Dulce de leche is a Latin invention, a thick milky caramel that can be addictive, it's so good. Here it combines with coffee to make a luscious little treat.
By Peter Greweling
Yield: 170 truffles
Ingredients
28 oz. dulce de leche
For the ganache
10 oz. heavy cream
1.5 oz. coffee beans, coarsely ground
Milk, as needed
2 oz. glucose syrup
15 oz. milk chocolate, unmelted, tempered, chopped
2 oz. Irish Cream liqueur
For finishing the chocolates
Milk chocolate hollow truffle shells*
Milk chocolate, untempered or tempered (see instructions), for sealing – as needed
Milk chocolate, tempered, for dipping – as needed
Instant coffee crystals, as required
Method
To make the dulce de leche
Immerse two unopened 14-oz. cans of sweetened condensed milk in a pot of simmering water for 4 hours. Remove from water and allow to cool to room temperature.
To make the ganache
Bring to a boil the heavy cream and coffee. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for five minutes.
Strain the flavored cream using pre-moistened cheesecloth. Wring the coffee in the cheesecloth to ensure maximum extraction. Return the cream to its original weight by adding milk. Add the glucose syrup to the flavored cream mixture. Bring to the boil. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped milk chocolate and allow to sit for 60 seconds.
Using a spoon, stir the mixture in vigorous small circles in the center of the bowl until it emulsifies.
Stir outward in larger circles to spread the emulsion throughout the bowl, checking to see that all the chocolate has melted. If neccesary, place the ganache over a warm water bath (not exceeding 93°F) to melt the chocolate. Stream in the liqueur, stirring the mixture until homogenous.
Pour the ganache into a hotel pan, covering the bottom of the pan with a thin layer. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ganache. Allow to rest at room temperature until it reaches 77°F or slightly lower. The ganache should be of a thick but fluid consistency.
Using a disposable pastry bag with a small opening cut in the tip, fill the truffle shells haflway to the top with the dulce de leche.
Using another disposable pastry bag with a small opening cut in the tip, fill the shells containing the dulce de leche to the top with cooled ganache. Allow the filling to crystalize at room temperature until the top is solid, approximately 1 hour.
Seal the truffles either with untempered milk chocolate, using a sealing tray, or with tempered milk chocolate, using a paper cone.
Using a round dipping fork, dip the truffles in the tempered milk chocolate. As the chocolate begins to set, drop a pinch of instant coffee crystals on top of each piece.
Chocolates and Confections © 2007 Peter P. Greweling. Photo © John Wiley & Sons. All rights reserved.
By Peter Greweling
Peter P. Greweling | Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner | John Wiley & Son
"Dulce de leche may be made in advance. To prevent the can from bursting, take care that it is fully immersed (at all times)." – Peter GrewelingYield: 170 truffles
Ingredients
28 oz. dulce de leche
For the ganache
10 oz. heavy cream
1.5 oz. coffee beans, coarsely ground
Milk, as needed
2 oz. glucose syrup
15 oz. milk chocolate, unmelted, tempered, chopped
2 oz. Irish Cream liqueur
For finishing the chocolates
Milk chocolate hollow truffle shells*
Milk chocolate, untempered or tempered (see instructions), for sealing – as needed
Milk chocolate, tempered, for dipping – as needed
Instant coffee crystals, as required
Method
To make the dulce de leche
Immerse two unopened 14-oz. cans of sweetened condensed milk in a pot of simmering water for 4 hours. Remove from water and allow to cool to room temperature.
To make the ganache
Bring to a boil the heavy cream and coffee. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for five minutes.
Strain the flavored cream using pre-moistened cheesecloth. Wring the coffee in the cheesecloth to ensure maximum extraction. Return the cream to its original weight by adding milk. Add the glucose syrup to the flavored cream mixture. Bring to the boil. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped milk chocolate and allow to sit for 60 seconds.
Using a spoon, stir the mixture in vigorous small circles in the center of the bowl until it emulsifies.
Stir outward in larger circles to spread the emulsion throughout the bowl, checking to see that all the chocolate has melted. If neccesary, place the ganache over a warm water bath (not exceeding 93°F) to melt the chocolate. Stream in the liqueur, stirring the mixture until homogenous.
Pour the ganache into a hotel pan, covering the bottom of the pan with a thin layer. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ganache. Allow to rest at room temperature until it reaches 77°F or slightly lower. The ganache should be of a thick but fluid consistency.
Using a disposable pastry bag with a small opening cut in the tip, fill the truffle shells haflway to the top with the dulce de leche.
Using another disposable pastry bag with a small opening cut in the tip, fill the shells containing the dulce de leche to the top with cooled ganache. Allow the filling to crystalize at room temperature until the top is solid, approximately 1 hour.
Seal the truffles either with untempered milk chocolate, using a sealing tray, or with tempered milk chocolate, using a paper cone.
Using a round dipping fork, dip the truffles in the tempered milk chocolate. As the chocolate begins to set, drop a pinch of instant coffee crystals on top of each piece.
Chocolates and Confections © 2007 Peter P. Greweling. Photo © John Wiley & Sons. All rights reserved.