This tutorial will show you how to make your own chocolate truffle shells. You can use these shells to make your own truffles, pralines and chocolate lollipops. With this tutorial you are flexible in doing your own shells in different sizes, shapes and chocolate types, since the technique will be the same. Check out the Coconut Lollipops recipe to see how these shells can be used.
Material requirements
600g any chocolate (tempered)
Scraper
Round nozzle (I used an 8mm tip e.g. Ateco 12)
Piping bag
Small candle or lighter
2 semi-sphere polycarbonate chocolate moulds
Pure alcohol (at least 94%)
Cotton pads
Before you start, make sure your chocolate mould is clean. Dip the cotton pads into the alcohol and polish the cavities of your mould. You should have no water or grease spots on your mould. The alcohol will evaporate very quickly so your mould will be dry and ready to use after the polishing.
Temper your chocolate and fill all cavities of the mould. Then tap to release any air bubbles, for a smooth and perfect surface.
Turn the mould upside down and let the excess chocolate drip out. Use the scraper to tap on the side of the mould to help release the excess chocolate.
Scrape down the excess chocolate off the mould with the scraper until you have a clean surface. Place the mould on a counter with the cavities facing downwards until the chocolate has crystallised. Then place the mould in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, until the chocolate has contracted and released itself from the mould.
After the chocolate has contracted, they should be easily removable from the mould. You will then have a thin semi-sphere chocolate shell.
Heat up a metal surface, in this case I cleaned the scraper that I used before and used that. You can heat the scraper in different ways:
Holding it under boiling water and then wiping off the water.
Using a heat gun.
Hold it over a flame of a candle or lighter.
If you use the back of a small pan you can warm it by turning on the stove.
Briefly place two semi-sphere shell on the warm scraper and then stick them together. Use your mould to place the chocolate balls in to rest. Make sure you are not placing the semi-sphere too long on the scraper because it melts quickly and if you melt too much of the chocolate it will become too small for the other half and will not look like an even sphere anymore, rather an oval.
For the next step heat up the tip of your nozzle. I like to use a small candle for that but you can also use a lighter or any other media that is convenient for you. Just make sure only the tip is hot so that you are still able to hold the nozzle.
Gently press the nozzle into the chocolate ball along the seam. Don't press the nozzle too far in, otherwise the hole will be bigger. Don't worry, if the cut out chocolate piece falls into the shell.
This is is how the final truffle shell looks like. It is now ready to be filled.
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