Chocolate Bloom Audio Class [0:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Listen now to Chef Erika discuss a simple solution to fixing Clare’s problem with her chocolate shortcake. Although her chocolate tastes great, the tempered chocolate coating “blooms” with grey streaks.

Here is some helpful information from the Chocolate Manufacturer’s Association:
Chocolate Bloom Defined
Chocolate bloom is the tell-tale sign that chocolate has not been stored correctly. The most obvious type of bloom, fat bloom, looks like gray-white blotches and streaks on the chocolate and occurs when the chocolate is exposed to heat during storage. Sugar bloom, which leaves the chocolate feeling rough, occurs when the chocolate is stored in damp conditions. Melting and/or tempering bloomed chocolate eliminates the problem, although chocolate affected with sugar bloom should not be melted and used for fine candy making.

Storing Chocolate
Store chocolate at cool room temperature in a dark place with good air circulation; the refrigerator in not recommended although if your kitchen is particularly hot and humid, it might be your only choice. Wrap it well to protect it from odors.

Ideally, chocolate should be wrapped first in foil and then in plastic and stored at a constant temperature of 65°F and 50% humidity. Slightly higher temperatures and humidity are acceptable although the chocolate may not last as long. Stored under perfect conditions, unsweetened and dark chocolate will last for 10 years, and certainly up to a year in good home kitchen conditions; milk and white chocolate for 7 to 8 months.

Formed chocolate candies such as truffles and pralines can be frozen and defrosted in the refrigerator before being brought to room temperature for serving.

Following is an easy, fool proof method for tempering chocolate.

Quick Tempering Method for Chocolate
By Carole Bloom, CCP

METHOD

Chop 1 pound of chocolate into very small pieces and set aside one third of them. Melt the remaining two thirds in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula to ensure even melting. The chocolate should not exceed 120F (110F for white chocolate). Or melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on low power for 30 second bursts. Stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula between each burst to make sure it melts evenly.

Remove the double boiler from the heat, then remove the top pan of the double boiler and wipe it dry. Stir in the remaining chocolate in three batches, making sure that each batch is completely melted before adding the next. The finely chopped chocolate will cool the melted chocolate and the warm melted chocolate will melt the chopped chocolate.

When all the chocolate has been added, test the chocolate by placing a dab under your lower lip. If it feels comfortable, not too hot and not too cool, it is tempered. If the chocolate is too warm, stir in more finely chopped chocolate and test again until the chocolate is tempered. There is no need to use a thermometer to register the temperature of the chocolate using this method of tempering.

 

 Fabulous Chocolate Truffles, with Carole Bloom, CCP [50:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

ChefsLine has assembled all the resources and insider tips you need to make the most exquisite dark chocolate truffles on the planet. Listen to Carole Bloom, world-renowned chocolate expert and confectioner provide ChefsLine members with step-by-step instructions and expert tips, pointers on selecting the best chocolate and cocoa, how to finish truffles with tempered chocolate and other decorating tips, and pairing chocolate and wine. Any more questions and call one of ChefsLine’s accomplished pastry chefs for help at 1-800-977-1224….we’re with you every step of the way!

Featured Recipe

Classic Dark Chocolate Truffles

SERVINGS: 60 1-inch truffles

INGREDIENTS
1 pound dark chocolate (56 to 64% cacao), finely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 - 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

METHOD
Place the chopped chocolate in a 2-quart mixing bowl. In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream into the bowl with the chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 30 seconds, then stir together with a rubber spatula, whisk, or immersion blender until thoroughly blended. Cover the truffle cream, let cool to room temperature, and chill in the refrigerator until thick but not stiff (2 to 3 hours). Or let the truffle cream sit at room temperature for several hours or overnight until completely set and thick. It should be firm, but not hard, able to hold the indentation of your finger, but soft enough to scoop out.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Use a small ice cream scoop (1-inch diameter) to scoop out 1-inch mounds. Or fit a 12-inch pastry bag with a large, plain round pastry tip with a ½-inch opening and fill partway with the truffle cream. Holding the pastry bag 1 inch above the paper, pipe out mounds about 1 inch in diameter. Cover the mounds with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

There are two ways to finish the truffles, by rolling in cocoa powder or dipping in tempered chocolate (see recipe for Quick Tempering Method for Chocolate).

To roll the truffles in cocoa powder, sift the cocoa powder into a small bowl. Dust your hands with cocoa powder. Roll the mounds into balls, then place a ball into the bowl of cocoa powder. Gently shake the bowl or roll the truffle around to coat it completely with cocoa. Place each truffle in a fluted edge paper candy cup.

To dip the truffles in tempered chocolate, place a truffle center into the tempered chocolate, coating it completely. With a dipper or fork remove the center from the chocolate, carefully shake off the excess chocolate, and turn out onto the parchment paper. After dipping 4 truffles, dust the top of each truffle lightly with cocoa powder.

Let the truffles set at room temperature or chill them in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. When the truffles are set place them in paper candy cups.

