Lior

I also sort of opened my business last Nov- but it is still a small home run business. My desire is to grow with the business as I am not very business oriented by nature. I cannot fathom accomplishing as much as you have, especially being that I still consider myself a student in terms of chocolate making. Perhaps it is a confidence matter. I must admit wondering it is that I am not doing!! I wish you a second successful year and much luck in the upcoming competition.

I found a source- nutrifruit. It seems quite expensive- 24$ for 142g or 5 oz. I was wondering what you use? I thought to use not only in ganache or for rolling truffles in but in the couverture- does anyone use itfor this application? Thanks

Also, if the first layer is too thin, they won't come out. Doing a thin second layer works beautifully, but always check if you can get them out with your finger before filling.

In my thread about Trendy Pralines with Wybauw he reviewed this method and I passed it on. Post #5.

Great site!! Thanks!! I sent them an email and we'll see!! Too bad I din't go there when I was in Belgium!!

I find it so interesting how we all have our techniques!! I never tought of going back with a thin layer in the opposite direction to the initial closing!! Great! And why it never occurred to me to do half and then the other half...!! I guess it is also an option to use the long side as the first row and then swipe a shorter swipe... I can't wait to try all these methods! I do like the acetate idea as it must give extra shine, even though it is the bottom. I see it as a fancy closure like found sometimes on a necklace.

Mark- thanks! When you close the bottoms first is it similar to my method? I mean you use more chocolate than needed and then swipe it off? When I tried to give a second tin coating it improved a bit but was not perfect. I will try it on them again. So many thanks!! HqA, thank you for the great idea. I understand that the row of chocolate at the beginning is then under the acetate and then I swipe the acetate? I bet thatmakes it shiny? I wonder if a transfer would be an idea? Maybe a waste... I do have this hang up about perfect bottoms (again, on chocolate ) To go over twice means not removing the acetate and adding more choc and then swiping again? Or re doing the whole process? Thank you so much!!!

I was wondering if anyone has a super duper technique to "close" their molded chocolates. I hold my mold over my melter or chocovision and from the side near me , ladle chocolate on the first row. I kind of shake my mold while adding more chocolate to the next row as this continually forces the extra chocolate into the next row of shells. So between shaking and ladling I don't have too much extra to swipe off and it keeps the sides clean. Hard to explain. Then I take a good spatula and holding it at a perpendicular angle to the mold, swipe from me to the opposite edge and then it falls into the back of the bowl or back into the melter. Today my white choc was a bit thin for some reason and the ganache was dark. Although I did not overfill with ganache,there were some spots after closing as though the ganache level was too high and did not get closed. I wonder if it could be for a different reason other than overfilling ganache. Usually my technique works well. I HATE imperfect backs of any kind (on chocolates, of course!) I have seen it done differently but couldn't perfect it another way!

That looks so good!!! I wish I could eat it! I can't though!!!

Eyensweets!!! Your pomegranate cookies look amazing!! Pomegranate is one of my favorite foods- anyway you look at them they are beautiful!! What a lovely idea!! How about putting some reduced pom juice into the dough? Would it be possible?

"I have been making some of my ganaches using his technique of 40º C chocolate and cooler cream, they seem to set up quickly, and have excellent texture. I'm sold on his proportions of ingredients for shelf life (as shown in to the Excel spread sheet linked to by Schneich) after giving a moldy, not very old chocolate to a fellow chocolatier a couple of days ago. When we plugged the recipe into the spreadsheet it failed badly!" Kerry, Does his ganache recipes call for chocolate at 40º C? Not tempered??!! I know at 40 it can't be tempered. Does he give reasons? I am also dying to get this book, but with tax and shipping it is craziness right now. I will find a way though.

English food does sound varied and anything but boring. I am sure most people would be thrilled to have such a varied day of meals! Is there a difference between country style and London/big cities? Anyway, home cooked meals anywhere, from food available and is not instant or canned or frozen or boxed or whatever, and is made with love for the family and/or guests is usually amazing, unless you come from the "worst meals" thread!!

