Droo

I've made one of Mme Feber's jam recipes including her pection sources, but has been the case with many of her jams they are way runnier than what you buy in her shop in Niedermorschwihr. I need to add more pectin. But.... If I add yellow pectin i need to make sure the pH is low enough for it to work - but I don't have a pH meter. I was then thinking I could use pectin NH which will give me a softer set jam than if I used yellow pectin. Does anyone have any thoughts on how much to add and whether I need to make any modifications for it to work, or on a method to use yellow pectin without it becoming PDF.

Sounds like a typical asian cookbook (for the locals)! Chilli powder wouldn't be specific - so get one of an appropriate heat level for your tastes. Nyonya cooking likes it HOT! If it isn't hot, then its bland as my Singaporean friend kept reminding me that night at our local Nyonya restaurant. Streak pork = pork belly - ie the meat has streaks of fat through it. Deep frying, the wok method, is very popular. Although, having to wait for the oil to cool down and then poor back into a bottle once cold is a pain. A western deep fryer would be simpler in my books - throw a lid on it and store. I think washing the spices comes down to quality - this day and age I think we're fine. You heat the spices individually before grinding to release the aromas. I normally heat on the stove with a dry frying pan on medium, when the aroma hits you you're done. Careful not to burn the spices, so stir frequently.

From memory, I am pretty sure chocolat chocolat have the half egg moulds I have - again mine are chocolate world as well.

I asked an exec pastry chef of a 5 star hotel in my city how do it - he said create the two half shells, join them together, melt a small hole and then use one of those alcohol based filling nozzles to deposit the liquid caramel, then reseal with tempered chocolate using a cornet. I'll give it a go over the next week or two once I get my hand on the nozzle.

hmm, its a pity my thoughts were confirmed... I might have to reevaluate what filling I'll use - honeycomb will be nice. Now Easter is close I'll have to visit our local chocolate shop and see how their make theirs.

Flat sided half egg moulds - ideally i'd like to do it without having chocolate in the middle when sticking the two halves together. I was thinking similar things with a 3d mould and decided it was too hard so went for the half sided egg mould

I want to make a liquid caramel filled small easter eggs - I'll be using polycarbonate moulds. Any thoughts on how I can assemble these without having the caramel run out?

Yes, I think that could have been my problem. It was room temperature when I whipped it and not cold. I also expected it to whip up a lot more than what it was doing. At 11 egg yolks I didn't want to waste it, so hopefully it won't be too dense. Next time, I'll cool it further.

I'm making the citron cream recipe in Migoya's Elements of Desserts (p318/9?). It says to cook the anglaise to 85 degrees, place on an ice bath then whip the anglaise. I've done that but it doesn't seem to whip (let alone to a medium peak). This is a new technique I've not tried before so I'm at a loss. Anyone have any ideas?

Sorry I don't understand. It wasn't that the glaze wasn't covering enough entremets. If you exclude the entremets - and just focus on the glaze as a standalone element - I reduced all ingredients by the same proportion. The glaze was coming out way too thick. So I think, as someone previously said I am boiling off too much water, so I'll need to "top up" with water or 30 baume syrup.

The recipes in question are for about 9 to 10 entremets. One glaze in particular is very thin where it is translucent on side of the cake when we made the batch for 9 entremets - when I make it, scaling it down to 3 cakes, it was very thick once poured on the cake. The recipes are those that contain gelatine and neutral glaze. I made a white chocolate glaze this week and it was fine, although the recipe was for 2 cakes only.

Thanks. I'll use the chipping out as patience building.

Well don't I feel silly! I bought this: http://www.cacao-barry.com/en-OC/chocolate-couverture-cocoa/ncb-hdo3/deodorized-cocoa-butter?categorypath=0-9-19 and as it came in a bucket I assumed it was liquid. I've just opened it and yes, it is a solid. I assume this product has the same characteristics as a block, as mentioned above?

Yes all contain gelatin. I have a range of recipes all from the same source and the same thing is occuring with each of them. As I've had this problem for a while, calculations, weights and temps were my first check, and they were all correct. So I am at a loss.

I'm always finding that my glazes are incredibly thick when I downscale my recipes. I am not sure whether it is the ingredients I use, my technique or the recipe is problematic when scaled down. Do I just add sugar syrup to thin it down to required viscosity?