Fillings for Chocolates

Everyone loves a good box of delicious chocolates with different surprise fillings, and everybody has their favorite filling. Some prefer crèmes; other like nutty fillings and the traditionalists go for classic but tasty caramels. Whatever your favorite is, making your own chocolates for yourself or for gifts during the holidays or for birthdays can be very easy. Most fillings are comprised of very simple ingredients and some do not even need to be cooked. Any kind of dipping chocolate can be used, from bittersweet to milk chocolate or even white chocolate. Before you know it, you will be passing out your own hand-dipped chocolates with pride.

Fondants & Buttercreams

When you see a candy that says it has a "fondant" center, this is NOT rolled fondant. It's the type of fondant that is used for glazes and candy making. For candy-making it can be used in various ways, sometimes thinned out for a flowing, creamy center, sometimes left very thick and firm for a chewy candy type center, and sometimes, as in Cherry cordials, the liquid from the cherries completely liquifies the fondant, so you get that effect. And that would be a molded chocolate (bonbon) not a truffle.

Maple Nut Center- In one cup of fondant center knead in 1/4 tsp. concentrated maple flavoring, 1/4 c. walnuts, and brown food coloring.
Fruit Center - In 1 c. fondant center knead in 4 tsp. icing fruit or jam.
Vanilla Cream Center - 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract to 1 c. fondant center.
Peppermint Cream Center - 5 drops peppermint oil to 1 c. fondant center, add green food color as desired.
French Chocolate Center - 4 oz. melted dark chocolate to 1 c. fondant center.
Cappucino Cream Center - 1/2 tsp. cappucino concentrated flavor to 1 c. fondant center.
Strawberry Cream Center - Pulse 1 cup of freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor to yield about 1/2 cup strawberry “dust.”
    Replace 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar with 1/2 cup strawberry dust (recipe uses 4 cups confectioners’ sugar Sally's Baking
    Addiction).
Orange or Lemon Buttercreams - Use orange or lemon extract as well as vanilla extract.
Chocolate Buttercream Filling - Replace 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar with unsweetened cocoa powder.
Coconut Buttercreams - Use coconut extract and add 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut for recipe using 4 cups confectioners’
    sugar. If desired, pulse the coconut in a food processor so the shreds are smaller.

Ganache

Ganache is extremely easy to make and can be flavored any way you think of. Ganache is a mixture - of chocolate and heavy cream, and sometimes butter, that is then flavored. It is used to coat cakes or make truffles. A good rule of thumb for making the ganache is going with two parts chocolate to one part heavy cream. A general preference is to scald the cream and pour that over the chocolate, stirring slowly until everything is mixed together nicely. Once the mixing is done you can optionally add your flavoring: some kind of coffee or liqueur is nice, but you can also use fruit puree. Another great way to flavor your ganache is to steep something in the cream while you're heating it, such as a flavorful tea or lavender. This can then be strained out.

Recipe for Truffles (& variations: rum raisin, pistachio, coconut, etc.)
Recipe for Chocolate Truffles (flavored with liqueur - variations)
Recipe for Chocolate Almond Truffles
Recipe for Chocolate Malt Truffle Cups

Caramels

Caramel fillings are an eternal favorite, it is very hard to find anyone who doesn't like caramel. The Caramel confectionery is made by boiling milk, sugar, butter, vanilla essence, water, and glucose or corn syrup. The smooth, dense and sticky flavor of the caramel center makes the chocolate just melt and slide down your mouth. And the taste - wonderful! You can make the caramel yourself or buy it at your nearby store. Caramel is good used just as it is, but it is an excellent combinant to any nuts you might be thinking of.

Toffee

Usually chocolate coated.

Nougat

Another favorite confectionery is the Nougat. Like the caramel, the nougat is another very preferred filling for many popular chocolates and candies. According to Wikipedia, Nougat is made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts are common) and sometimes chopped candied fruit. The consistency of nougat can range from chewy to hard depending on its composition, and it is used in a variety of candy bars and chocolates.

There are two basic kinds of nougat: white and brown. White nougat is made with beaten egg whites and is soft, whereas brown nougat (called nougatine in French) is made with caramelized sugar and has a firmer, often crunchy texture. Nougat is somewhat thicker and denser than caramel.

Other Fillings you can make

Cordials - cherry cordials

Nuts. The nuts are usually combined in with caramel, ganache or oh yeah! the nougat. There are a great many types of nuts that you can use. And don't forget about the raisins. Nuts, including coconut, can also be covered in chocolate to make nut clusters.

Marshmallow fillings

Fudge dipped in chocolate.

Peanut Butter fillings are one of the more widely used.

If you like your candy to have a crunch, then Rice Crispies and Malted Milk Crunches are a clear bet.