Hi Guys, I need your help. I'm looking to make a truffle (hard shell) with an alcohol filling. I…

Hi jisimni_mark! A bit of a late reply, but I hope this helps. So what you are looking for would be classified as a Liqueur Chocolate and would be categorized as working with saturated/ super saturated sugar solutions that are in balance with a % of alcohol. There are two general styles to this confection, with a sugar crust or without…with advantages/ disadvantages to both. Without a sugar crust the alcohol would erode the chocolate, while working with a sugar crust requires more precision in formulation and execution. If you happen to have a copy of the late/ great Jean Pierre Wybauw’s first book (Fine chocolates Great Experience, page 73) he does a great job of breaking down the general recipes and techniques for both types. That said, I have found there to be a general preference for the sugar crusted versions….at least in the high end artisan world. I def prefer these types, as I like the texture component of the finely crystallized crust.

So with the crusted version, there are two types….dipped or molded. With the dipped, the syrup is deposited into a warm starch mold and allowed to crystalize in a warm chamber. Through evaporation, the syrup is becomes oversaturated with sugar and so some crashes out to form a crust. After some time, the liqueurs are removed, dusted off and enrobed. The fun part of working with this type is that one can create a casting of just about any shape and use that as the bases for the finished product.

With the molded variety, one would make the syrup and deposit directly into a preformed chocolate shell. This is generally considered easier and faster, but does require precision when calibrating and cooking the recipe. If not enough crystals are formed, then one can’t seal the shell with a final cap of chocolate. That said, this style is great due to the ability to use a well decorated shell that has a brilliant/ shiny surface.

There is a fare bit of technique in the development and fabrication of chocolate liqueurs, so I would def recommend checking out the literature on the subject. I’d be more than happy to answer any follow up questions that come up….so please feel free to ask!