Desiderio

Alana , I am not an expert but I do use the 72% eguittard , and I dont add sugar or glucose to my ganache most of the time ,and I can tell you that is not sweet at all .The 72% is very smooth and have some fruity tone to it but definatly not sweet.

I use make up remover discks, the type that dont leave lint and all, and qtips for the corner.And yes the job is quite tediuos and all ,I dont think there is a way around it.

Ciao Natho and welcome on Egullet . I really dont think its easy to find profesional polycarbonate molds in regular kitchenware stores, even here in the States ( also because all the polycarbonate molds are from Europe ), some of the store might have catalogue from wich you can order some molds with them ,but the best option is to order the molds online , thats how I get mine anyway , and I know most people here gets them online.Just need to find a supplier online for Australia. This site is from UK , but you can always send them an email or call them to ask information about molds suppliers in Australia,or web site that ship there . http://www.vantagehouse.com/index.php

Thank you John for the tip on the transfer sheets ,thats going to be a big help when I try again , I got little bit frustrated when I tryed ( home made ones though ). I can only immagine how time consuming those decorations are , but they lookg just gourgeous ( cant immagine doing it on big scale as you said ,price would have to be way high for chocolates like that ).

Sorry I dont have an answer ( I suck big time at math as well ),but the story of the hot shot and slapping the bread around ,belong to a nice commedy line, or something like that

Steve thank you for the pic, what material is the base?

Thank you so much for your replays . I actually bought the design you have on your beautifull pomegranade chocolates ( if I recall correct? ). I wanted to buy more but it was alreay a large order of molds .I will buy more stuff in november since I am going in Italy and I know I can get most of the molds there that actually I buy here and are imported form Italy ( funny isnt it??!! )

Ok finally I got my testure sheets ( still to hot to order transfer sheets ), I am going to use them for chocolates , and I was wondering a silly question, can i cut the sheets like I would for transfer sheets to fit the chocolate size?And can I reause them? Thank you much

While I dont have experience to share on the school matter , I can tell you that I feel relived (sp?) to see that I am not the only one that is going to have a middle life career change .I am 35 now and I cant possibly go to school and try to change job ,with a 2 year old son and a husband ( doeas he count as another child? )and bills to pay I cant afford the time and the money, but I have realized , I am not in Italy any more and in a few years I can still do what I always dream and maybe succed why not!!! I wish you the best time and I am very positive on the fact that at 40 , you will enjoy this much more , because like Maggie said you are the one paying the bills and you are really sure of you desicions ,you have lived and know what you want , I am sure as well that you will be one of the best in your class because the time you had to wait it makes this adventure even more valuable. Best luck to you and yes ,please keep us posted I am very interested on the subject ( sp ? again ).

Oh YUMMMMMM!!!

Ok I think I underestimated the diffuculty of getting hold of maccha tea . I went to my vitamine cottage today to get other stuff and the rice flour , but no maccha ( or matcha? ),I mean I am in colorado not in new york ,maybe tryin at the local japanese restaurant ?Maybe they will be able to seel me some , I was all set to make this cake this coming weekend and I hate when I get slowed down , anyway if I have no luck at the restaurant I will try online maybe I can get the liquor too then. I cant wait to taste this beauty ( well it wont be like that made from me )

TO me looks like , eggs batter with sugar then oil the half of the green tea mixture ,rice flour the rest of the green tea, last the meringue .

Ok I need to start making chocolates again this weekend ( people is starting to get cravings again I guess ),so I will make some usual production ( well usual for me )but today while I was driving back from work I tought I would like to experiment a little if I have the time . I was thinking making mars bars , wich I made previously but I wanted to try peanuts maybe salted peanuts or honey roasted ones, and then I thought of a candy bar I really like ( whats the name....something 5 in one or so ) its sweet and salty with pretzels in it ,so maybe something like that with caramel pretzels peanuts and chocolate what else ,well you got the idea. I actually ahve a question about making caramel with corn syrup versus glucose or honey,now I know they are different and the honey gives the caramel a distint taste , but the corn syrup had the high fructose corn syrup in it ,is glucose better or has the same components as the cors syrup , on this matter I am alitle confuse ,I would like to produce caramels without the HFCS if possible, is this possible? Thank you

Thank you also for the nice feedback , I am looking foward to work with a new type of chocolate ( I have been using Eguittard mostly and some El rey ,and I like them a lot for taste and the nice versability ( ?sp ) ). Later on if my finances permit , I want definatly try Valrhona , and on my trip back to Italy , probably go and try Domori, Amadei, Slitti etc ( cheaper there thanto order samples here ).

Thank you for your feed back , I am glad to hear you use it at school as well I did a rather big order ( well so ) so I am reassured about that .

Ahhhhh Thank you so much for let us know ( or its just me I never look around the site too much , always in a hurry ), I wont miss it ,I just love Kerry production and knowledge . Thank you

Thank you so much for your answers.I think the one the site has is the bittersweet not the extra , but that would be nice to try a nice smooth very dark chocolate yummy , thanks for the feedback on the white as well as they have a real good price and I wanted to try it. .

I am wondering if it is possible substitute the green tea liquor for something else ( I doubt I can find any here )

I know we probably went over this topic several time, but chocolate season start for me this weekend and doing inventory of what I have left and not, I need to order some white chocolate and dark ,I was wondering how is the Schokinag Bitter-Sweet , if anyone ever tried if suitable for chocolate making or not ( buying it in bulk thats why ) I dont know the % I have asked the vendor waiting for and answer ,I thin they only have 3 type ?Right? the milk the white and the bitter sweet that most of the sites says its 71/72 %. If you have any feedback it will be appreaciated Thank you much

Yes thank you ,I have been thinking of something like that lately , as I made some chocolates awhile ago I was wondering of a chai cake but the matcha ohhh yummy

Ohh yummmmm!!!!!Simple and delicious!

Thank you, so much for the nice explanation .I kinda think this cookies are something like some cookies in Italy ,they are ok but you cant explain why you cant stop eating them . Since we are on cookies thread, I made some sugar cookies last nite to play with my son ( flour shower ),the cut out ones ,and I used the cake flour , they came very nice , but cakey like very soft and fragile ,I am not an expert in sugar cookies in fact I really dont know how they are suppose to be .Are the cut out different from the drop ones in texture and taste? Thank you as usuall these threads always start me to do different things .I WANT COOKIES NOW!!!

This is my focaccia ( Dan lepard formula ) ,I havent bake much I only made a whole wheat /rye bread . Need to get baking going now that is getting cooler ( finally !! ).

Wow, thank you the tutorial is awesome , step by step , thank you again for your time.

Well, I wish I could describe a real one for you but I've never had one! This past week though, we had party day at work so based on a recommendation here, I used the recipe from Cook's Illustrated's Baking Illustrated book. I used a 1/4 cup scoop, scooped the dough into those muffin top pans from King Arthur and pressed the dough down with my fingers. A cookie sheet will work just as well but I bought the pans so I'm trying to find uses for them! Anyway, I got an e-mail request for the recipe after the party and she said they were the best cookies she had ever had (which I find hard to believe because I'm hardly Betty Crocker.) But, they seemed to like them. One person though cut off the chocolate half and left me the white half I had to adjust my baking time way down though. My oven temp may be off-I have not checked it recently. Thanks a bunch for the recipe recommendation!! ← Hehe I have been following this thread , as I am from Italy and never had this cookies ,I would love to try them out for the weekend ( next?). Welma , any way I can get that recipe from you ,( I dont have the book , but perhaps I sould oder it since many recipe come from it huh ). Thank you )