Choco-lotta-yummy

Earl grey

I’m planning the Chocolate for a fund raiser coming up next month.  Since we are adopting from Colombia I’ve used the flag colors of red, blue and yellow as an inspiration for the colors and flavors for the chocolate.  And I’ve looked to South American deserts for inspiration for these truffles. 

Here are the twelve flavors I’ve got in mind at the moment:

They are:

White chocolate lemon ganache molded in dark chocolate garnished in yellow.  I may put some gold leaf in this one for the fun of it.  I happen to already have it so it would be no big deal but I think it would look amazing.

Dark chocolate black raspberry ganache molded in milk choc and wrapped in red foil

White chocolate blueberry ganache dipped in milk chocolate with blue garnish

Vanilla truffle (the cream for the ganache is infused with a South American vanilla bean until the flavor is full tilt rich orchid goodness) in dark chocolate garnished in white.  I can’t wait to try this one but I only have one vanilla bean and since they are rather expensive I don’t think I’m going to get a trial run on this one.  I hope I get it right.

Chocolate truffles

White chocolate cranberry almond in white chocolate garnished with red.  Hubby hates this one but I think it’s pretty good and it’s a good texture contrast to the others and the only one coated in white chocolate.

Marzipan (a personal favorite) dipped in milk chocolate garnished with almond

Earl Grey truffle (I can’t wait to try this one!) in milk and wrapped in silver foil.  (Ok, it’s not the least bit South American, this one is all about me!)

Hot red peppers

A red hot South American chocolate flavor:  Dark chocolate ganache with cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne pepper in dark chocolate with tiny red rose medallion garnish. (I’ve already tried this one and love, Love, LOVE it!)

Pecan praline in milk ganache with a pecan half garnish.  This sounds divine and easy to make.  Maybe I’ll get time for a trial run this week.

Dulce de Leche (a South American milk based caramel) cashew in dark or milk (Have not decided) chocolate.  Sounds good.  Don’t know whether to make my own or buy it online.  If I made it I’d never know if I got an authentic end product.  Hmmm… undecided.

Hazelnut truffle in dark chocolate wrapped in blue foil.

A dark chocolate, blue and white layered peppermint with snowflake garnish.  Coooool!

I’m looking forward to it.  I think it will be a feast for the eyes as well as for the taste buds.  I’ve done some serious chocolate making years ago so this is a real flash from the past.  I hope the old skills are still in there as far as dipping and handling the chocolate.  I hope so anyway.  It certainly will be a nice change from what I’m usually doing these days!