Chocolate Truffles The Minamalist Mark Bittman Recipes

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Heat cream in a pot until it steams. Put chocolate in a bowl, pour hot cream on top, and stir until chocolate is melted and incorporated into cream.
• Chill until solid all the way through, 1 to 2 hours. Using a chilled melon baller or latex gloves to prevent the ganache from melting or sticking to your hands, scoop out about a tablespoonful and quickly roll it into a ball. Repeat, lining truffles on a plate or a baking sheet.
• If truffles become too soft to handle, place them in refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes. Roll them in cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar or a mixture of sugar and ground cinnamon. Serve immediately or store, wrapped in plastic, in refrigerator for up to four days.

EASY CHOCOLATE SOUFFLé (MARK BITTMAN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 2-cup or one 4-cup soufflé or other deep baking dish(es). Sprinkle each with sugar, invert it and tap to remove excess sugar.
• Beat egg yolks with all but 1 tablespoon sugar until very light and very thick; mixture will fall in a ribbon from beaters when it is ready. Mix in the melted chocolate until well combined; set aside.
• Wash beaters well, then beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until whites hold soft peaks; continue to beat, gradually adding remaining tablespoon sugar, until they are very stiff and glossy. Stir a good spoonful of whites thoroughly into egg yolk mixture to lighten it; then fold in remaining whites, using a rubber spatula. Transfer to prepared soufflé dish(es); at this point you can cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake.
• Bake until center is nearly set, 20 minutes for individual soufflés and 25 to 35 minutes for a single large soufflé. Serve immediately.

2-INGREDIENT DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place finely chopped chocolate in a medium-sized mixing bowl. The finer the chocolate is chopped, the easier it will melt and the quicker the truffle-making process will go.
• In a separate small mixing bowl, add coconut milk and microwave until very warm but not boiling - about 25 seconds (alternatively, heat in a small saucepan over medium heat until just starting to simmer).
• Immediately add coconut milk to chocolate and loosely cover with a cooking lid or towel to trap the heat in. Do not touch for 5 minutes. Then lift cover and use a mixing spoon to gently stir, trying not to incorporate air. Continue stirring until completely melted, creamy, and smooth.
• NOTE: If, for some reason, you have unmelted pieces left, you can microwave the mixture in 10-second increments until completely smooth (just be careful not to overcook or it can affect the integrity of the chocolate).
• Add vanilla at this time and stir (optional).
• Set the mixture in the refrigerator to chill uncovered for 2-3 hours, or until almost completely solid. A good test is dipping a knife into the middle of the bowl to see if any chocolate sticks. If it comes out mostly clean, it's ready to scoop. If there's still wet chocolate in the center, continue refrigerating.
• Once chilled and firm, prepare a small dish of cocoa or cacao powder for rolling (optional).
• Use a Tablespoon-sized scoop (such as this one from Amazon) or a Tablespoon to scoop out small balls (see photo), then use your hands to gently but quickly roll/form the chocolate into balls.
• Toss in cocoa or cacao powder to coat and shake off excess (or leave bare), then set on a parchment-lined serving dish. Continue until all chocolate is scooped. There should be about 16 truffles (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), depending on the size of your scoop.
• If any of the chocolate near the center of the bowl was too soft to form, refrigerate that portion for a bit longer before proceeding.
• Enjoy truffles immediately, or refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight. This allows them to set and firm up.
• Store truffles covered in the refrigerator for best freshness. To serve, let come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving for optimum creaminess.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES -- THE MINAMALIST, MARK BITTMAN

Steps:

• 1. Heat cream in a pot until it steams. Put chocolate in a bowl, pour hot cream on top, and stir until chocolate is melted and incorporated into cream. 2. Chill until solid all the way through, 1 to 2 hours. Using a chilled melon baller or latex gloves to prevent the ganache from melting or sticking to your hands, scoop out about a tablespoonful and quickly roll it into a ball. Repeat, lining truffles on a plate or a baking sheet. 3. If truffles become too soft to handle, place them in refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes. Roll them in cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar or a mixture of sugar and ground cinnamon. Serve immediately or store, wrapped in plastic, in refrigerator for up to four days.

EURO-STYLE CUCUMBER SOUP

Steps:

• Peel cucumbers, then cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Slice cucumbers as thinly as possible (a mandoline is ideal for this). Mix them in a bowl with 2 teaspoons salt and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
• Add stock, black pepper, yogurt, shallots and watercress if you like, and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning. Just before serving the soup, garnish with the herb of your choice.