Darienne
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Posts posted by Darienne
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I've tried a bunch of orange liqueurs, Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Triple Sec, and Curacao, but the one that I really like is Orangecello.
Someone gave me a bottle of Everclear a while back so I think I'm going to try to make my own orangecello by infusing orange zest and maybe a bit of Hawaiian vanilla bean for a few months. I'm trying to get some K'au oranges from the island of Hawaii to use so I can have a "Hawaiianized" version of orangecello. Several friends have tangerine trees and I always end up with loads of tangerine so I may try some "tangerinecello" as well.
Besides using orange-flavored liqueur, try finding the cheapest orange brandy you can get your hands on and use it. I read an article in Cook's Illustrated a while back on how to make the best Cherries Jubilee and they mentioned that using a cheap supermarket orange brandy gave the best flavor. Problem is that most supermarkets I shop at don't carry orange brandy any more. Even specialty liquor stores I tried don't stock it. I do have a couple of very old bottles of Hiram Walker orange brandy somewhere in my pantry. We had our house fumigated and we had to box everything up and leave all of the edibles outside while the house was tented. Now I have to go through the various boxes looking for all of my cooking/baking ingredients. Tha's how a stumble on the Everclear. Should have labeled the outside of each box, but when you're in a rush to pack up...
Thanks for your detailed information. It's all unfamiliar stuff to me and I doubt that Ontario liquor stores carry Orangecello, Everclear, K'au oranges, etc.
But I am going to chase it up when I get back home....
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Neither is listed on the LCBO website so I am guessing NOT in Ontario! No surprise there.
Thanks, Anna N.
We went to the local liquor outlet and found the Grand Gala and it was $14.00 cheaper than the Grand Marnier. Did not buy any...have Grand Marnier already. Found another called Grand Monarch, $6 dollars less than the Grand Gala. Anyone know anything about it?
Then looked at the raspberry list. Chambord, which we have, and another called Chateau Monet. The Chambord is $19.99 for 375 ml and the Monet is $5.99 for 750 ml. Anyone know the Monet? or any other raspberry liqueur?
Thanks. What an extremely delicious topic.
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Wow! So much interesting information...and so little chance of testing it out 
.We are currently in a small Utah town with FEW choices in liqueurs...and then we live in Ontario near a small city with not many more. I have never seen either Gran Gala or Luxardo Triplum. Perhaps they are available in a large center like Toronto. But I will soldier on and try....
Not to mention that the cost of alcoholic libations can be up to 4X more in Canada than in the USA...again...
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Grand Marnier is brandy based, so you have that added flavor note which is generally delicious, but not a pure orange flavor.
Which liqueur is the purest orangest flavor?
I have long thought to trying to make liqueurs...
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Thanks, i actually had grand marnier and used it in my caramel, it does taste good.
I hope i can get a good orange flavour in ganache with it, i will try orange zest also.
What effect does the zest have on AW value, and shelf life.
Do you think orange confit would have a similar taste effect in the ganache?
Thanks everyone
Peter
Grand Marnier in caramel? Yummm. You didn't say you were using it in caramel. Must try that.
I know nothing of AW values and actually don't know what confit is either...back to Google. Learn, learn, learn....
Post Google: gotcha
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I too would be interested in knowing this.
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I like Cointreau, but wouldn't refuse Grand Marnier. I think triple sec is a little sweeter, but honestly it's been awhile. I use some orange zest or marmalade in combination with the alcohol.
Definitely Grand Marnier plus orange zest for me...or at least the Grand Marnier. Once you have used it, you'll never us either Cointreau or Triple Sec again. IMHO!
And the zest should be in miniscule bits.
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I read the article. It was terrific and I thank you for mentioning it.
My DH heard a fascinating radio talk about six months ago about a new book on the history and sugar itself, written by a Canadian female and in 2008. That's the sum total of his report. I am going to Google to see what I can find.
Thanks again.
