pastrygirl

@ElsieD I don't think you did anything wrong, the whipping cream + mango + lime is only 3/4 c, and not a lot of that is water. Either the recipe is just stiffer than you like or your puree has more fiber and less juice than the recipe developer's.

So your additions are garnish, not inclusions Salt isn't fat soluble, it might sink in but it's not melting. Idk, I think that since you're packaging in clear bags it's nice to have a hint of what the inclusions are but I wouldn't sacrifice texture just for looks. Do you find the gianduja bar easier to bite through?

Indeed, though you already have practice piping the centers. I use a 1 qt measuring cup to hold semi-full bags and put it in the warmer along with my cocoa butters between tasks. What happens if you don't wait? The inclusions sinking deeper into the chocolate might help with that hard-to-break issue by creating thinner spots in the bar.

You could fill the mold less full. Put it on a scale and pipe in 40-5 g then add your stuff. I just don't think softening the chocolate is the answer. It will melt in your mouth, plus allergens.

@Jim D. how thick are these bars? Can you break them by hand? Coconut oil is not a direction I'd go. You could cut your inclusions into smaller pieces and/or add more so there's less solid chocolate.

Just so nobody wastes time shopping for me, I ordered the Luis Amado molds despite the twee factor.

Do you have success baking other cakes? If so, Swiss meringue buttercream. Or french macaron filled with buttercream. Dacquoise & marjolaine are similar combos to explore.

seeking a small (bonbon size, 10-15g) but deep (15-18mm) egg mold I found these by Luis Amado, almost perfect but I'm not sure about the bunny ears https://www.bakedeco.com/detail.asp?id=63097 other small eggs are awfully shallow if you only use half as a bonbon & 1-2mm too much for the intended boxes (19mm/3/4"deep) when complete https://www.bakedeco.com/detail.asp?id=62363 https://www.bakedeco.com/detail.asp?id=52718&categoryid=857 any other ideas?

I'd never heard of them, but looks like their prices are the same MSRP as from KitchenAid directly, so probably legit. https://www.kitchenaid.com/countertop-appliances/stand-mixers/bowl-lift-stand-mixers.html?plp=%3Arelevance%3Acategory%3ACountertopAppliancesStandMixersBowlLiftStandMixers%3ABowl Size in Quart%3A8.0&plpView=list

I used to do sabayon in the isi

send the stencil and powdered sugar separately for the user to add

Cocktail visions seems to be its own company (though only sold through CR so 🤷‍♀️) Def selling sexy https://cocktail.vision/pages/our-story There has been a lot of drip-iness trending the past few years. Drip cakes, over-the-top milkshakes with all kinds of stuff piled and drizzled on top. ...

Probably. Looks like it sets up somewhat firmly, though being fat-based you probably don't want it all over your face or on your clothes. I feel for whoever has to get those glasses sparkling again. 😂

buckeyes? https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/buckeyes-3363307 you could dip them in a caramelized white chocolate like Valrhona Dulcey for that caramel flavor, or roll in finely crushed toffee or peanuts for a bit of crunch

@TdeV much more substantial pea vines from a local Szechuan restaurant. Still mild, mostly a vehicle for garlic. They’re no kale or mustard in terms of flavor.

Those look like tender young sprouts that might have been fne raw in a salad.

looks like cocoa butter did you temper the chocolate before storage?

Are baristas that flighty? My expectation of 'barista' is that their primary duty is to make espresso drinks. A professional coffee nerd might not want to box chocolates, so I agree that might not be the best term if the job is much more varied than just coffee.

Hm, not sure. Glaceed fruit is super delicious, maybe you could sprinkle sugar on the exposed side so it wouldn't be sticky? It might absorb over time but at least you could get it into the bag.

I've been happy with freeze dried apples & raspberries from here: https://www.northbaytrading.com/dried-fruit/freeze-dried-fruit

Could you use the Amazon ones for everything? Then you have a cohesive look & only one size of packaging to worry about. They look like the usual sturdy injection molded polycarbonate.

Oh, that changes everything 🤣 Is this a weekly/ongoing market? Lots of people use cello bags, keep it simple and show off the product. I agree the mint squares should sell well. I'm not familiar with the cheap Amazon molds you mentioned, are they sturdy enough to scrape as usual? If you scrape it level then add inclusions, you may get overflow as the inclusions settle in and displace the chocolate. This may or may not bother you.

Can't say I agree with this 'wasted design' idea. Why not be beautiful on both sides? How will you package these bars? Or, just make bark without a mold for your inclusion flavors. Quick and easy relative to multi-layer decorated bonbons, but not really that quick. Allowing time for crystallization and release, you might get 3 or 4 batches made in a day. Guess it depends on your production goals. If I need to make 200 bars, I'd rather make 4 batches of 50 than 8 batches of 25. What do you see as the difference? Be thoughtful of allergens, otherwise it's all just chocolate, inclusions or no. I'm sure a few lost pieces will happen, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. I think chocolate will hold onto smaller, more irregularly shaped pieces than large smooth ones.

festive holiday boxes with gold salty caramel (dark shell, milk center), red white chocolate cranberry, blue dark choc brown butter rum, and green milk choc peppermint

Would thinking of it as fish stock that tastes like chicken make it less distracting? Use it in dishes with other seafood flavors - shrimp risotto, chowder, gumbo, cioppino, that sort of thing.