Cake Ball (Truffle) Question

Decorating By sweetpea1972 Updated 13 Aug 2009 , 5:39pm by sweetpea1972

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sweetpea1972 Posted 12 Aug 2009 , 2:16pm
post #1 of 10

I made my first batch of cake balls a few weeks ago (Mojito flavored!) and they were a huge hit, but I had issues with the chocolate coating. I used the Merckens chocolate and melted it over a double boiler.

My problem came after I had chilled the truffles in the freezer and started dipping. About 1/2 way through the chocolate started to get a little grainy and thick. By the end they were still covering but the excess wasn't dripping off, it was just getting clumpy. It didn't seem like it was seizing but I started thinking it was from the condensation from the freezer. I had left them in the freezer for about 1/2 hour. Should I have thinned it out a bit?

Any ideas?

My other question is it possible to flavor the chocolate (I wanted to add some rum flavor). Do I use the Lorann oils?

Thanks in advance. I'd love to try them again, but also want them to be pretty icon_smile.gif

9 replies
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cutthecake Posted 12 Aug 2009 , 2:39pm
post #2 of 10

I've never made cake balls, but I know
water + chocolate= seizing and clumping chocolate

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ziggytarheel Posted 12 Aug 2009 , 2:43pm
post #3 of 10

It sounds like you either got moisture in your chocolate or the chocolate got too hot. I use a double boiler on the stove to heat my chocolate and then I remove the double boiler from the heat and dip. If I'm doing a huge batch, I do more than one pot of chocolate.

On the very rare occasion my chocolate has started to get gloppy (I think this only happened when I used Giradelli white chocolate chips), I just added a tiny bit of canola oil.

I put my cake balls in the freezer for about half an hour as well. Often times, I have to put them back in because they have defrosted before I get to all of them. I've not had trouble with moisture from the cake balls causing my chocolate to seize.

Hope this helps! icon_smile.gif

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-Tubbs Posted 12 Aug 2009 , 2:58pm
post #4 of 10

Are you sure the chocolate wasn't just cooling down and setting? I have had that happen, and you can just warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds and it's runny and good for dipping again.

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sweetpea1972 Posted 12 Aug 2009 , 4:17pm
post #5 of 10

Thanks for the tips.

I had it on the heat the whole time (on low). Maybe I overheated? I guess its possible that some moisture got in from the double boiler, but it was so gradual and the texture didn't clump up as much as it thickened and got grainy. I didn't add oil or anything because I was thinking it would be to thin to coat and set up.

I'll definitely try it again, hopefully with better results.

Thanks for the help!

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hellie0h Posted 13 Aug 2009 , 12:21am
post #6 of 10

When you dip whatever into chocolate, bits and pieces of whatever, are mixed into the chocolate making it thick and gunky. You may want to take parchment on a large jelly roll pan, drop a spoonful of chocolate into rounds, sit you cake ball into that melted chocolate then spoon the chocolate over your cake ball. This keeps the chocolate clean. It's time consuming but you get a better looking product.
Also, it helps when using chocolate wafers to thin the choc. with paramount crystals.

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sweetpea1972 Posted 13 Aug 2009 , 12:42pm
post #7 of 10
Quote:
Quote:

Also, it helps when using chocolate wafers to thin the choc. with paramount crystals.




What are these? Where can I find them?

Thanks

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mjk350 Posted 13 Aug 2009 , 2:56pm
post #8 of 10
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hellie0h Posted 13 Aug 2009 , 5:27pm
post #9 of 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetpea1972

Quote:
Quote:

Also, it helps when using chocolate wafers to thin the choc. with paramount crystals.



What are these? Where can I find them?

Thanks




Paramount crystals are chips of partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil combined with lecithin and citric acid (as a preservative) for the use in confectionery coating and chocolate work. When used it keeps the chocolate fluid. Used similarly to cocoa butter in chocolate work, except paramount crystals have virtually no flavor (tasteless).

I buy mine at a local cake/candy supply store. If you have something like this or a bulk food store that sells the wafer chocolate, most likely they sell the paramount crystals too. You can order online as well.

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sweetpea1972 Posted 13 Aug 2009 , 5:39pm
post #10 of 10

hellie0h

Thanks for the tip. I do have a few cake supply stores in the area I can look at.

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