Friday, February 11, 2011

Grand Marnier Orange Chocolate Bonbons: Hand make chocolate that means I love and care for you.



I know that I fall in love with chocolate a long time ago, it's so charming, everything about it, flavor, smell, texture or even the bad temper of it ^^. I think the chocolate is bad temper because it reacts real soon to the temperature, like the people when can't resist anything that change so fast, like me, haha.

So, I try so hard to make friend with the chocolate, even I still can't completely understand it, but I hope some day I will. 
Tempering is the way that we can make  a relationship with chocolate ^^, and all we have to do is "don't let the chocolate lose its temper" too hot or too cool will hurt the texture and chocolate will lose its shine too . I tried many way of tempering chocolate before, but most of them is not as good as I want. The problem is making chocolate at home, we use less chocolate and it's hard to temper a small amount of the chocolate. Until I saw how to tempering in this book: Chocolate Book―クリスマス&バレンタイン、ハロウィンカードつき  by 宮原 美樹 (Miki Miyahara) and it's easy.
Because we use a low temperature tempering, the effect from over heating will be less, and it use less time to bring it back to correct temperature (but it use more time to melt the chocolate, but I think it's fine). 
I try this method once and I know that I really, really love it. The chocolate comes out shiny and use less time to firm up (it mean I temper it right, haha).
I think it's very good to make the chocolate for someone that we care, as I understand more and more that you have to put a lot of effort when making it. Each process, like choosing the flavor, making the ganache, melt the chocolate, tempering it and molding it. You have to be careful because the result will show on your finished product and it's easily to see it.
For me this time I make the chocolate for my sister, she likes dark chocolate and candied orange, so I put them together. 
The ganache is the Grand Marnier ganache, with a piece of Grand Marnier soaked candied orange, then cover it with dark chocolate. You can change the ganache into the flavor and combination that you or the person that you want to give this chocolate like, I know that it will be great to receive these little treat, esp when it custom made for you ^^.
So, why don't you start the tradition of making your own chocolate for the one that you love today, maybe you will be the one that everyone look forward to on each Valentine's day.


Grand Marnier Orange Chocolate Bonbons
Make 15 pieces

Filling
......................................... Candied orange
......................................... Grand Marnier
Grand Marnier Ganache
45g ................................. Dark chocolate (70% cocoa mass)
30g ................................. Milk chocolate
50g ................................. Whipping cream
15ml ............................... Grand Marnier
Shell
200g ............................... Dark chocolate (58% cocoa mass) chopped finely

Cut the candied orange peel into small pieces, pour enough of the Grand Marnier over until cover all the peel.
Let it soak for 12 or overnight.


Make the ganache:
Bring the cream to boil over low heat, when it becomes boil take of the heat and pour the chocolate into the pan.
Stir until melt, and pour the Grand Marnier into the ganache.
Let the mixture cool to room temperature and put in the piping bag.


Tempering the chocolate for making shell:
Boil a pan of water, then let it cool to 60-65°C
Put 140g of the chocolate in a bowl and place the bowl over the hot water (don't let the water touch the bowl), stir until the chocolate melt and the temperature of the chocolate is 40°C




Take the bowl off the pan and put 60g of chocolate (a little at a time, you might not use all the chocolate) into the bowl and stir until all of them melt, the  temperature should be about 28°C. (If the chocolate won't melt completely, use a hair dryer to melt it).
Place the bowl back over the hot water pan again and stir until the temperature is 31°C. Keep the chocolate at this temperature, the chocolate is ready to use.

Pour the chocolate into the mold, rotate to cover all the molds. Tap the mold to release the air that trapped inside.
Turn the mold upside down, to release the chocolate.
Let the chocolate cool, (you can put the mold in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to speed up the process).


When the chocolate is harden pipe the Grand Marnier ganache into the chocolate, and put one piece of the orange peel over the ganache. Pipe the ganache over the peel again.
Cover with another layer of the chocolate. Then let the chocolate cool, (you can put the mold in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to speed up the process).
Softly push the mold, the chocolate is now ready to serve.


Grand Marnier Orange Chocolate Bonbons:
 Hand make chocolate that mean I love and care for you.

15 comments:

  1. can i have a box of chocolate made by you for vday please?

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  2. I want a box of chocolate too! So good for Valentine's Day ;D

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  3. Woww i want a box too...Soo cute bonbons..

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  4. Gorgeous looking chocolates~ Perfect for V day :)

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  5. You are ready to be a pastry chef and open a bakery.

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  6. Wow these are so perfect! You are amazing!

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  7. Dear Pook,

    Happy Valentine ! what a nice glossy look bonbon, the mould u used draws my attention, where did you get it from ?

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  8. my mum would definitely be a lover of this! it looks really lovely!! i want a box too!! (:

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  9. Hi, really glad that i found your blog, you have shared so many marvellous recipes, thank you very much! Would like to try this soon :)

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  10. I love your very explicit instructions on how to make these wonderful chocs. My problem however is obtaining the shine. Can u tell me how I can achieve the shine like yours? Thanks in advance.

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  11. Hi, Helen
    The chocolate will shine if you temper it right, follow the method of how to temper the chocolate ^^.

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  12. Hi I have been wanting to make chocolates for a long time but the word "TEMPERING: always scared me off...as a result never ventured into making it....but you have explained this so perfectly that now i cannot wait to make them. Thanx

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  13. Dear Pooh,
    Thank you for sharing recipe, but I think I read somewhere that chocolate shouldn't put in the fridge because once taken out of the fridge, it will bear a layer of frost on its surface at room temperature, it is true? I've tempered chocolate before, I put the mold in the fridge to speed up the process, but when I pushed chocolate from mold, it wasn't glossy and shiny and it had a layer of frost on its surface :(

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  14. Hi, Kao Thuong
    I'm Pook ^^.
    Yes, for keeping the finish product you should not put them in the fridge, but for crystallise the chocolate after tempering, you need to put it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes ^^ (well, it's what I learn from chocolate school). You have to make it crystallise quickly or the chocolate won't set beautifully. After that remove from the fridge, remove chocolate from the molds and store it at room temperature (if the temperature is not high). and your chocolate will be shiny.
    I never had problem with my chocolate, how long did you keep them in the fridge?

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  15. Thank you for replying me soon, Pooh, I think I put it in the fridge too long (about 1 hours), that's my fault. Pooh, thank you again, you're good-hearted ^^~

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