Recipe: Capezzolidi di Venere

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CAPEZZOLIDI DI VENERE
(NIPPLES OF VENUS) AKA SALIERI'S SWEETS
Source: Sean M. Foy
Yield: 5 dozen truffles

6 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
16 oz. can whole chestnuts, or 1 1/4 pound fresh
6 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 1/2 Tablespoons brandy or other liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FOR THE CHOCOLATE COATING INGREDIENTS:
14 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 to 1 1/2 cups pure cocoa powder

TO PREPARE CENTERS:
Melt chocolate in a double boiler and allow to cool. If using fresh chestnuts, cut a cross on the flat side of each shell, put in a large pan, cover with cold water, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the shells and inner skins. Rice the chestnuts. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add chestnuts and flavorings to the butter/sugar mixture and blend well, then stir in the cooled chocolate. Mix well. Roll into balls 1-1/2 inches in diameter; if mixture becomes too soft to shape, chill for several minutes.

TO COAT:
Melt the chocolate on a plate over boiling water; let cool. Carefully roll the truffles in melted chocolate, then place on a plate of cocoa powder and allow to dry for several minutes. Dust each truffle with cocoa and place in paper candy cup. Store in refrigerator.

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NIPPLES OF VENUS
Source: Chocolat by Joanne Harris
Makes 60 truffles

GANACHE:
1 pound, 3 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
2 pounds high-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped, for tempering.
1 pound high-quality white chocolate, finely chopped, for the final dip

FOR THE GANACHE:
Heat the cream just to boiling and pour over chopped chocolate. Add softened butter and whisk together slowly until emulsified and shiny. If necessary, heat 30 seconds at a time if not fully melted.

Let this mixture sit at room temperature until it thickens enough to pipe out, or stick the tray in the refrigerator to hasten things. With a piping bag and a No. 7 open piping tip, pipe onto a parchment-lined sheet. Chill in the refrigerator or let set up at room temperature.

FOR THE TEMPERING:
Melting chocolate is usually done best in a double boiler or bain-marie, which is just a pan of hot or simmering water with a bowl placed over it.

Melt about two-thirds of the chocolate. Use a bain-marie pan, or place chocolate in a small heat-proof bowl. Then rest it over a saucepan of barely simmering water and leave for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from the heat, wiping the bottom of the bowl to remove any water. Add the remainder of the chocolate and stir in. The added chocolate should melt down. This will recrystallize the chocolate, causing it to solidify. The perfect temperature for dipping chocolates is between 88 and 90 degrees. If the chocolate is still too hot, allow to cool further. If the chocolate gets too cool, the bowl can go back briefly on the bain-marie or over the hot water. To melt chocolate in a microwave, choose a low setting and after initially melting for 30 seconds, use short hits of 10 to 15 seconds each time to see if it has melted.

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE:
Temper in the same fashion as the dark chocolate, but the bain-marie or saucepan should have very warm, not simmering, water. Melting temperature should not exceed 115 degrees. Dipping temperature should be between 87 and 89 degrees.

DIPPING THE TRUFFLES:
When the ganache has set, temper the dark chocolate. With a tempering fork (or dinner fork) immerse one truffle into the chocolate completely. Remove from the chocolate and carefully shake off excess. Place the truffle on a parchment-lined sheet. Continue with all truffles, slowly reheating chocolate if necessary. Chocolate can be maintained at a constant temperature by putting a heating pad on its lowest temperature and placing the bowl of chocolate on top. Cover with plastic wrap.

After the white chocolate is tempered, dip just the tip of the truffle in it.

Keep in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week, but these are best gobbled within a few days. They may be stored, tightly wrapped, in the freezer. To defrost, remove from freezer and let defrost still wrapped until they come to room temperature. This will eliminate any condensation. Truffles should be enjoyed at room temperature.