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Thanks for the tip, as always, Kerry. It got me started. Sadly, not finished. I probably need some remedial training. What I ended up with is caramel, but feels greasy (unlike the unfruited batch I previously made) and has very little Mango flavour. I have some guesses. 1. I've made my caramel too dark. I'm new to dry caramel; I don't know the earliest point at which I can add other ingredients and still have a caramel. I'm confident I'll need to stop early if these are ever going to look like this: A photo of Genin's Mango-Passionfruit I think that waiting for no crystals to be visible is cooking the caramel too hard. Is it safe to stop as soon as the mixture feels fluid and goes translucent, rather than pasty opaque? For that matter, is the long cook time with the dairy ingredients going to cause a darkening problem? That photo is quite light in color. 2. I've probably got the wrong Mango ingredient. I used this: Goya Mango Pulp It's watery in texture, more like a juice than I thought it would be. When I added it the boiling stopped and much of the solids hit the bottom and started to scorch - some stayed there when I poured. I expect puree to be thicker; what do those of you who use fruit use? I'm SICOLY & Boiron are out of my range at the moment, but I can blend frozen or canned Mango - there are some canned Indian brands in 5-7% syrup that look promising. 3. I'm not sure how much fruit ingredient to use. I did some rough calculations based on the French language recipe posted earlier in this thread, and came up with 555g fruit for a 500g sugar batch. Does that sound reasonable? I actually used only 397g (an entire package, and all I had to hand). 4. I added the Mango at room temperature. That's usually wrong, and I do it often anyway - should I have brought it up close to 100 C first? Thanks for any answers- Pat

Yeah, I don't think we've got that quite right yet - we'd better make some more and taste again

I've managed to make a batch of these and found them excellent. I'd like to have a go at a mango version this weekeded; I've got two kinds of Mango puree ready to go. I haven't found anywhere in this thread the method and proportion for putting in fruit. Is it as simple as adding puree and stirring after the boil and before pour? Thanks- Pat

Pretty definite from me. I'm ashamed to have made next to nothing since the last conference - I hope committing to this one will push me to do something worthy in the cooler months. And I had a great time last time and really miss the company!

I just got mine today - I live pretty near the seller. I can't speak to it's quality, but for about $30 US I was willing to take a chance. Here's the link: My linkhttp://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=390-725 I'll post information after I've used it, but that's not going to happen before the sale ends. Pat

Kerry, did you cook the honey in the syrup from the beginning? I ask because I've just finished a batch and it is creamier in texture than I expect from my halvah - more like fudge. If you are adding the honey at the end of the cooking, I could theorize that my adding it at the start doctored the syrup and decreased crystallization. If not, I probably just didn't beat it long enough B-}=.

I can confirm that - I got to carry home some Lior sent to the conference. I loved it down to the last crumb! Thanks Lior. I'd never have guessed so many other people like it as much as I do. I'm fortunate that local Lebanese and Persian populations have made pretty good stuff easy to get here, but I'm going to have a go at making some for the experience. Is high humidity a big deterrent?

No worries. One more suggestion before you start hacking the mould - which may be more trouble than a cheap mould is worth, especially as Canada Day has gone already. Try putting a wedge - perhaps as simple as another lolly stick - perpendicular to the sticks such that they enter the cavity at an angle deep in the ginormous moose body. You'll need a lolly tree to display them, because they won't lie flat, but they should be well supported.

Some thoughts, though no guaranteed answers. First, the stick placement problem. It's hard to tell from the mould photo what would prevent you from placing the stick such that it is embedded deeply in the body of the piece. You're correct in your assessment that it should be right in there - if it is a depth problem there isn't much to be done; length (from the photo's perspective) should be easy to fix - about 3/4 of the total length of the piece. Thick candies with thin fiddley bits are always a problem. I have a love-hate relationship with a reproduction antique iron mold for Christmas barley pops; it's great when it works, but very touchy. I did two things to improve my chances of success: 1. Reduce crystallization with higher glucose or acid proportion. Less crystallized candy is more flexible and less likely to shatter when demoulding. Too little crystallization is thick syrup. I suggest playing with sugar/glucose ( or light corn syrup ) recipes until you know that more flexibility helps in the demoulding, then work up your final maple formula. Maple sugar is mostly sucrose, so proportion should translate well. 2. Demould with the pieces still slightly warm, or reheat very slightly with a heat gun. This also increases flexibility so the fliddley bits don't shatter. As far as filling goes, you can tap moulds to settle syrup, but you must do so at a lower fill volume than you would for chocolate and then top off slightly and re-settle. The greater viscosity of the syrup will also forgive a slight overfill post-tapping, which may help with your stick depth. No scraping, sorry - that's the nature of boiled sweets! Good luck.

