Lior

Where is a goodsource for purchasing strings? Are they all the same size or do they have to fit the guitar?? I snapped my friend's string and want toget her a few extras... It is a white plasticbase. Thanks

Well this is that first problematic batch. You can see the strawberry pate is not enough although I used the given quantities. I assume itisdue to my pectin and the 2 minutes boiling time made it evaporate too much. The ganache took forever toset up and it tastes too vinegar-y. A slight off taste... from the balsamic I am sure... I used a firend's guitar and broke a string somehow- I don't know how asthe ganache is sooo soft. I forgot to put a foot so it is not that. Well it is just a trial so no big deal. The pate layer is uneven because it started setting up right as poured it.

Darienne, I would really consider chocolate with praline (caramelized nut paste) with feulletine. It is great. I make dark choc with hazelnut praline and feulletine, mikl choco with hazelnut praline with bres(caramelized hazelnuts tiney pieces) and white choc with almond praline with nibs. They are one of my favs. You slab it, cut it and dip. If you want like in Kerry's picture, whip up gianduja and then add the crunchy things and then pipe onto your discs. I need to get piping tips and learn how to pipe like in that picture!!! I put coffee grains into my gianduja in my picture on that thread with cocoa covered nuts on the top.

I don't know what you are trying to make but how about no butter. You can use chocoalte and nut pastes or caramelized nut pastes with the crunchies.

That is exactly what Ineeded to know! The size! Thank you thank you!!!

Well I had a similar experience. I made a white chocolate with praline paste and cocoa nibs- so it is sort of like gianduja with cocoa nibs. I borrowed my friends guitar cause I really suck at cutting. I couldn't cut through it! I didn't try too hard as I didnot want to snap a string. I used untempered to foot but the foot was too thick. I think that and the nibs caused a problem. Back to cutting by hand, crumbling feet and frustration.

Gee, last night I dreamed of pectin! I was in a store and there were shelves and shelves of different kinds- LE, HE, X58. Apple, Nh etc. OMG!Slow setting, fast, g pectin. I tried calling my supplier but they are probably closed on Fridays. What kind do I have? (sounds like a germ) I am sure he won't know... Can these Boiron recipes be reduced- I don't want to experiment with 1 kilo puee! I assume they can. What amounts do you reduce to- just for reference? 200 g puree? Thanks

Jasminet! Thank you for the pictures- I just loved them, especially you in your field! I used to love "mealie meal" as a young child and haven't had it for years and years. We sometimes would use really thick meal as bait for fishing!! A few years ago we went to Victoria falls and spent time in Zimbabwe and Zambia. We ate at a fun restaurant called the "Booma" if I recall, whoever ate a grasshopper got a certificate! There was aligator tail and Mosi lager a beer I think made from maize.

Hi! Thank you so much! So it is the percentage of sugar concentration in a solution! I will try to do 107-8C with Boiron and see how it goes. We did it in Belgium and I do have that recipe. I guess Imust go to that scary Boiron site...

Thanks everyone. If I use just "regular" pectin (how do I know what is regular? Am I regular?! Are you?!). Assuming that the powder that I have is regular, do I use the amount on the Boiron site? I have to take a look at it. I glanced once but it looked confusing (tables etc)! I need words! I need a brix. Which one do you recommend? I need to google Brix as itis new for me. I am not sure what it is.

Anna! I am so sad to hear about your flooding! So many things ruined and how do replace certain items... I suppose some are irreplaceable. What a major hassle. I hope that ten year old is less fussy than mine! Let us know how the cooking goes over. Wish we got some of your rain... Oh, Iwill also make your recipe and call it Canada Flood Cauliflower- in my recipe index. Thanks and all the best to you. I am sure your family will benefit!

I'm bumping this up. I decided to make the Strawberry balsmic from Andrew'as book for my son's "team" to be politically correct... Anyway, I did not know this thread existed... I followed the recipe to a T as I usually do not so. The strawberry puree was Boiron's. I knew I should look up this g pectin business but didn't. I have "pectin" in a powdered from. That is all the container says -Pectin. Now I won't order g pectin all the way from across the ocean for Andrew's pate recipes. The pate got thick quickly but I continued to boil for 2 mins- determined to be good about following every instruction. I poured it into the tray but it began setting up too fast. It is okay but not perfectly even and it seemed too little for the size tray recommended. It set and is tasty. I did the ganache recipe (so many ingredients I felt like a chemist). It is setting up now. For next time: 1. Should I add citric acid powder? If so how much? 2. Is this pectin probably apple? 3. Is it okay to use this powdered pectin? 4. Should the quantity have been enough? 5. Suggestions? Thanks!

Darienne, I believe that the piped "ganache" in the picture is only milk gianduja that has been whipped in a mixer, very slightly heated and piped. No cream. Oh and what is ILL? Luck! edittd to add- sorry I am only an intern compared to Kerry....!!

Personally I would try tempering. See how it works out. They have no milk products so it is probably fine. The pantry stuff may have collected humidity so melt it first to see if it is grainy.

no!!!

Wouldn't a health food store have this? Or a place that grinds nut butters?

hey! great great idea- worms for kids (!!) and a chocolate flower/s on a stick for adults (wanted to say for mommy) but here we have "family day" not mothers or fathers day. I guess it is good cause there are many sorts of families. Thanks for the pic, Kerry and the great idea Pastry girl and Kerry!! Now to find a flower mold! editted to add, Easter is celebrated by the Christian sector here, but there is Shavuot which is celebrated with garlands and fruit baskets- kinda similar...

Well I made something similar to what Kerry suggested. I didn't have the right piping tips- I need to get, and I need transfer sheets for the fancy "coins", but I decided to play around anyway. I added some coffee grinds: And I made the plain squares with tempered gianduja (as suggested) and dipped in dark chocolate. Decorated with a candied rose petal piece and candied violet piece Sorry the picture is a bit dark... :

Now I would need a recipe for biscotti and instructions! I need to make a few kinds and then have testers decide which is tops! Thanks

A colleague of mine asked me if I know of these it is something you add to the soft gel colors to allow it to be used on white chocolate. It all seems rather cheap but I couldn't really understand the prices for the soft gel (!) flo coat soft gel paste Are they the same as cocoa butter color? What are they? I don't really use color other than the natural ones from chefrubber so I don't really know... Thanks

Well my friend says that she makes them just like regulare bonbons, not in a ball shell... In any molded bonbon. She stores them like any truffle and even sometimes freezes. A good few weeks shelf life. I have not tried this. I hope this helped! Good luck-let me know how it goes.

We have a Valrhona distributor here so she gets it from him. Caullet also has nappage neutre, I guess you need to ask your chocolate source or someone in your area- maybe a nice bakery? I will ask her about storing and shelf life.

Finally my friend got back to me. She uses valrhona's Absolu Crista, which I am quite sure is nappage neutre. She uses equal quantities of the absolu crista and liqueur, pipes it into a chocolate truffle ball. I cannot tell how it tastes.

We must've found it simultaneously! But thanks anyhow!!