Truffle Techniques
I just completed this Christmas's batch of truffles. I've found that the recipes I use vary wildly as to thickness of the ganache. The recipes as they are recorded here are as I found them. But you'll see that I've made notes to myself, so that next time I tighten up some of the thinnest ones.
After a couple of batches of truffles you begin to get the hang of things. I'd recommend checking around the Web and looking for instructions. I am recording what I've learned, but you shouldn't take this as the last word on truffle making. I'm learning as I go and I'm just beginning to learn.
Ganache: The first time I tried this, I went the old school route with a double boiler. But I've found this just isn't necessary and is more risk than it is worth. It isn't necessary, because even if you overheat, the loss of temper doesn't doom the ganache as it is supposed to be soft. So, to make ganache, I heat the chocolate pieces in a glass bowl in the microwave. I do it 30 seconds at a time and then stirring. With my microwave, it takes 3 30 second cycles to properly melt 12 oz. Your milage may vary. While I'm nuking the chocolate, I heat the other ganache ingredients in a pot, just bringing them to a simmer.
Prefer smaller bowls for refridgerating the ganache before forming the truffle. I've found that the ganache doesn't get too hard this way. Don't refridgerate overnight! If you do, the ganache will be too hard. Instead, just chill until the ganache is stiff enough to form into the truffle.
Coating: I've finally cracked the tempering secret society! My first batch, I tried the double boiler method. I badly overheaded and ruined the temper. The truffles tasted good, but the coating was sticky. This last time, I tried the heating pad method, but my pad doesn't have the horsepower to melt the chocolate. So, I compromised. I use a double boiler to heat a batch of chocolate and the heating pad to maintain the temperature. If when using the double boiler you overheat, just restore the temper.
To restore a chocolate's temper, heat the chocolate to 120 degrees. Remove from the heat (wiping the condensation off of the bottom of the bowl - no water can ever touch the chocolate!) and stir in more chocolate pieces, a little at a time, until the temperature drops to 86 deg. Then use the heating pad to raise the chocolate to your dipping temperature.
I've found that between 91 - 94 degrees works for me to dip my truffles. But don't go much above 94 deg.
As far as what to use to hold the tuffles while getting rid of the excess chocolate, the best are candy maker's forks. I found mine at a local craft store, which also carries candy making supplies.
If you don't have the specialized equipment, you can use regular forks. I've discovered that most forks which I own have tines which are too thick. I tried chop stickes, but ending up poking divots in the candy. The best success I've had is with the cheapest forks I own. Their tines are narrow and spaced far enough apart that most of the chocolate drips through. I use two forks, hold the truffle with one fork and tap the other against the bowl to remove excess chocolate. I then transfer the truffle to the "clean" fork and tap the other fork. Continue this alternation until the excess chocolate is gone. You'll know it is gone when you put the truffle on your pan for cooling and a "skirt" doesn't form. Like most everything else in candy making, just play around with techniques and you will find something that works for you. In the process, you will gain experience and learn what to look for.