[Retaining the color of candied fruit]

Hello Chris,

I am not going to be able to give you an answer but more want to ask a question...Could you describe the process to make candied orange peel(or other flavors) with instructions and ingredients? I've always wanted to try but never have!

Thanks Chris and have a great day,

[Creme Brulee]

Hello Formula400,

How do you make both of those flavors of creme brulee? Tonka brulee or cocoa gru brulee? Is the Tonka...vanilla? And what is cocoa gru?

Thanks and have a great day,

[Troubleshooting Tempering]

My tempering technique is very standard with chefs. I have it listed below...

Tempering for Dark Chocolate:

1) Melt Chocolate in a bowl over a double boiler to 120 degrees F.

2) Let cool away from heat to 105 F in the same bowl.

3) At 105 F add the seed chocolate.

4) Keep seed chocolate in the melted chocolate until it reaches 89 degrees. Remove any chocolate that has not melted.

5) The chocolate is now tempered.

If you have the chance at any time, go to see chocolate actually tempered by a professional. I actually just taught a class in Salt Lake City this week and I had a lot of questions that I see on this thread. Once you see it done it is a lot easier to accomplish.

Have a great day,

[Financiers - searching for the ultimate recipe]

I have never even heard of a financiers and I am trained in Pastry....I must have been in chocolate too long and now I am out of the loop. haha. Either way I would love to hear more opinions and recipes on this pastry so I can try it out myself. Thanks for the info so far...

[Fine Chocolate]

Congrats Art!

[Cocoa Powder]

I know a lot of people that like Valrhona...the only draw back is that it is expensive on the shelves. Hopefully one day it will become cheaper to buy at retail level...

[Converting Cocoa Powder to Melted Chocolate]

Hello...I would almost agree. I would just change up the ratio slightly...I would add a little more oil to make it more of a true ratio. Although the oil you are adding melts at a lower temperature than cocoa butter so that will have to be taken into effect...

[Cocoa Powder]

I have heard some good things about Pernigotti but I myself use Guittard's Cocoa Rouge Cocoa Powder...

[Creme Brulee]

I've heard a few people recently say that the best Creme Brulee they have ever made was a coconut creme brulee...Anyone tried this?

I did wip out a Milk Chocolate Creme Brulee yesterday...It turned out pretty good but I think only certain people would like it. Have you guys tried a milk chocolate creme brulee before?

How do you post pictures on here by the way???

Have a great day!

[best chocolate cake recipe?]

I would love to see the recipe with the buttermilk. I have heard a lot of great things about chocolate cakes that are using buttermilk these days. I also like that recipe because it has the dutched cocoa powder...

[Creme Brulee]

Ok I think it is just about time to get some good Creme Brulee recipes from everyone. What is everyone's favorite style of Creme Brulee? Any certain techniques? I just started reviewing my creme brulee recipe again and wanted to see what types everyone likes and what flavors they like.

Have a great day,

[moisture retention in cupcakes?]

I have seen chefs started to go this way towards sour cream as well. I'm wondering, besides the fat, what in sour cream is keeping the "moistness" factor into the baked goods. Or is it just the fat that is in the sour cream? Either way it is working...

[First pass at Artisan bread]

What type of bread are you attempting to make? I am eager to see after a few more batches how things come out. It is always fun to mess around with the formula because you end up with your own recipe at the end.

Have a great day!

[moisture retention in cupcakes?]

The moisture in any baked good will be mostly from the fat that is in the recipe. When a batter has mostly butter it seems to have a harder crust and dry out slightly faster. My suggestion would be to add oil to the recipe. Oil is liquid at room temperature so it give the "moist" feel to the baked good when it is baked and ready to eat. Water will mostly evaporate out and will continue to dry out the baked good but the oil will keep it moist...

[Pudding]

No pudding lovers or makers out there? I would love to hear some comments. I am designing my recipe right now with cornstarch and egg as thickeners as well as using both Madagascar and Tahitian Vanilla...I would love to hear what others have done...

[Passion Fruit Sorbet, inspired by Pierre Gagnaire]

I have the cuisinart supreme on order. I went to buy it and no one had it in store so I ordered it from Bed Bath and Beyond. It should be arriving, probably, the end of next week. I already have some milk and cream infusing with a Madagascar Vanilla bean so Im getting ready for battle...

I'lll let you know how it goes...

[Pudding]

Ok...I have been working on my Pudding recipe lately. I have been using different Vanilla's from different origins and some puddings with eggs some without. Some with corn starch and some without. What is everyone's favorite or best way to make vanilla pudding? Any recipes or suggestions?

[Passion Fruit Sorbet, inspired by Pierre Gagnaire]

Hey Mike,

What type of ice cream machine do you use? I just ordered a Cuisinart Supreme Ice Cream Maker but was just wondering what other people used and which they thought were the best?

[Fine Chocolate]

Hey Everyone,

I just found something that many of you might like to see...It is a video of Gary Guittard on Youtube. The video is of him giving a tasting at the Death by Chocolate event hosted by COPIA in Napa, California.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzZW2MeAcdg

Check it out...

[Baking Soda and Baking Powder in Europe]

I know in French tradition they use egg mostly to whip air into their deserts. They usually seperate the egg white from the egg yolk to whip the egg whites and then recombine it into the recipe. With that said, I still thought they would have baking soda or baking powder. I would be currious to hear what they use, what they call it, or if they have it...

[2008 Winter Fancy Food Show: San Diego]

I'm actually going to be working my company's booth so I will be very stationary the whole time. Hopefully I will get a chance to go check out some of the other chocolate manufacturers and chocolatiers...

[2008 Winter Fancy Food Show: San Diego]

It's in San Diego just this year....weird but it will be back in SF next year.

[2008 Winter Fancy Food Show: San Diego]

Is any one heading to the Fancy Food Show in San Diego this year? If so, what is everyone checking out or is anyone going with their business?

[Cocoa Butter]

I would agree that around 1 1/2 to 2 years would the time I would keep it. In a perfect situtation, which none of our homes are, I think it could last much longer but over 2 years in a normal house is pushing it...

[Vanilla...which one is the best?]

Ruth you must have read my mind...that was going to be my next question which I will still ask...

What is the best source to buy Whole Vanilla Beans online? I need something with not a cheap but a reasonable price and top quality...where are the top quality beans sold on the web?

Thanks....