gap

mkayahara - thanks for the post, that clears it up nicely for me. Apologies if this is obvious to everyone else but I am not a full-time pastry chef and the terms were genuinely confusing me

Tiny, just confirming I have this right: Powder Glucose = Dextrose BUT Atomised Glucose is not the same as Powdered Glucose Is that correct?

A quick question which is along the lines of this topic - is the atomized glucose you refer to the same as powdered glucose?

I've got to be honest and say I use the cheapest heatgun that was at the hardware store and it has been superb.

Thanks for the feedback

Sebastian - just bumping this topic up: did the samples arrive / have you had time to play with them yet? Curious if you had any thoughts . . .

Tri2Cook - any update on Frozen Desserts? I heard of it the other day and it sounds like it may be interesting

From a purely ease-of-use perspective, I find the Callebaut easier to work with as the callets are smaller and melt quicker

I've seen Heston Blumenthal have a go at this with a cordless drill and an empty coffee tin. He punched a hole in the bottom of the coffee tin and then attached the bottom of the coffee tin to the head of the drill. He then pointed the drill up at a 45 degree angle and stuck electrical tape around the trigger to keep it on. I've wondered about giving it a go - it seemed to work for him.

You can get the english version at Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School (which also runs a one-day Macaron course incidentally, which I have done and enjoyed immensely)

I've got the book. Some dodgy translations but all up I like it. Its a coffee table book (which is why its so big) and thats just where mine is sitting. I've used Stephane Glacier's underlying recipe before, although not specifically from this book, with success. All that said, if you enjoy making macaroons this is an expensive book that might not add a lot to your knowledge. If you're looking to learn how to make macaroons, this has some good information and interesting recipes but macaroons being macaroons, you'll be better off if you can have someone instruct you (its hard to learn how to know the batter is just right from a book). If, however, you're looking for a great coffee table book (great full page photos) that you can flick through for inspiration every now and then and macaroons are a real passion of your, then you'll probably enjoy the book (I do).

Lior - this is a great report. Thanks for all the effort.

I was curious about that as well Kerry. I had assumed compound chocolate as well but I really don't know . . .

I agree with all of Tiny's points. The only thing I would add is we were always told to mix the alcohol and sugar syrup by pouring from one bowl to the next and only do three full cycles. Any more risks over-agitating the sugar.

Hi LucyInAust, I made a "thin curd" - no cornstarch. It still tickens up a bit because of the eggs. I heat the cream, butter, sugar and zest. Temper into 2 whole eggs, reheat to thicken and just as its coming to the boil, strain over the dark chocolate. Then emulsify to form the ganache. Its one of my favourites (although I think I have about 100 favourites when it comes to chocolates)

LuctInAust, I have made a dark chocolate ganache with a lemon curd. It works really well and stores well in a dark spot at a cool temperature (not a problem in Victoria at the moment).

Red wine and fig PDF with a plain, soft, dark chocolate ganache

Kerry, if you enjoy your raspberry PDFs, try a soft hazelnut praline ganache on top - that's one of my faves

Sorry, I don't know of any way of repairing it. Maybe you could add some icing sugar but really I'm just guessing here - I have no idea if that would work or taste any good. Maybe test it with a small portion of the mixture first?

Speaking an an Australian and a New Zealander, I can say I've eating a lot of pav (pavlova) in my time. Pavlova can be either crunchy all the way through or have a soft chewy inside. I'm partial to both but many people prefer one or the other. As mentioned above, they are covered in cream and fresh fruit. There is not a NZ v Australian version as far as I know but some people do add the vinegar to try and get a chewier centre - we'd still call it a pav though. There seems to be plenty of methods of how people make the perfect pav. I've heard of people who whip the whites to hard peaks, stiff peaks or who leave the egg whites whipping for 45 minutes while they do they washing (that last ones not a joke and its probably the best pav I eat on a regular basis).

Hi Lior, sounds like you may have got the mixture too hot and released the oil. I have always been told the idea is too make the marzipan paste without getting the mixture too hot and releasing the oils. I know when we made marzipan in class, we would put the mixture in the freezer to cool it before blitzing. If the machine got too hot, we'd put the whole bowl into the freezer.

The only thing I can add to the two above is I really do enjoy making my own flavours that you can't buy in the shops . . . . almond and cherry this weekend in which I can leave out the bitter almond extract is an example

I am just reading through Macaroon Swoon by Stehpane Glacier and the pictures you have posted look similar to the Crackled Macaroons he talks about, so that would be my guess given the ingredients you mentioned.

I guess when I think of water gananche I am thinking of only water and chocolate -maybe I should use the term chocolate chantilly instead.

When I mix my own coloured cocoa butter - I hate cleaning whatever I mixed in. You end up getting the colour on your fingers so it gets on the side of the bowl. Then you stop and clean your fingers and then back to the bowl but your fingers get coloured again and so on and so on. My wife still pulls out the one particular ramican and glares at me