Jim D.

In my version of tiramisu bonbons, I include a ladyfinger/savoiardi layer. I create this by making ladyfingers (from scratch), then grinding them and mixing the crumbs with chocolate, cocoa butter, etc., to make a cookie layer that can be piped. I tried bought ladyfingers (including the top-rated one on Amazon), but they had no (acceptable) taste. My customers like the tiramisu bonbon, but making the ladyfingers is a pain I would like to avoid. I think the taste that says "ladyfinger" to the palate is basically cooked eggs, so I have wondered if it is possible to achieve the taste without the hassle of beating egg yolks and whites separately, folding, etc. Do you think I would get the same taste if I just beat whole eggs, then add the other ingredients (sugar, flour, vanilla), then spread the mixture on a cookie sheet and bake. I need to achieve a crisp, cookie texture that will grind easily and will last in storage--really a sugar cookie with eggs. Any ideas would be appreciated.

"Contaminating"? I think of it as providing a contrast for the mouth. The inexplicable but undeniable pleasure of biting something crunchy and another something unresistingly smooth at the same moment must count for something. It's what chocolatiers aim for when they combine a ganache of cream, chocolate, and butter with a layer of crunchy cookies.

I'm not entirely sure about eG's policy on this, but I'll send it to you in a PM. Jim

That is very interesting news. Thanks for sharing it. I am surprised because, in an interview with Tomric, Greweling spoke somewhat negatively about the second edition of his book. It seems he was quite satisfied with all he said in the first edition and was pressured into doing the second by his publisher. It would seem the publisher must be keeping up the pressure. By the way, welcome back to eG. I have missed your beautiful and useful contributions to the forum. You are a confectionery master.

We had a demo of this item by Rebecca at the 2017 workshop. The distributed recipe was titled "Leaf Croquant," and I assume it was from Rebecca, but no source is included in the recipe--which I still have but have never gotten the courage to try.

@GRiker, sorry to hear that. But I suppose a dose of reality is always useful.

Ruth, thanks for that very helpful information. I know you use CR transfers as well, and your Christmas reds were beautiful. I will have to give CR another try--in the ones I got a couple of years ago the colors are definitely not opaque: the blues turn gray, the reds turn brownish, etc.

I was afraid of that. I have found Design & Realisation in your fair country. They imply theirs are opaque on any color of chocolate, and they look promising.

I'm intrigued by the brightness (and opacity!) of the colors (I'm assuming the chocolate underneath is milk or dark). As discussed in eG posts, since the demise of ChocoTransferSheets, it has been difficult to find that degree of opacity. Perhaps whoever made these can reveal the source of the transfers. That would be very helpful info.

I looked more at the Al Arz entry on Amazon, and it seems the product comes from Israel. When you mentioned looking for tahini with Ethiopian sesame seeds, did you mean a particular type of seed, not necessarily that the tahini should come from Ethiopia? No tahini that I looked at online mentioned the source of the seeds.

I'm not at the workshop, but they are stencils. They are made to fit a certain size of mold. The chocolatier sprays some colored cocoa butter in the cavities, heats the stencil and presses it into the cavities (thus the need for the handle), and lifts it out. An impression (whatever pattern is on the business end of the stencil) is made in the cocoa butter. It is allowed to crystallize for a bit, then another tool (it can be just a paper towel) is used to wipe away excess CB in the cavities. And thus the decoration is made. Another color of CB is sprayed on top, which makes the pattern pop.

Thanks for the helpful reply. And thanks for introducing me to the word "claggy." I'll have to see if I can work it into some conversations in the near future. Ottolenghi recommends Al Arz, so I'll give that a try.

@Pete Fred, what do you consider first-rate tahini? I bought what many people say is the best (Soom), and I checked to make sure it is made from TOASTED sesame seeds, but it does not seem to me to have enough sesame taste. I use it in a sesame bonbon, which also contains lots of toasted (by me) sesame seeds, so the finished product tastes like sesame, but the taste doesn't come from the tahini itself. Its blandness is what keeps me from including it in my version of the famous Dubai pistachio filling. It is part of the established recipe, but I couldn't tell it was there, so now omit it.

No, I use white chocolate in the ganache. For the shells, I use white or (more often) a caramel white chocolate, such as Felchlin's Bionda or Cacao Barry's Zephyr Caramel.

If you don't mind telling, what do you add to the coconut and walnuts to hold them together? Perhaps the same chocolate used for the shell, which appears to be a caramelized white or something similar?