To store the truffles, place them in a single layer between sheets of waxed paper, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. They may need to be rolled in cocoa powder again before serving. Serve the truffles at room temperature.

Variations:

Hazelnut Dark Chocolate Truffles: add 1 cup toasted and finely ground hazelnuts to the truffle cream before it sets up.

Almond Dark Chocolate Truffles: add 1 cup toasted and finely ground almonds to the truffle cream before it sets up.

Walnut Dark Chocolate Truffles: add 1 cup toasted and finely chopped walnuts to the truffle cream before it sets up.

Orange Dark Chocolate Truffles: add 1 cup finely chopped candied orange peel and 2 tablespoons orange liqueur to the truffle cream before it sets up.

Chambord Dark Chocolate Truffles: add 3 tablespoons Chambord to the truffle cream before it sets up.

Kahlua Dark Chocolate Truffles: add 3 tablespoons Kahlua to the truffle cream before it sets up.

Classic Dark Chocolate Truffles with high cocoa percentage chocolate (66 to 72%)
Increase the amount of heavy whipping cream from 1 1/2 to 1 ¾ cups.

Classic Milk Chocolate Truffles
Substitute milk chocolate for the dark chocolate and use 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Classic White Chocolate Truffles
Substitute white chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate and use ¾ cup heavy whipping cream. Instead of coating the centers in cocoa powder, roll them in confectioners’ sugar or dip into tempered white chocolate.

NOTE
Adapted from Truffles, Candies, & Confections: Techniques and Recipes for Candymaking by Carole Bloom published by Ten Speed Press. Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved.

 

 Self-rising flour Audio Class [1:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Listen now to Chef Adam’s great baking advice including how to make self-rising flour and get evenly baked breads.

Is your bread or cake LIPPING off?

“Lipping” describes when the outside corners of batter in the pan rises faster than the center. Hence, the sides rise out over the lip. Don’t let this happen to you and your beautiful baked goods!

Solutions:

More on flour from a favorite source about ingredients, Joy of Baking

Self-Rising flour has 8-9% protein and contains flour plus baking powder and salt. I do not use this type of flour because I prefer to add my own baking powder and salt. Also, if the flour is stored too long the baking powder will lose some of its strength and your baked goods will not rise properly. If you want to make your own add 1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) baking powder and ½ teaspoon (3.5 grams) salt per cup (140 grams) of all-purpose flour.

Flour is sometimes labeled pre-sifted. This means that the flour was sifted before packaging but it compacts during shipping and handling and therefore is no longer sifted by the time you get it home. So if your recipe calls for sifted flour make sure you sift it again. (If your recipe calls for 1 cup sifted flour this means you sift the flour before measuring. However, if the recipe calls for 1 cup flour, sifted this means you sift the flour after measuring.) Sifting flour removes lumps and aerates it so that when liquid is added the dry ingredients will be fully moistened.

Proper measuring of your flour is important, as too much flour will result in a tough and/or heavy baked good. When measuring flour spoon your flour into a measuring cup and then level off the cup with a knife. Do not pack it down. As stated above, flour gets compacted in the bag during shipping, so scooping your flour right out of the bag using your measuring cup will result in too much flour.

Flour, when packaged, has about a 14% moisture content. When stored, however, its moisture content will vary. In general, the longer flour is stored the more moisture it loses. This is why on a dry day using old flour your pastry will require more water than on a wet day using new flour.

Beth from Riverdale wants to know why she gets a crack in her cheesecake. Chances are your cheesecake either heated or cooled too rapidly, or both. Cheesecakes need to be treated gently, from slowly mixing, to using a water bath, and even easing the cake from a hot oven to room temperature gradually. And feel free to give one of our pastry chefs a call to review your particular recipe and to get expert tips on preparing your cake!

Chef Adam’s tips to prevent the cracks in your next cheesecake:

• Water bath or Bain-marie.
• Bake slowly (no more than 325 degrees) and do not overbake. Cool cheesecake in oven with the door cracked.
• Whip batter well before adding eggs and then be sure not to overmix.



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 Prebake Pillsbury: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Blair from Wrightsvlle Beach wants to know if she should pre-bake her Pillsbury pie crust. The answer is no, especially for pumpkin pie, but listen in to Chef Jackie’s reply.

 

 Cheesecake Audio Class: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

For ChefsLine@5, Adam responds to a question about how to prevent cheescake cracks and provides easy fail-safe tips.

 

 Whipped Cream Flavors Audio Class [1:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Listen now for great tips and flavor suggestions for whipped cream.

 

 Gingerbread Cookie Audio Class [1:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

ChefsLine is available to review your recipes and help you make adjustments as needed to ensure great, professional results. Listen now to ChefsLline Chef, Adam, offer great baking tips when gingerbread cookies are not turning out just right. Rhonda from Des Moines asks: “Why did my gingerbread cookies fall during baking? How can I correct the remaining dough?”