Bailey's Irish Cream Truffles

Wow... there were a LOT of pictures for this post.  I hope you enjoy them. :)

I haven't made slabbed chocolate truffles in a while, but I thought I'd try again in honor of St. Patty's Day.  When I used to do this commercially, I'd use a 12x12" frame, but this time I'm making a smaller batch and using my 10x10" cake pan.

Stacey's Bailey's Irish Cream Truffle Ingredients:
6.25 oz heavy cream, organic
3 oz glucose
30 oz Guittard 38% milk chocolate couverture
3 oz Bailey's Irish Cream

Pyrex measuring cup
Pyrex mixing bowl
Parchment paper
10x10" cake pan
Scraper 
Dipping fork
Additional Guittard 38% milk chocolate couverture for slabbing and dipping (maybe 2 lbs?)

First I measured out my chocolate and started putting it in the microwave at 30 second intervals to temper it.

While my chocolate was heating, I measured out my cream and added the glucose to it.

I thought it looked really neat on the bottom so I took a picture.

I started heating the cream/glucose mixture in the microwave as well at 30 second intervals until it reached 100F and made sure it was well-stirred.  Then I added the Bailey's to it and stirred that up.

Once my chocolate was tempered,

I poured the cream mixture on top of it.

I stirred in small circles, slowly, until everything was combined.

Then I cut a piece of parchment paper, also cutting slits for the corners, and folded it so it would fit into my pan.

I poured the truffle mixture into the prepared pan,

and covered it with another piece of parchment paper, smoothing it down with the scraper.

There was a little bit exposed so I put plastic wrap over it as well.

I waited overnight for it to set.  Once it had set, I removed the plastic wrap and used the outer edges of the bottom piece of parchment paper to remove the slab from the pan.  Then, I pulled the top piece of parchment paper off.

I tempered some more milk chocolate, and then poured some on the exposed side.  This is to make it easier for dipping.  If there is already a hard chocolate side, the truffles can't stick to the dipping fork. Sorry it's blurry, I had to work quickly.  

I used my scraper again to smooth the chocolate out, to create a thin layer of chocolate on what would be the bottom of my truffles.

I let this sit for a little while to harden, maybe 20 minutes just to be safe.  Then, as gently as possible, I placed the piece of parchment back on the side that I'd just put chocolate on, placed another cutting board on top of it, and flipped it over. Then I was able to peel off the back side of the parchment paper.

I used a big knife to cut these into 3/4" to 1" squares.  Sometimes it's easier to use a small knife and cut squares out one at a time, as opposed to cutting a whole strip and then trying to cut it into squares afterward.
I would soon be dipping these squares with my dipping fork.

I tempered more milk chocolate to use for dipping and prepared a baking sheet by placing a layer of plastic wrap over it.  I'll be placing the dipped chocolates on this sheet.

I only dip one at a time, because sometimes it just makes everything messier and stuck together if I try to dip more than one.

Once it's covered, I fished it out with the fork (making sure the side that has the layer of hardened chocolate on it is the side touching the fork).

I tapped the fork gently to release some of the excess chocolate, and then scraped it along the side of the bowl.

Then I carefully placed the truffle on my prepared baking sheet.  After it's been sitting for a bit, maybe 20-30 seconds, I use one side of the dipping fork to make a line decoration across the diagonal. Sorry this picture is kind of dark - again, hurrying.

Once all the truffles have been cut, dipped, and set, they look like this. If you do it well, there aren't as many bubbles, nor what the pros call "feet," which describes the excess chocolate that drips down the sides and pools at the bottom, making "feet" on the chocolates.  But, but they still taste good. :)

So, boyfriend ate a few too many of these and made himself sick (with too much chocolate, not booze) and then I ate one and figured out why.  These are awesome.  Creamy, smooth, soft in the middle with the awesome flavor of Bailey's... a perfectly delectable St. Patty's Day treat.  Stay tuned for Guinness Truffles.  I don't imagine they'll be as good as these, since Guiness doesn't have as distinctive of a flavor (in fact, I'd say it's chocolatey), but you never know.