Piccalilli caramel truffles

Method

Bring sugar and 60ml water to a boil in a large pan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar then don’t stir again. Boil, swirling pan occasionally and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until it’s a deep amber colour, this should take 8–10 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add butter and stir until smooth (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir in cream, then rum or Calvados, and cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Stir until smooth.

Remove caramel from heat add in blitzed piccalilli and let cool 10 minutes.

Make Ahead: Sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

Moulding Chocolate: How to Make Filled Centres

Use proper Chocolate moulds so that chocolate will release easily.

Ensure moulds are clean, 100% dry, and are not dusty or scratched.

Keep the moulds are at room temperature.

Use high quality couverture chocolate

Prepare in small batches and immediately put in refrigerator until set. Don’t leave the chocolate in the refrigerator for too long. The chocolate can become too cold and could “sweat” or even crack when brought back to room temperature.

It's a good idea to wear chocolatiers gloves when handling the moulded chocolate so that you don’t get fingerprints on the chocolate. To make centre filled moulded chocolates caramel, ganache, or other fillings:

Prepare the “chocolate shells”:

If you are painting details into the mold with coloured white chocolate or coloured cocoa butter make sure the coloured chocolate or cocoa butter has set-up/hardened before you begin the steps below.

Lay mold on flat surface, such as a counter top or table.

temper your chocolate according to instructions for the type of chocolate you have purchased.

Fill each mold cavity/opening until chocolate is level with the top of each opening.

Gently tap the mold on the counter until you remove all of the air bubbles.

Turn the filled mold upside down over a large empty bowl (or over your bowl of prepared chocolate, if large enough), tap the side of the Mould so most of the chocolate goes back into the bowl, leaving enough chocolate to coat the entire cavity of each mold.

Let the moulded chocolate set-up in the refrigerator on a level tray for 10 minutes. As before, don’t leave the chocolate in the refrigerator for too long. The chocolate can become too cold and will “sweat” or even crack when brought to room temperature.

Remove chocolate shells from refrigerator, ready to be filled.
 

Filling the “chocolate shells”:

Gently warm the caramel or ganache on a low power setting in a microwave.

Fill a disposable piping bag with the prepared filling, snip the end off.

Fill each shells about 1/8” from the top of the mold.

Gently tap the mold on the counter to remove all air bubbles. Be careful to not overfill the shells or to spill “filling” outside of the “chocolate shells”.

Return the moulds to the refrigerator for about 5 minutes, to give the “filling” time to set remove from fridge allowing a few mins to come back to room temperature 

Cover the top of the Mould with tempered chocolate, tap the mould on the counter to remove all air bubbles and to level the chocolate.

Scrape excess chocolate from the mould by running the long edge of your offset spatula along the surface of your mould 

Return the filled mould to the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

Check to see if the chocolate has completely set. Don’t release the chocolate until it is completely dry and contracted from the mold. If you’re using a clear mould, you’ll be able to tell that the chocolate is ready when it uniformly does not look wet on the underside of the mould when it’s ready, turn the mould upside down and tap it until the chocolate comes out of the mold. This is a good time to use your chocolatiers gloves to prevent fingerprints on your moulded pieces. If there is any moisture on the chocolate, gently dry with a dry paper towel.

For a professional looking decorative flare, you can add a dusting of lustre or you can paint your finished chocolate with Colourful Cocoa Butter.

Store finished chocolates in an air tight plastic container and keep in a cool, dry place where the humidity below 50%.