one my friend!

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  34. You just gave me a good idea to prepare a little wedding gift to my friend!!! They just look cute and elegant!:D

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  35. I'm always amazed at how much salt can really help out sweet dishes. These sound like the perfect treat.

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  36. AnonymousMay 16, 2008

    Chocolate and fleur de sel- a marriage made in heaven! I'll have to ty your caramel along with it!
    ronell

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  37. i've seen the grand chef doing this thing..i already tried this combo of chocco-caramel-salt..and its lovely in the mouth..i love your version of this truffle..its so nouvelle cuisine!!

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  38. Shannon, thank you for visiting and leaving such a nice comment!
    I'd love to hear your opinion about these truffles when you make them.

    Meeta, thank you, darling!

    Lu, that sounds amazing!

    Sarah, me too.

    Ronell, you have to! :)

    Dhanggit, I'm so flattered with your comment. ;)

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  39. Those look amazing! I have a huge bag of fleur de sel that my mom sent me, and this would be a creative way to use some of it.

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  40. AnonymousMay 16, 2008

    Yummy looking truffles Patricia! Where do you get your Fleur de sel?

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  41. AnonymousMay 18, 2008

    these are soooo yummy! And I love the idea of the tangerine truffle...too bad they were to soft to roll.

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  42. AnonymousMay 18, 2008

    Patricia, I have had truffles on the mind lately, but hadn't decided what kind I wanted to make. These look fabulous (and so delicious!)

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  43. Wow! This looks quite tempting! The combination of chocolate and fleur de sel (my favorite salt!) is just perfect. I have a recipe for chocolate mousse with fleur de sel which is also to die for! LOVE the photos btw! :D

    paola

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  44. mmmm... caramel truffles! i have some fleur de sel that i am just dying to use!

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