Added after a Google search:
Sugar: A Bittersweet History by Elizabeth Abbott. Penguin Canada. It may have been a fascinating radio interview, but the book sounds like primarily the dreadful history of sugar with little or nothing about the pastry and confection part of sugar itself. Perhaps someone has read it.
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I work with royal ALL the time, and I agree with everything Mary from Beaches Pastry said.
(Hi Mary!)
And, I use fresh lemon juice as my acid. It definitely improves the taste, and my theory (and it is only a theory) is that the lemon juice helps royal dry faster, thereby
sometimes inhibiting dark colors from bleeding into lighter ones.
And, I'm PM-able, too! Good luck with the royal! Keep us posted with your results!
I will make a test batch in a day or so and then post my great success (or screw-up
)Thanks for the information about the lemon juice...I am opting for lemon juice.
Do you have any photos you could post of something with its Royal decor?
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If you have any questions, you can PM me.
Mary
Thanks, and no doubt I will.
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Here in PA there are several farmer's markets which have spice stands or stands which carry spices as part of their product line. Most of them also sell meringue powder. You might want to check the next time you're at one.
Also, if you have any of the following craft stores in your area -
AC Moore
Hobby Lobby
Joann Fabrics and Crafts
Michaels Arts and Crafts
or
a Wal-Mart with a fabric and craft or party section
there's always a Wilton aisle, where you can obtain their brand of meringue powder.
Theresa
Hello Theresa,
There is no AC Moore, no Hobby Lobby, no Michaels, no Wal-Marts, no Wilton aisles in Moab. No party stores. And no farmer's market after November 1st. The largest store is an Alco. This is a VERY small town without the tourists and tourists don't buy powdered meringue.
That's why I wanted to know particularly about using lemon juice...which I could guarantee...instead of cream of tartar...which I could not.
Thanks for trying.
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Here is a link to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, detailing some testing they did on cane vs. beet sugar:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../31/FD91867.DTL
Eileen
Thanks Eileen for that interesting article.
I'll have to read it at leisure. -
That's a great idea. I wonder if using orange bitters (like for cocktails) would work: I have never been fond of royal icing due to its extreme sugar hit.
Thanks for the orange bitters idea...
but I doubt if little children would like it much. As for having a sweet tooth, I have almost none and find almost incomprehensible the preference for milk chocolate which so many Americans have .
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royal icing: powdered sugar, egg whites, acid (lemon juice or cream of tartar)
the acid helps to keep it white
meringue powder already contains sugar...usually dried egg whites with sugar and maybe another ingredient or two
dried egg whites are pretty easy to find if not, get liquid whites "just whites" or something like that as long as they are pasteurized. the point of using meringue powder/dried whites is because they are safe for young children/older people/people with compromised immunity to eat.
doesn't matter if you use lemon juice or cream of tartar. when i make mine, i usually even add a touch of lemon or orange extract so it doesn't taste so blandly sweet.
There is no meringue powder in Moab. As for 'just whites', I'll check tomorrow. And as for the taste of the stuff, that really doesn't matter. It's just to write the child's name on the lollipop or some small decorations...nothing major.
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My next-door neighbor swears by cane sugar when baking. It's more expensive than sugar which is not labelled 'cane sugar'.
Neither Greweling nor Wybauw appear to distinguish between the two types of sugar.
Is there some kind of difference in anyone's opinion?
Thanks.
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I am intending to decorate the lollipops made for the local children's party using Royal icing (thanks to Chocolot and Kerry Beal and two friends at home I asked. It seems that everyone knew about Royal icing except me, so be kind).
I have four sets of recipes for Royal Icing each giving two versions: one using meringue powder...which I may not even be able to get in this small Utah town...and the other egg whites. I'll no doubt opt for the egg whites. Besides if I could even find meringue powder, how could I guarantee its freshness?
So two of the recipes call for lemon juice and the other two call for cream of tartar. I can no doubt buy cream of tartar although I might not be able to guarantee its shelf freshness (noting that failure due to possible stale cream of tartar is discussed in another current thread). I have fresh lemons.