Fascinating!! I read about the Canadian and U.S. thanksgiving days. In the U.S. history of thanksgiving. I read that the Don Pedro Menedez de Aviles gave a thanksgiving dinner in Florida on Sept 8th 1565 and invited the locals. Amazing that this is consistent with Sukkot- in the hebrew calendar it falls on Tishrei 15 which would convert to Sept 20th 1565 a few days later- both are thanksgiving harvest festivals... similar in foods of the season etc. Lovely. Thanks for the lesson!! I guess this thread should be elsewhere...

Good for you!! 67 people??!! What is the difference between U.S. and Canadian Thanksgiving? I did not know it was also a Canadian celebration? Any background info? Thanks!

I know you are right,but I just can't get myself to do it after so many years... I convinced myself to eat fish, being a bit easy to deal with compared to meat and thus discovered my allergy. I never make myself a burden- always bring great delicious dishes with me when over at a friends or family's for dinner. Most people who aren't close to me don't even know. But theoretically you are 100% correct!! Maybe someday... Thanks for the advice anyhow!

Hi> Just to update. I contacted Murnane mackenzie -told them I got the referral from egullet- and I got alovely email in response. Iwill be getting free samples of the items I am interested in and they do it all custom cut so size and etc is not an issue. So thank you very very much!!

My husband took me out for dinner to a restaurant recommended by foodies here. He was negligent. It was my birthday!! Not only am I a vegetarian from age 12, but as of late have discovered I don't tolerate gluten well, and I have a fish allergy. It is just awful because I always feel embarrassed. So we sit down at a lovely romantic table. We get the menu. Meat, fish and pasta. A lettuce salad. The scenario: Me: "Do you have anything that is not meat?" Hubby: "She doesn't eat meat" Waitress: "Oh that is no problem, we have fresh fish!" Hubby: " Uh, she's allergic to fish-fatal..." Waitress: "Oh I see, well we do have all sorts of pasta dishes!" Hubby: " Uhm, she can't eat flour..." Waitress: " Well we do have a lettuce salad..." I felt ashamed and gave my husband "the eye"- my special "angry" sign! Usually I find interesting dishes but this was a bummer. And it was my birthday!!!

wow!! What a wealth of info. Thank you ever so much!! It is late by me now, so tomorrow I will go through all these links. If you have a picture of your labels and/or stamp on vellum- it would be great. I am not 100% sure Iknow what vellum is- I suppose here it goes by another word... I will look for a picture on some sites. Thanks again for theeffort and info!!

On Saturday we drove south to Mamshit Park where a Nabetean market took place in what was once the ancient city of Memphis. This was an important stop on the incense route, where myrrh and frankicense once traveled. I had a delicious dessert called: Kanafeh I enjoyed every bite! Yummy!!

Thanks!

Thanks. Melange, can you tell me what gets a surface flush with the frame? Holding it straight? Thanks for the info!! All these tips are wonderful and I hope I will give tips, too....

looks wonderful. Are those edges on the scrapers what Kerry refers to as Chamfered? I had a different edge in mind... I thought it was the very bottom that was diagonal. Why does the diagonal cut off edge help?

Thanks Luis, I would love that! I would love tosee your raplette. DId you make it? And I will try all the various methods and now want a silicone rolling pin and a sponge one. I have a silicone pastry brush. I love all this stuff!! Thanks!

aaah! Wow a silicone rollING pin! I will try this with my wooden one. I thought there was rolling pin kind of like the ones used to paint walls!! I think a regular one may work.

I understand now- thanks! Too bad I didn't know that before!! I guess for a sheet of chocolate the frame would have to be 2mm or so. Nice idea. I will have to see where I can get it made and who makes acryllic things around here... Some site here said to make a thin layer of chocolate on a guitar sheet, cover it with another guitar sheet and then use a soft roller pin (??) to get an even layer. Soft roller pin??