Earl Grey Tea-Infused Chocolate Truffles
Yields 50 truffles
1/3 cup unsalted butter
13 ounces dark chocolate (66 to 70 percent)
2 cups heavy cream, plus more to replenish after steeping
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Earl Grey tea leaves
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons corn syrup or glucose syrup
2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1. Cut the butter into 1/2½’inch chunks; leave it on the counter for about 2 hours before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
2. In a large stainless steel or glass bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. (Alternatively, heat the chocolate in the microwave on medium power for about 45 seconds, or until melted.) Stir the chocolate every 20 seconds with a rubber spatula so it doesn’t burn. Keep warm.
3. In a medium stainless steel or enamel-coated saucepan set over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Whisk the tea leaves into the hot cream. Remove from heat, cover and let steep 7 to 8 minutes. Strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth; discard the tea leaves. Add more fresh heavy cream to bring it back to the original volume (the tea leaves will have absorbed some). Clean out the saucepan to remove any leftover tea leaves.
4. Return the strained cream to the clean saucepan, add corn syrup and bring back to a boil.
5. Place the bowl of melted chocolate on the countertop, with a towel underneath so it doesn’t shift around when mixing. Pour half the hot, infused cream over the melted chocolate. Using a rubber spatula, stir quickly at first to begin the emulsification process. Pour in the rest of the cream and continue mixing to emulsify the mixture. Finish by mixing with a handheld blender to obtain a silky emulsion. Set the ganache in a cool space on the countertop, and let it cool to 95 to 104 degrees.
6. Add the butter to the ganache. Use the handheld blender to emulsify the mixture completely, until all the butter is incorporated and the mixture looks like a silky, thick chocolate mayonnaise. Place a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ganache to prevent a skin from forming. Keep at room temperature overnight to cool and crystallize. The ganache can be made in advance and held in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
7. When ready to create the truffles, take the ganache out of the refrigerator 2 to 3 hours before using, and set it on the countertop so it can come to room temperature. Sift the cocoa powder into a large, shallow bowl; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Use a small scoop to make 1/2-inch balls of ganache. Roll each ball in your hands (powder-free latex gloves work really well for this process) until rounded and truffle-shaped.
9. Place a few truffles at a time into the cocoa powder, and roll them around to coat. Shake off excess powder by tossing them in a fine-mesh sieve, then transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Work in small batches so the truffles do not stick to each other in the powder.
10. Pile the truffles in a glass bowl, and enjoy. The truffles can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Roll in fresh cocoa powder before serving.
— Courtesy of Yigit Pura, “Sweet Alchemy: Dessert Magic” (Chronicle, $35, 224 pages)
