もう一つはローマ司祭のバレンタインが異教を崇拝することついて彼が拒絶をしたために迫害されました。彼が受刑前に看守の娘に別れの手紙を書き、｢あなたのバレンタインより｣と書き記したと伝えられています。それで２月１４日が異教徒のローマの神と後援者聖バレンタイン両方の祝典であるように思われます。今日ではお互いのために愛を表現する日になりました。

このロマンチックな日を飾るためにチョコレートとシャンパンの絶妙の組み合わせを紹介したいと思います。　チョコレートとシャンパン…チョコレートというロマンチックな響き、シャンパンという名の祝賀の為のワイン。これ以上にこの日の為ロマンチックなギフトは無いといっても過言ではないでしょう。これからこのシャンパントリュフの作り方を紹介しましょう。

Champagne truffles

10oz bitter sweet chocolate, tempered
2 1/2 oz champagne
2 1/2 heavy cream
9 oz bitter sweet chocolate, chopped
1oz butter, softened

To prepare the ganache; put the chopped 9 1/2oz of chocolate with the corn syrup in a small bowl and set it in a warm place. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate mixture stirring until it melts or use an immersion hand blender. Add the champagne and blend, then ad the butter and blend smooth. Allow the mixture to cool until it is thick enough to use in a piping bag.

Using the chocolate molds, fill with tampered chocolate to evenly coat all sides. Tap the bottom of the mold to get rid of air bubbles. Turn the mold up side down into a bowl to drain excess chocolate, still tapping the mold. Wipe clean with a spatula and invert ingredient side up to set the chocolate. The chocolate will be glossy at this point but as it hardens and becomes ready, the color will dull. You can put the mold in the refrigerator for several minutes. When the chocolate has set, pipe the ganache into the molds 3/4 ways full. Let the chocolate set. Then cover with more tampered chocolate to seal the molds. Scrape the mold to clean with a spatula and allow it to set in the refrigerator. You will be able to see when the chocolate has set when it starts to pull away from the mold when looking at it up side down and it looks like frosted glass.

For the home cook, it is easy to make truffles by letting the ganache cool and stiffen enough to roll between your hands, making balls about 3/4” in diameter. Then dip them into the tempered chocolate using either a fork, chopsticks or your hands. Be sure to shake off the excess chocolate and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to cool.

Chocolate is tampered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white. There art a variety of ways to tamper. One of the easiest ways is called seeding. In this method, melt 7oz of butter sweet chocolate over a hot water bath to a temperature between 88-90F. Then add 3oz of chopped butter sweet chocolate to the melted chocolate and stir till the chocolate melts or use an immersion hand blender. You can keep the chocolate in tamper at the proper temperature by placing it on a heating pad and set at the lowest temperature.

There are many theories as to the origins of Valentine’s Day. One is that it started with the Festival of Lupercalia an Ode to the God of Fertility. Young men would draw the name of a girl who would be his sweetheart for the year. Another theory is that it is named for the Roman priest Valentine who was martyred for his refusal to give up his religious beliefs. Legend has it that he married young couples while he was in jail even though it was against the law, and that before he was beheaded, he wrote a farewell note to the jailer’s daughter signed “from your Valentine.” So it seems February 14 is a celebration of both the pagan Roman deity and the Patron Saint Valentine. Today it has become a time to express your love for one another.

So in honor of this romantic holiday, we want to share another great combination: chocolate and champagne. Chocolate the aphrodisiac and champagne the wine of celebration come together in champagne truffles. What better pairing to bear as a gift for this occasion to the object of your desire. Here is hoping these delicious truffles will entice the recipient to respond appropriately!