Foodie Friday--Truffle Candy fillings

Yesterday I was busy making candy fillings . . . again. I made peppermint schnapps, Grand Marnier (this time with white chocolate), key lime (again because my nephew loves this flavor and I had leftover limes, besides he's such a sweetie that he just might get an entire box of them!), whiskey toffee, rum raisin, and Frangelico. A few days ago, I made Chambord, strawberry margarita, key lime, limoncello, Grand Marnier (orange in dark chocolate), Amaretto and ButterShots (butterscotch schnapps in dark chocolate)

Now I can tell you how to make the fillings, but I don't measure anything, which means I have developed an 'eye' for it. Sorry, the only way you'll learn is by practicing! If I could figure out how to sell these out of my kitchen I would, but I think the Health Dept. might have a problem with a big fluffy dog wandering around the kitchen while I make them. People who don't have to pay for them are a little more forgiving if there's a boo-boo hair.

Onward--Any of these that are citrus fruit-based, zest the rinds prior to juicing them.

All you need to make these candy fillings is sugar, heavy cream and tempered chocolate (I buy big slabs of Ghirardelli white chocolate and double dark chocolate from Sam's Club). They are processed with cocoa and vegetable shortening so they will not seize up when a liquid is added.

Here are two examples:

Grand Marnier truffle filling

Zest and juice 4-5 oranges. Combine juice, zest, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup Grand Marnier in heavy saucepan. Simmer until mixture becomes syrupy, reducing by 2/3. Add 1/2 cup of cream, heat until simmer. Turn heat down to low and add chunks of chocolate (white or dark), stirring until melted and incorporated. Keep adding chocolate until it thickens slightly and coats the rubber spatula. Taste for flavor. If it needs a little more flavor, add a shot of Grand Marnier and stir in. Pour hot truffle mixture into heat resistant FoodSaver bag and heat seal.  Allow the mixture to cool (12-24 hours) and it should thicken. When ready to use pop into microwave for a few seconds to soften and fill chocolate shells.

Note: if using white chocolate you will need less cream as white chocolate doesn't set up quite as stiffly as regular chocolate due to the fact that it is made out of cocoa BUTTER and not cacao.

ButterShots truffle filling

Pour about 2 cups butterscotch flavored schnapps into pan, add 1/4 cup sugar. Simmer until reduced by 2/3. Add 1/2-3/4 cup of cream, stir and heat until simmering. Turn down heat and add chunks of chocolate, stirring and adding chocolate until coats the spatula. Taste test. If you need more butterscotch flavor add a shot of schnapps. Stir. Heat seal as stated above.

See easy-peasy, but don't you wish I had taken pictures of the process? *sigh* Maybe next time I'll cook with someone taking pictures of the process.

Oh, and how long did it take me to make six fillings today?

Two Harry Potter movies (The Order of the Phoenix and The Half-Blood Prince), roughly 5-6 hours. Time-consuming, like I said . . . and that doesn't even count the hours spent MAKING the filled candies.

I only think about 1/2 of the people who are given the candy really appreciates the effort that goes into making the chocolates, toffee, peanut brittle, fudge, etc.

Enjoy!