I'd be a little nervous posting full text to eGullet, since I don't know how copyright sensitive we are - but surely no harm can be done with an official Google Books Link Watch out for the Canadians. Soon you'll be a socialist! B-}=

Alright, I confess - THAT'S my favorite thing I learned! Here's some information for those not yet fully converted to the way of Xtabentún: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xtabent%C3%BAn_%28liqueur%29 My linkhttp://www.cancun.com/Editorial/Xtabentun/ I love the myth behind the drink - I've never read anything else like it.

Kerry suggested that we each post briefly one thing learned at the conference. I have rather an embarrassment of riches; I learned a hundred things at least; most of them the subtle things that make the difference between tedious partial success and consistent competent results. Things like how to hold the spatula when scraping a mold, how long chocolate remains workable, how temper can be maintained even when adding more chocolate, basic approaches to cocoa butter color and luster dust, and so many more things that I'll have to stop myself here before I become too boring. If I have to pick one favorite thing I learned, it is that while my own work isn't nearly pro caliber, it isn't completely laughable either. I'm a better chocolatier today than I was Friday; if I get in practice time this year I might start getting good. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this eGullet confectioner's group is a great group of people, generous with time, energy, knowledge, ingredients and alcohol. Thank you all for a truly collegial weekend, and especially Steve for brilliant organizing and Kerry and Bob for some specific mentoring. Pat

Me too. I'm from Dayton, and I know exactly the sort of driving that hit you; it's a local disease. Here at the conference there's a general feeling that you showed admirable restraint in not assaulting that twit who had the effrontery to wreck your car and ask for a sweet.

Testing new photo - if you're looking for me this weekend, I look pretty much like this!

Lunch on Friday: Since it looks like I don't have to shuttle (thanks to Marmish for the notice and chocoera for the driving) to any airports Friday morning, and we don't get started until 1, I'm thinking of going for Dim Sum at New Fortune. There isn't any place near me that serves cart-style. I plan to leave from SpringHill suites about 11 am; Let me know if you'd like to join me. I can drive, of course. I'm willing to cancel if there is a need for a shuttle that I missed.

I'm afraid I've lost track of who still needs airport rides. I've sent a couple private messages, but fear they or their replies may have been lost, so I'll make first come - first served offers here - replies to the thread is probably best, so that others know if rides are accepted. First offer: Late night Thursday/Early morning Friday - thinking of Chocoera. I'm driving in and my schedule is hard to predict; I could be at Reagan National as early as 1:30 am, but 3:30 am is more likely. I'm game if you are. If our roles were reversed the Supershuttle fare would look a lot better to me than 2-3 hours at an airport in the middle of the night B-}= Second offer: one run to BWI, Regan National, or Dulles Friday Late morning. I think Beacheschef and Marmish are still looking for a way in from BWI - I could handle that. I'm not going home until Monday morning, and have kept my Sunday plans fairly open, so something could be negotiated for rides back to airports if needed. Please let me know as soon as possible. I love it when a plan comes together. Sleep is for the weak!

I'll have a car. I'm arriving at the SpringHill early (~ 2 am) Friday and can shuttle up to 3 people as needed.

Yes, please - I'm sure I'll want at least one, quite possibly more. It rather depends on how successful I find my first attempts using proper moulds in the next week!

Fine by me - I regained the rights to my image about 3 months ago.

At the risk of inappropriate fanboy sentiment: Panning! How cool is that! It's on my someday list.

No objections based on cuisine or dietary restrictions. I have a general preference for the local and unique whenever I travel.

I do. I'm helpless without my machine and would like to improve that.

My Chocovision Sinsation (roughly a Revolation 2 without some of the control features, 1.5 # capacity) is at your disposal. I'm also bringing the hacky tools I made to use as carmel rulers just to see reactions. I don't expect anyone else will want to use them, but you're welcome if you dare!

I'm at the SpringHill. I can manage on their continental breakfast fare, but I really have to make my own coffee B-}= Thanks for arranging the really great rates.

I can probably be of some assistance with transportation and equipment as well - I'm driving in and should arrive at the Springhill something like 3 am on the Friday, so I could easily shuttle people from the Metro station and probably manage an airport. We'll settle details once we are closer.