Filled Chocolates

Ingredients

• 1 pound high-quality semisweet, bittersweet, milk, or white chocolate
• Hide ingredients for Salted Caramel Sauce or Easy Dulce de Leche 1 Salted Caramel Sauce or Easy Dulce de Leche (opens in new tab) Salted Caramel Sauce or Easy Dulce de Leche
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • (¼ cup heavy cream)

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Combine in a deep heavy saucepan: ¼ cup water; 1 cup sugar
  2. Set over medium-high heat and stir gently until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is clear. Do not let the syrup boil until the sugar is completely dissolved. Cover the saucepan and boil the syrup for 1 minute. Uncover and boil the syrup until it begins to darken around the edges. Continue to cook, swirling the saucepan, until the syrup turns deep amber. Remove from the heat and add: 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  3. Gently stir until the butter is incorporated. Stir in: ½ cup heavy cream
  4. If the sauce seizes, set the saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in: 1 teaspoon vanilla; ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  5. Serve warm or at room temperature. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in while still hot: (¼ cup heavy cream)
  6. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Reheat in a double boiler or in a heavy saucepan over low heat.
• Hide ingredients for Marzipan 1 Marzipan (opens in new tab) Marzipan
  • 1 ½ cups blanched whole almonds
  • 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups granulated white sugar
  • ¼ cup light corn syrup
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
  • ⅓ cup water
  • ⅓ cup light corn syrup

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Combine in a food processor: 1 ½ cups blanched whole almonds; 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
  2. Process until the nuts are very finely ground. Leave the nuts in the processor. Combine in a large heavy saucepan: 1 ¾ cups granulated white sugar; ¼ cup light corn syrup; ¼ cup water
  3. Stir over medium heat with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, without stirring, until it reaches 245°F, the firm-ball stage.
  4. Remove from the heat, turn on the food processor, and immediately pour in the sugar syrup. Grind to a fine paste, then add: 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
  5. Pulse to blend, then transfer the paste to a medium bowl that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. The mixture will be runny, but it will thicken as it cools. Place a damp kitchen towel over the top to keep the paste from drying out and let cool.
  6. The marzipan is now ready for use. If you like, knead in a few drops of food coloring or a little extra flavoring, such as rose or orange flower water or a fruit liqueur. Marzipan can be stored at room temperature, tightly wrapped in plastic and in an airtight container, for 2 to 3 months. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw and bring to room temperature before using.
  7. Marzipan shapes can be formed by hand or with the decorative plastic molds used for chocolate. Coat the mold lightly with cooking spray. Pinch off pieces of marzipan, knead for a moment to make them pliable and smooth, and press into the mold. Use a small sharp knife to trim any excess so that the marzipan is level with the surface of the mold (be careful not to scratch the decorative depressions of the mold). Turn the mold over and rap sharply on the counter—the marzipan pieces should fall out; if not, gently prod them out with the tip of a knife.
  8. Kids are great at modeling free-form shapes and enjoy making fanciful creatures and surreal fruits. Shape marzipan by hand just as you would modeling clay, and use a tiny dab of light corn syrup to affix one shape to another. Use whole cloves for fruit stems or the rough side of a grater to create the stippled skin of an orange—just look in your kitchen cupboards for inspiration. Marzipan can also be rolled out on a surface dusted with powdered sugar and cut into various shapes with miniature cookie cutters.
  9. To paint molded marzipan, use regular liquid food coloring. Place a few tablespoons of clear brandy (such as kirsch, framboise, or grappa) in a small bowl or cup and add food coloring little by little until you like the color. Prepare as many colors as you like in this manner. Use a tiny watercolor brush to paint the marzipan. Let dry for 1 hour. For a sparkling finish and to help preserve its moistness, make a glaze for coating the shapes. Combine in a small saucepan: ⅓ cup water; ⅓ cup light corn syrup
  10. Bring just to a boil, then remove from the heat. While the glaze is still hot, lightly brush the candies with the glaze. Let stand for 30 minutes, or until completely dry. Store in an airtight container at cool room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
• Peanut butter or chocolate-hazelnut spread
• Hide ingredients for Any flavored ganache or Chocolate Ganache 1 Any flavored ganache or Chocolate Ganache (opens in new tab) Any flavored ganache or Chocolate Ganache
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves or 2 sprigs rosemary
  • ¼ cup crushed coffee beans
  • 8 cardamom pods, crushed, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, or 1 cinnamon stick
  • Zest of 1 lemon, orange, or lime, removed in wide strips with a vegetable peeler
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 1 tablespoon dried lavender
  • 1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea
  • ⅔ cup nuts, toasted and finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
  • ¼ cup raspberry jam
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • ¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Before proceeding with a truffle recipe, heat the cream or coconut milk to just under a simmer and add one of the following (halve the amounts for Milk or White Chocolate Truffles): 1 cup fresh mint leaves or 2 sprigs rosemary; ¼ cup crushed coffee beans; 8 cardamom pods, crushed, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, or 1 cinnamon stick; Zest of 1 lemon, orange, or lime, removed in wide strips with a vegetable peeler; 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise; 1 tablespoon dried lavender; 1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea
  2. Cover, remove from the heat, and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Strain and reheat before adding to the chocolate.
  3. Or, after combining the cream and chocolate, stir one of the following into the ganache while it is still warm: ⅔ cup nuts, toasted and finely chopped; 2 teaspoons vanilla; 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder; ¼ cup raspberry jam; ¼ cup tahini; ¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• Hide ingredients for Nougat or Fondant 1 Nougat or Fondant (opens in new tab) Nougat or Fondant
  • 3 cups granulated white sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • ⅓ cup light corn syrup
  • Powdered sugar
  • Paste food coloring
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons flavoring extract, such as vanilla, almond, or peppermint, or rose or orange flower water
  • 3 to 5 drops food-grade essential oil, such as peppermint, anise, orange, or bergamot
  • 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, kirsch, framboise, or other liqueur
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated orange or lemon zest
  • ½ cup shredded coconut
  • 2 to 4 ounces semisweet, bittersweet, milk, or white chocolate, melted
  • ⅓ cup smooth peanut, almond, or hazelnut butter
  • ½ cup almonds or walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped dried cherries, candied orange peel, or candied ginger