(The enchanting thing about Moab
is that you can't buy much here: the frustrating thing 
about Moab is that you can't buy much here.)Do they both do the same job in the icing? I would assume so...
Any advice about making? coloring? storing? using? subsequent packaging? The recipes all give some tidbits of information, but nothing takes the place of experience....
Thanks in advance.
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what else can i mould besides marzipan/almond paste? [don't have a sweet tooth so i don't bake, or make things that contain sugar save for almond paste and 99% pure chocolate.]. i've got 3 of these wooden cake moulds from Chaozhou, just to hang in my kitchen.
How lovely.
I don't eat the lollipops that I make...or much of anything else in the confectionary end of life either. I just like to make these things: the process always seems so magical, and there are always places to give them away. And it makes such nice friends.
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I suspect that royal icing decorations would probably work. They harden nicely.
Thanks. I've never made royal icing, and in fact, don't really even know what it is. But I shall learn.
Thanks again. You always do come through with an answer....
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Question: does anyone know how to make whatever is used to decorate hard candy lollipops?
I know you can buy little ready-made doodads which you can stick onto a cookie, cake, or even a lollipop which is not too set. The little Christmas ones I bought today, Betty Crocker, are made of :sugar, egg white solids, vinegar, sodium benzoate and colorings. They can withstand the hot temperatures and won't mush if you touch them as will the various prepared icings and gels in a tube.
I would like to know if there is a way for me to make some stuff to add decorations to my hard candy lollies. (Moab has very few doodads for sale. Moab is NOT a place to buy anything. In fact, Moab does not have a Wal-Marts.) Maybe even write on a name.
I have tried to Google this in every which way with no results.
Thanks.
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Probably not many of you make hard candy lollipops, but if you do, you might be interested in this website which I found by accident.
www.lollipopmolds.com
The molds consist of a strip of metal which you place on a marble (or whatever) base, add the little clip, insert the stick and then pour the molten mixture into. The lollies are flat on both sides, but have a lovely simplicity to them. So far I have used only the small round, but was entranced by the results...but then I love to hold the candy up to the light to see the colors shine...so what can I say? Also the lollies are easy to write names on, add features, etc.
Oh, the sets are $7 for 10 molds. And today I am ordering some different sets: Christmas, Easter, Animal, Shamrock, etc...
(I don't have my scanner with me so I can't send any graphic stuff and I didn't take photos before I gave away yesterday's goodies.)
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Maybe I missed completely what you were asking, but I thought you wanted to make gianduja right? WHy didnt you order some pure hazelnut paste instead then you can make the gianduja the way you want, If I had a commercial grade food processor or a "raffinatrice" to grind the hazelnuts to a paste I wou;d make my own but for now I get the hazelnut paste then you can make gianduja with different chocolates etc.
Dear Desiderio,
You did not miss the point at all.
I did intend to make it from scratch. But then time passed and other difficulties intervened ...as difficulties in life will...and the project was derailed. And then someone suggested that I simply order it. And I did.I will follow your advice next time and order the hazelnut paste. And then mix it with 70% dark, my favorite.
Thanks again for your advice. As you can see, you were totally on track. I simply switched tracks.
Edited to correct typos. 'detrailed' might even be a useful word....
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Isn't it lovely stuff. I find myself nibbling on it every time I take it out to work with.
You can heat it slightly with your heat gun while beating it in the mixer, lighten it up to a fluffy texture and pipe it in little swirls on top of a chocolate disc then dip part way up. Or immerse the swirls in a sugar solution for a crystalline finish. It's in one of JP Wybauw's books.
Nice also mixed with rice crisps.
thanks, Kerry.
Best orange liqueur for chocolates
in Pastry & Baking
Posted
Thanks for all the interesting information on orange and raspberry liqueurs. I am going to look it all up when I get back to Canada. And then I am going to return to my intention to make some liqueuers of my own. Yes, I am on an orange and raspberry kick. Mixed with chocolate. Of course.