Raspberry Filled Chocolate Candy

paula

11 years ago

Whoever first thought of putting red raspberries and chocolate together must have had divine inspiration. To me, there is not any better combination as raspberry goes so well with every version of chocolate from very dark to white.

As Easter is just around the corner, I am back into the candy making. I seem to get the bug to make candy around most holidays.

This year, I was determined to try to make a raspberry filled chocolate that would come close to the best I have ever had…Ethel M’s. I used to get them on my annual trek to Las Vegas (for work) every spring. I even got my husband hooked on them after we were married enough that one year we took a break from the convention I attended and drove out to tour their factory.

After a lot of thought and some trials, I received the best compliment on my version of the raspberry filled chocolates from my husband, “They taste like those Ethel M chocolates we used to get.”

I used candy molds that I originally purchased to make chocolate covered cherries, but they were much too small.

Mine are not as pretty…okay, they are not pretty at all…but, they do taste yummy.

I used white coating as it is spring, but you can use whatever chocolate you like.

Here is how I made them:

Recipe: Raspberry Filled Chocolates

Ingredients:

10 oz. package of frozen red raspberries
1/4 to 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 lb. unsalted butter at room temperature
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
Merckens chocolate coating
chocolate candy mold(s)

Instructions:

Place frozen raspberries in a small sauce pan with sugar.
Heat until sugar has dissolved into raspberry juice mixture and raspberries are falling apart.
Strain mixture to remove seeds, etc.
Returned strained puree to pan and continue to heat until mixture has thickened.
Place in refrigerator to cool.
Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until mixture is light and fluffy.
Beat in cooled raspberry puree adding a little at a time until desired taste is achieved.
Meanwhile, bring water in bottom of a double boiler or pan to a boil. Remove from heat, add chocolate to top of double boiler or bowl and place over hot water to melt. (Temper chocolate if not using coating pieces).
Once chocolate is melted scoop chocolate to fill molds and dump excess into a bowl. Use an off-set spatula to clear extra chocolate from surface of the mold.
Fill a plastic piping bag or plastic zip bag with corner cut off with raspberry mixture.
Pipe mixture into mold after chocolate has started to set. Leave at least 1/8 inch of space from the top of the mold to apply bottom on chocolate.
Using a plastic squeeze bottle or piping bag, fill remaining gap in mold with chocolate. Tapping mold on hard surface to settle chocolate.
Place in freezer for a few minutes so the chocolate will easily release or allow to cool and set at room temperature.
Turn out onto parchment or wax paper-lined tray.
Use lint-free gloves to handle to avoid finger prints.
Store in a cool place.

Notes:

If you don’t have a candy mold, you can still make these by dipping them. Just set raspberry mixture in the refrigerator several hours or over night, then roll into balls. Place balls in freezer for a few minutes to firm, then dip in melted chocolate.