The last time I posted, I talked a bit about how to taste chocolate. I would like to talk about how I come up with my flavor combinations. When I first decided to start my chocolate business, I made a promise to myself that I would only make flavors that I would eat. So, for instance, I do not have a chocolate and peanut butter truffle because I don't like those two flavors together. I know that for some people, a peanut butter truffle would be "The Bomb." However, because I don't like the texture and flavor combination, I would never be able to do any quality control on this truffle. Therefore, I would not be able to give the world my best effort for that truffle. My rationale is that someone who loves these flavors will be able to do it better. I have decided to focus on flavors that I love, so I can make creations that imbue this feeling.
My most recent flavor is the Apples and Honey flavor which was inspired by the Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah. I knew that I wanted the truffle to have both the flavors of apples and honey, but the trick is figuring out how to get it into the ganache so the person eating it can actually taste all of that. My first couple attempts did not work for me. I was told that the truffle was tasty, but not one of my tasters could tell that it had apples in it. Since my goal was to get it to taste like apples, I had to figure out what was missing. I switched from apple jam to apple butter, but that was not enough. One of my tasters recommended that I use dried apples and since I was already using apple liqueur, I had the idea of soaking the dried apples into the liqueur and then adding it to the ganache. It worked! But then there was the honey. Honey is a bit tricky because if you use too much it will be too sweet and it will make the ganache too gooey. So, I added a little at a time until it seemed right to me. I could taste the honey in the finish. Success!
I must admit that I like my truffle flavors on the subtle side. I want the things I add to the chocolate to compliment it and not overpower it. In this way, I feel like I am honoring the chocolate and staying true to myself.
Have an ever so sweet New Year!
Yours in chocolate,
Emily
The Truffle Lady
