Chocolate Frogs, two ways

(Photo by saladbats)

I have this candy mold from Amazon. It costs about $6.00. http://www.amazon.com/Cybrtrayd-A126-Chocolate-Copyrighted-Instructions/dp/B000EBMUNU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460913605&sr=8-1&keywords=frog+mold

Pudding Frogs:

1 six-serving box of instant chocolate pudding (only use half of the mix)
5 teaspoons gelatin (two packets of Knox gelatin)
1.25 cups whole milk
3/4 cup Irish cream (Bailey's or any other brand)

In a microwave proof bowl or glass measuring cup, add 1/2 cup of milk and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface. Let sit for a minute. Microwave the bowl up to two minutes for the gelatin to dissolve (30 seconds at a time so as to not overcook it). Remove, stir, and let cool to warmer than room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, pour in the remaining 3/4 cup of cold milk and add 1/2 of the box of pudding mix slowly. Best to start with a whisk and move up to a spoon. It will be a thick paste. Add in the milk/gelatin mixture and Irish cream. Spray the frog mold with Pam and blot excess with paper towel. Pour mixture through a sieve into a measuring cup then pour it into the frog mold. Chill overnight. Invert onto a platter.

This left me with extra mixture, so I added 1/4 cup heavy cream, mixed it well, and poured it into four popsicle molds as an experiment. We'll see if it sets up in the freezer. (It did not. The popsicle sticks just pulled out of the frozen concoction. **sad face** )


Chocolate Candy Frogs:

I basically followed this recipe, except I melted everything in the microwave: http://www.food.com/recipe/ganache-soft-filling-for-chocolates-etc-81699

This recipe is geared for those of you with a kitchen scale. I don't conversions for measuring by volume.

This recipe make eight chocolate frogs with a little bit of ganache left over for snacking on later.

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate shells:
About 100 grams dark chocolate (I use Ghirardelli 60% cacao chocolate chips)

Ganache:
60 grams heavy cream
30 grams butter
70 grams dark chocolate (also Ghirardelli 60% chips)
13 grams Irish Cream (I used O'Mara's) or any other kind of liqueur like Amaretto, Khalua, Frangelico, etc.
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

To make chocolate cases: melt approximately 100g (3.5 oz) chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, do not overheat, when three quarters of it is melted, remove from heat and stir vigorously, this should distribute the heat and melt the remaining chocolate without it getting too hot and going "grainy".

Take a small teaspoon of melted chocolate or pastry brush and " paint" the inside of your candy mold. If coverage is a bit skimpy don't panic. these set in the fridge in minutes and a second coat is easier and works better than trying to get one very thick coat. Put them in the fridge to harden. Reserve enough of your chocolate to cover the bottom of your forms once they have been filled with the ganache filling.

Put butter and cream in a large glass measuring cup and heat it up in the microwave, 30 second bursts, stirring after each 30 seconds.

Remove from heat and add chocolate and liqueur.

Stir well until smooth (heat of mixture will melt chocolate) leave to cool a little, then let cool.

Use as soft filling for chocolates and tartes.

This does thicken up over time, and good chocolate is never refrigerated, just kept in a cool dry place. If these are refrigerated the filling gets very firm over time.

By now your ganache filling mixture should be cool enough to put into the chocolate cases, using a piping bag or a teaspoon, fill them with the ganache, (but not quite to the very top of the chocolate case) Then put them back into the fridge for a while, and once set a little solid, put a "top" of melted chocolate on them to seal them closed and refrigerate until the top too is solid. I like to keep these in the fridge for a least a few hours or somewhere nice and cool overnight before I try and get them out of the forms.

If using mini muffin papers, peel away the papers from the chocolates (this can be fiddly, don't press too hard as you peel them or your chocolate will break), If using the silicone ice cube forms, GENTLY easy the chocolates out of the forms, they will just pop out -- plate up and amaze your guests with these divine triumphs!
KEEWERD