DianaM

RobertM, the desserts look delicious! Can you elaborate on the Cabernet Sauvignon cake? Is the wine in the glaze on top, or in the filling also?

Those dipped cookies look awesome! Also, Kerry, thanks for reminding me of souffle omelettes, I followed your example and had one for breakfast today. Except I topped mine with ricotta instead of preserves. Like eating a cloud, yum!

Awww, Kerry! Sorry to hear about your impromptu meeting with the OPP. So zealous, they are! Wonder why they never stop the folks who are doing 60km/h cruising on the third lane on the 401...

Lemon madeleines from Laura Calder's recipe.

Hey Rose, I plan to test your recipe, checked out the pics on your blog. I just made Julia Child's recipe yesterday, and it resulted in a croissant like your Batch 3. More bread-y than flaky, no honeycomb crumb. Julia's recipe has more flour than yours, and probably my technique wasn't the best either. I'll report back once I've tried it.

Jess, Mette explained here technique here:

Funny you should post Mette's pic, it's what inspired me to try luster dust on my chocs. :-) I buy the Sosa luster dust from Lentia, together with pretty much all my confectionery ingredients. If you cannot find it at your regular ingredient distributor, try the PCB dusts. I think CK is more for cakes, fondant etc, and in my experience, it does not adhere well to chocolate. However, since PCB specializes in chocolate decorations, I would assume their dusts would work really well. Polishing molds - I will polish a cavity if it has release marks. Otherwise a quick wipe with a soft non-static-y cloth, just to make sure nothing's in there. The harder I rub, the less dust will adhere, you noticed this as well. What kind of mold are you using, domes?

Lironp, what temperature is the gianduja at when you pipe it?

Cool speckles, Mette! The temper really is spot on, the shine on the chocs is awesome.

Darienne, have you tried Jeni's Lime Cardamom frozen yogurt? Made it last year, made a blueberry sauce to layer it with in the container, and as I remember, it was quite delicious.

Hi lironp, I never brush my mold with cocoa butter. With the mold that I am using, it would pool in corners and at the edges. So I just brush the luster dust into the cavity with a fluffy brush, then mold as usual. It's true that the first time I've used the luster dust, only little of it stuck to the mold. But I've kept on using the same mold (without washing it, obviously), and now, after a few uses, the cavities have a layer of residual cocoa butter and luster dust which makes the newly-applied dust stick better. I hope this is making sense. Also, I found that the brand of luster dust makes a difference. I used CK before and was NOT happy with the result. I switched to a different product, and now I'm really happy with the result. It's a Spanish brand called Sosa, I'm using their copper-coloured dust. Diana

The goat cheese is delicious, I've been buying it every summer when the cheese makers come to the Milton farmer's market. Those farm eggs look fantastic, with a balcony view to match. Enjoy your time on Manitoulin, and keep making us jealous! :-)

I have the 6kg Mol d'Art, and I love it. Plastic body: I cover it with saran wrap before use, to make cleanup quicker. I've had it for 5 months, the plastic looks just like on the blessed day when it arrived in my mail. :-) I've had the 3kg melter for 2 years, still looks and works like new. Another advantage for me is that it's lightweight. I can move it from counter to kitchen cabinet with minimal effort. I haven't used the Bakon, but I can say I'd buy another Mol d'Art in a heartbeat.

They look great in the grass picture, the green makes the red really pop. You have a lot of patience and a very steady hand, Ruth, they are absolutely charming! Diana

Thank you for the recipe, Matthew, and thank you Kerry for the original recipe! I have a similar issue, in that the Perfect Puree raspberry puree I bought has pectin added to it, and was wondering if that might affect the caramel. I will have to experiment, and will begin with a straight substitution of the passion fruit, and see where that gets me.

Kerry, if I wanted to make a fruity flowing caramel (like raspberry, for instance) how much puree should I add, and at what point in the cooking process?

Kerry, please count me in! Also, just wanted to let everyone know that if on a budget (like me, for example), one possibility for accommodations is right on the college campus. It's more spartan than the hotel, obviously, but extremely clean and comfortable. Plus it's a 3-min walk to the Hospitality Building!

Sounds really good, I'm really excited! Will PM you after Easter to set something up, if it's ok for you. Thank you, Kerry!

Oh, no! Leave it to the contractors to mess up your space! I am really jealous that you have this dedicated space for your chocolate work - that's fantastic. You've got some awesome toys to play with, too! I am still working to convince hubby that I *really* need a choc workshop in the basement, but so far he's been less than enthusiastic. Also not sure how this idea would go down with the building inspector. From what I understand (and you mentioned this upthread) there are some fire and ventilation issues that they might be picky about. Ah, well. Something to work towards. I hope the vent goes in soon, so that your choc room can return to its natural state, and you can resume teaching. Any airbrushing courses coming up after Easter?

Raspberry caramel? That sounds awesome - Robert, could you share your recipe, please? Steve and Donna - thank you for the pics! I am so jealous!!

Thanks, Robert! I had never heard of xtabentun before, but the definition on wikipedia made me curious. Perhaps I could find it here in Canada, I really like the flavour of anise and chocolate.

After spinning, do you let the eggs crystallize at room temperature, or in the fridge?

Kerry, I've seen and tasted your chocolates, and they most definitely do NOT look like a dog's breakfast. They look great, and taste delicious, from what I recall! Chris, and Robert, your work is amazing! Robert, I am looking forward to finding out what the flavours are, I'm definitely intrigued. Chris, may I ask where you purchased the dome mold? JBPrince, perchance?

Wow, Robert, that is one HUGE copper pot! Caramel popcorn, yummm!

Hello everyone, Robert, unfortunately I won't be able to make it to the conference. My plans did not work out the way I'd hoped, so I'll have to content myself with enviously watching from the sidelines. To the people who go for the first time this year, you guys are in for a treat! The conference is such a great experience, and an incredible opportunity to learn from people who share the same obsession. Have fun, and please report on your adventures, so that the rest of us may enjoy the conference vicariously through your stories! DianaM