Kerry Beal

Having been labouring under the misconception that it was a few weeks away - I had a rude awaking on Monday when someone mentioned that Christmas was 7 days away. Realized I'd better get my ass in gear if the neighbours were going to get their accustomed treats. You aren't getting the glam shots - there isn't time! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery - thank you Kriss Harvey. Eggnog filling - very rummy! Bergamot and wild madagascar pepper - you can see I had a fair bit of flaking in the deeper molds. Coffee in milk chocolate Lavender and honey - (well most of them anyway - I think a few might be bergamot) Lavender Dulce de leche - polished with mold with my dremel - took a microfibre towel in strips and speared it onto a mandrel - no fluff (unlike my trials with the wool felt things and the cotton mop things). And this is what happens when you realize you have just poured untempered chocolate into the mold - oops - bet they get eaten though!

When I lived in the Queen Charlotte Islands, we knew them as salmon berries. Apparently in England, they are known as knot berries

Guess you could nuke it - what about just pouring the excess into a frame and cutting into squares instead of molds?

I believe they do - you can recrystallize melted butter by seeding if I recall correctly.

Just thinking back to lumpy chocolate I have had over the years - it usually comes down to either age or moisture has gotten into it. When it came to you melted was the bag fully sealed?

It can be if the humidity is high enough.

How old is the chocolate? Has the package been open to the air/moisture?

I put together a recipe for Rodney for a competition a couple of years ago sponsored by Amarula - it wasn't for a chocolate filling - it was a tart riffing off Cape Breton 'Pork Pies'. What I learned from that - dates and amarula go well together.

The posh new one at the Costco near me. I'm sure it will go on sale.

I sub 1 for 1.

That is the same recipe that my mom made, my dad made and now I make. It is obligatory at Christmas for family - even if I don't attend I am expected to drop it off. Actually one slight difference the amounts of baking powder and baking soda are backwards. And my sauce has twice as much light cream and no vanilla. Can cook it in the instant pot - here are my directions for that - 15 minutes steam (saute instant pot), pudding not covered, not under pressure. Then 35 minutes high pressure, natural release - then leave in the pressure cooker to cool so that the top doesn’t get hard. It’s uncovered the whole time - you need to be careful that it doesn’t get the water dripping into the pudding.

I'm guessing fat bloom too - what happened to the layer you scooped off?

Weird thing is I can't bring that up - I can see her Facebook but I'm not a 'friend' so perhaps that's why.

And where is that FB post?

Dropped off the second rabbit at the farm today - barn manager will have a pair of these boots in a few days I'm going to bet. I truly am an enabler aren't I?

I was in a store yesterday and saw a woman wearing a pair of boots that looked like formfitting Wellies. She said a friend had to send them to her from British Columbia and she had been wearing this pair every day for about 6 years and she didn't really even feel they were on her feet. They were starting to develop some holes where she pushed them down around the ankle and we discussed that they could probably be patched with an inner tube repair rig. She has a farm and these keep her feet dry in the muck. They would be perfect in the garden - just hose down and step on the heel to get out of them! So I took the information from her and looked them up when I got home - now I want a pair - not that I need a pair! Wild Bird Society of Japan boots

A lot of us started out with a little Badger airbrush from Michaels - using a 30% off coupon of course. I believe that Norman Love still uses them. Food grade - not sure!

When you atomize a chocolate and fat mixture onto a frozen item you get a flocked appearance - that is not going to happen with a brush and a shell isn't the same effect either. This is cocoa butter and dark chocolate at around 50º C sprayed onto a frozen rabbit - notice the velvet effect.

Atomizer from a pottery place. Even cheaper atomizer. Of course they splatter more than they smoothly cover. A mister might work reasonably well - make sure it is really warm so there is a chance it will spray.

The traditional with fruit.

Yes

Interesting that a few short days after you posted this - I see this.

A fascinating article.

Cacao Barry has decent nibs - not cheap but reliable.

Almond for me!