NM-Bruce wrote:
>
> Can perfect sphere shaped truffles with a soft-ish ganache be done by
> hand? Or is this some "trick-of-the-trade" using some kind of mold
> system that assures uniformity? It's probably my lack of skill, but I
> find I need to use a pretty stiff ganache for hand-rolled-dipped, and
> my truffles always have a certain slightly non-spherical quality. I'd
> love to be able to do better.
>
It could be that they make a firm ganache centre and then added the
enzyme invertase. This breaks downs sucrose into glucose and fructose,
ie invert sugar. Invert sugar does not readily crystallize and is
hygroscopic - it makes the ganache smooth and soft.

However, the action of the enzyme is gradual (especially at 17 degrees
Celcius). Therefore the truffles will be firm when worked (rolled into
perfect round balls, then dipped/enrobed). However, as the enzyme
splits the sucrose into invert sugar over the course of a few days to
a week, the centre softens.

I don't know whether you are familiar with "After Eights" in the US?
These are wafer thin squares of soft mint fondant, enrobed in dark
chocolate. These are made by enrobing solid fondant in chocolate. The
invertase within After Eights then softens the fondant centre over the
course of about one week.

Ditto liqueur centres.

Simon