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Have ready a nonporous surface, such as a marble slab or a baking sheet placed on a wire rack and sprinkled with cold water. Combine in a large heavy saucepan: 3 cups granulated white sugar; ½ cup water; ⅓ cup light corn syrup
  2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Brush down the sugar clinging to the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water. Cook, without stirring, to 243°F. Immediately pour the syrup onto the prepared surface. Do not scrape the bottom of the pan. Let the syrup cool to 110°F, 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Use a candy or bench scraper or a metal spatula to work the syrup by lifting and folding, always from the edges toward the center. Continue to mix until the syrup turns opaque and white and the mass becomes thickened but pliable, about 15 minutes. Alternatively, transfer the syrup to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until the fondant becomes thick and opaque, 5 to 8 minutes.
  4. At this stage, the fondant should resemble a stiff dough. Knead it well with your hands, dusting them with powdered sugar. Gather the fondant into a ball, then push it outward with the heel of your hand. Draw it back in with a candy or bench scraper and repeat the process until the surface is smooth and creamy looking. Use immediately, or tightly cover the ball with plastic wrap or place it in a zip-top plastic bag. You may let the fondant ripen in a cool place overnight; it gets better day by day. To keep the fondant for several weeks or months, store it in the refrigerator.
  5. If you accidentally overcook the fondant, and it becomes too hard to knead, cook it again: Place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, add ⅔ cup hot water, and cook, stirring constantly, until it has thoroughly liquefied. Then pour it into a clean heavy saucepan and heat it to the boiling point again. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water and cook the mixture, uncovered and without stirring, to 243°F. Let cool, stir, and knead as above.
  6. To color fondant, have at hand: Powdered sugar; Paste food coloring
  7. Place the fondant on a work surface dusted with the sugar. Make several slashes in the fondant and use a toothpick to dot in a few drops of paste food coloring. One-eighth teaspoon will create vivid color in this recipe. Knead and fold the fondant to distribute the color evenly.
  8. To flavor fondant, dust a work surface with powdered sugar as above, and have ready one of the following: 1 to 2 teaspoons flavoring extract, such as vanilla, almond, or peppermint, or rose or orange flower water; 3 to 5 drops food-grade essential oil, such as peppermint, anise, orange, or bergamot; 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, kirsch, framboise, or other liqueur; 2 teaspoons finely grated orange or lemon zest; ½ cup shredded coconut; 2 to 4 ounces semisweet, bittersweet, milk, or white chocolate, melted; ⅓ cup smooth peanut, almond, or hazelnut butter; ½ cup almonds or walnuts, toasted and finely chopped; ⅓ cup finely chopped dried cherries, candied orange peel, or candied ginger
  9. Work in the flavoring by kneading and folding the fondant. You may want to use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook at first, then knead by hand.
  10. To shape the fondant, be sure it is at room temperature. Dust the work surface generously with powdered sugar. You may find it easier to work with half of the fondant at one time. Form it into a long cylinder by rolling it under your palms, then cut into candy-size pieces, or mold it into shapes.
  11. To use fondant as a coating or glaze, see About Fondant Icing.