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ROBERT LINXE'S CHOCOLATE
TRUFFLES
Makes about 60 truffles
11 ounces Valrhona chocolate (56% cacao)
2/3 cup heavy cream
Valrhona cocoa powder for dusting
Finely chop 8 ounces of the
chocolate and put in a bowl. Bring heavy cream to a boil in a small heavy
saucepan.
Make sure your pan is small, so you'll lose the least amount of
cream to evaporation, and heavy, which will keep the cream from scorching.
Linxe boils his cream three times - he believes that makes the ganache last
longer.
If you do this, compensate for the extra evaporation by starting
with a little more cream.
Pour the cream over the chocolate, mashing any
big pieces with a wooden spoon.
Then stir with a whisk in concentric
circles (don't beat or you'll incorporate air), starting in the center and
working your way to the edge, until the ganache is smooth.
Let stand at
room temperature until thick enough to hold a shape, about 1 hour, then, using
a pastry bag with a 3/8-inch opening or tip, pipe into mounds (about 3/4 inch
high and 1 inch wide) on parchment-lined baking sheets.
When piping, finish
off each mound with a flick of the wrist to soften and angle the point tip.
Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 3 more ounces of the same
Valrhona and smear some on a gloved hand.
Gently rub each chilled truffle
to coat lightly with chocolate. The secret to a delicate coating of chocolate
is to roll each truffle in a smear of melted chocolate in your hand.
Linxe
always uses gloves. Toss the truffles in unsweetened Valrhona cocoa powder so
they look like their namesakes, freshly dug from the earth.
A fork is the
best tool for tossing truffles in cacao. Shake truffles in a sieve to eliminate
excess cacao.
Store truffles in the refrigerator.
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