Molded Chocolate Bonbons with Canna Butter

Ingredients:

1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup (half stick) canna butter
3 ounce (1/2 cup) bittersweet chocolate cut into small squares
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound dark chocolate

Directions:

• Purchase chocolate in either a block, bar, or disk form. A block of a high quality 60-70% dark chocolate is a good choice to start with.
• Get out your chocolate molds. If you don’t already own one or more, then borrow or buy one. The silicone variety is best. They are available with different styles, themes, and sizes.
• Melt chocolate in medium sauce pan or double boiler*. An electronic chocolate temperer** is even better. Over medium heat continue monitoring temperature and gently stirring until temperature reaches 114F. Then reduce heat and monitor temperature until it reaches 89F. Try to maintain the chocolate at this temperature to keep it in temper throughout the process. This is where an “Electronic Chocolate Temperer” comes in handy. It both heats precisely, stirs, and maintains the temperature keeping the chocolate in temper.
• Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of your chocolate molds with a thin layer of chocolate. Then place in freezer for 5-6 minutes.
• Repeat process until your chocolate molds have a nice solid coating of chocolate, normally takes about 6-8 layers.
• Add the canna butter filling. Using a spoon, place about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of canna butter in the center of each mold. Make sure to leave space around the sides and top of the canna butter so that it can be completely covered with chocolate.
• Now fill the molds the rest of the way with chocolate, freeze for 12 hours, then enjoy!
• Store any extras in an airtight container in a cool place.

*What is a double boiler? Find a big pot and a small pot (do not confuse yourself this has nothing to do with marijuana). Boil a few inches of water in the big pot then nestle the small pot into the water. Place your chocolate in the small pot. The goal here is to keep your chocolate from direct heat and instead allow the boiling water to heat it more evenly.

Chocolate Temperers & Tempered Chocolate, Simplified:

Tempered Chocolate is shiny, uniform in color, creamier in texture, and “snaps” when broken or bitten.

What is “tempered chocolate”?

Tempered chocolate is chocolate that has been put through a relatively simple process that forces the chocolate crystals to form a very uniform structure.

Why temper chocolate?

Tempered chocolate is smoother, better tasting, uniform in color, shiny, and has a snap to it when broken or bitten. Chocolate that has not been tempered will have gray streaks and feel chalky on the tongue.

How to temper (dark) chocolate:

The simplest and most foolproof method is to buy an electronic chocolate temperer. A chocolate temperer will melt and stir the chocolate while heating and maintaining the correct temperatures.

But if you want to do it the old fashioned way. Start with at least 1 pound of qood quality chocolate bars. Dark chocolate is the easiest to temper. Regular chocolate chips are very difficult to temper and are best avoided. Most candy departments in large grocery stores will have at least a dozen varieties of pure chocolate bars in a range of cacao percentages. I prefer the 70%-80% dark chocolates.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt chocolate and gently stir until chocolate reaches 114F. Lower heat and monitor temperature until it reaches 89F. The chocolate should now be tempered and is ready for use.  The trick is holding this temperature and keeping the chocolate in temper. This is where an electronic chocolate temperer comes in handy.

Note: The process for tempering milk chocolate and white chocolate is the same as for dark chocolate. Except that milk and white chocolate should be heated to 112F and cooled to 88F.

Chocolate Trivia:

What’s the difference between milk chocolate and dark chocolate?

Milk chocolate is more highly refined than dark chocolate. Milk chocolate normally contains around 30% cacao, or cocoa solids, while dark chocolate can have 70% and even more cacao.