Chocolate Teaching Party

[David J.]

I've been approached to give a little chocolate teaching party for several women as part of a bachelorette crawl and I was wondering how other people would structure something like this. Kerry mentioned just such an evening in her wine with chocolates thread but I didn't want to hijack it so I'm posting this as a seperate thead.

The gathering wouldn't be until some time in July and I don't have specifics about how much time they would want to spend yet, but I figured that this would be a good time to start planning.

I was told that the group would come over to our house for the demo/lesson so I won't have to lug my equipment anywhere which makes it much easier.

My thought was to use only equipment that they would likely have at home, which would mean teaching microwave tempering. On the other hand I could also have a melter full of chocolate tempered and ready to go just to make it go smoothly.

I figured the best way to run it would be along the lines of a cooking show where I would have someone make a ganache, then stick it in the fridge and pull out a pre-set ganache and have them scoop and roll. Then set those aside and pull out a tray of dried ganache centers for dipping.

I could also show molding as a technique even if they wouldn't likely have the nice polycarbonate molds.

What would you do? Any suggestions to make it fun and run smoothly?

[JFLinLA]

Hi David. I remember a chocolate class I took a long time ago. One of the first things we did was taste different chocolates. We each had small pieces of different chocolate arranged at our places. We started with the milk chocolate and proceeded to successively darker chocolate. We learned how to hold a small piece against the roof of our mouth and begin to taste it and then talk about the different tastes. It was a great way to begin learning about chocolate.

[alanamoana]

David,

As this is the first stop on a bachelorette 'crawl', I would really make an effort to find out how much they want to learn and how much they want to play. We do team building events at my job all the time and most of the participants spend their time drinking wine and NOT cooking!

I like what JFLinLa said about doing a tasting.

I might not even bother demonstrating tempering. You can just have them scoop ganache to make truffles (gananche that you've already made) and they can coat them in untempered chocolate which will be tossed directly into cocoa, croquant or jimmies. That way, they get messy, play with chocolate and get to eat some.

Then you can send them off with a gift of your handmade chocolates, nicely packaged with a business card!

All the while, you can talk about tempering or whatever and give them pointers. But as you said, not only should you show them things that they would be able to do at home (simple equipment) but you should show them things they can do without having to know how to temper.

But it all does depend on what they want to learn and how skilled they are.

[KarenDW]

Hi David. What a lucky guy! Women, and chocolate... they'll have so many endorphins running around in their brains, all you'll have to do is smile and look pretty.

Considering that this is a bachelorette PARTY, and that there will be some fun and games involved, I would start by finding out just what level of fun and games are typical for this group. Then depending upon their enjoyment of libations, and your budget...

1. Welcome cocktail of chocolate martinis

2. Hand moulding truffles... perhaps with some anatomical references?

Depending upon how keen the group is for actually *making* something, this activity could be pre-cluded by making the ganache, with a consensus from the group on the liqueur(s) to be used flavouring

3. Chocolate tastings, with appropriate wine pairing, while the ganache cools

4. Dip/coat the ganache centres

5. Coffee and another round of tastings? perhaps two or three types of brownie recipe. I noticed that Starbucks has developed a "fine dining" roast blend Casi Cielo which could stand in if you don't have a favorite craft roaster.

6. Everyone packs their truffle goodies into mini-handbags to take along

If you have the ganache pre-made, and the coating chocolate already liquid, this could probably all be completed within an hour (again, depending upon the level of fun and games, and number of cocktails!)

Keeping in mind that the dress of the day may be dressier rather than more casual, it would be thoughtful to have some aprons handy. Gloves would keep those manicures tidy, too. Pretty stickers w/ the guests' names for identifying the sample bags should keep chocolate-haze-induced squabbles to a minimum.

Have fun!

edited for decorum

Edited March 8, 2007 by KarenDW (log)

[tammylc]

At the chocolate class I attended, we had pairs of two each with our own portable burner and a double boiler setup. We infused some cream and made a ganache, which we were able to take home to do something with later. Then we learned to temper chocolate using the seed method, and dipped and decorated a variety of centers that had been prepared in advance. We made bark with the remaining tempered chocolate and a variety of toppings, like dried fruit and coconut, etc.

But that was very much an event geared at learning to make chocolates, so it's applicability to your event will very much depend on what the group is looking for, and if they're looking for more of a party atmosphere then I think you've got great suggestions elsewhere in the thread.

[Kerry Beal]

After I introduce myself and tell then what we hope to accomplish, I ask people to tell me what they hope to learn. That allows me to tailor the class a bit for different individuals with different interests.

I always work on the assumption that people want to learn to temper.

I usually show how to make ganache, pull out the finished version and show how to scoop and roll the truffles. Depending on how soft the ganache is I sometimes have already rolled truffles to show the dipping.

I use the ganache that I make in the class to fill the mold. Often I give it a little beat with a mixer to lighten it up before piping it. I always demonstrate how I fill a polycarbonate professional mold, cause that seems to facinate people. Everyone loves to see how the filling gets into bonbons. They often have some very strange ideas of how that happens.

Depending on the number of students I try to make it as hands on as possible, but lots of people are more interesting in just watching the first time around.

[etalanian]

How hot does it get where you are in July? You might consider providing a small styrofoam cooler with a couple of ice packs so their chocolate treats won't melt if they leave them in their car.

Eileen

[Kerry Beal]

How hot does it get where you are in July? You might consider providing a small styrofoam cooler with a couple of ice packs so their chocolate treats won't melt if they leave them in their car. 

Eileen

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Brilliant idea. I'm always amazed how many people don't realize chocolate will melt in the car.

[Fat Guy]

For a bachelorette party, you might consider some naughty/suggestive things like chocolate body paint or candies in the shapes of, you know, things. Depends on the personality of the group, though.

[miladyinsanity]

I've a recipe for chocolate body paint somewhere if you decide to go down that route, David.

[tammylc]

Personally, I'd stay away from the "adult" suggestions. A group of women that David *doesn't know* are going to come to *his house* to make some chocolate. If I were one of them, I'd be totally creeped out if this guy then suggested that we make little chocolate, umm... members, or body paint or whatever.

[David J.]

Thanks for all the party type suggestions but I'm going to assume that it is purely a "vanilla" chocolate lesson.

What I'm after are suggestions on what types of items you think would be good to demonstrate and what you think a novice might be capable of absorbing and reproducing on their own. Are there any normal stumbling blocks people have? Are there any steps I should take to ensure all goes well (like having aprons for everyone dipping)? How much should I attempt to put into the lesson? That sort of thing.

[Kerry Beal]

Thanks for all the party type suggestions but I'm going to assume that it is purely a "vanilla" chocolate lesson.

What I'm after are suggestions on what types of items you think would be good to demonstrate and what you think a novice might be capable of absorbing and reproducing on their own.  Are there any normal stumbling blocks people have?  Are there any steps I should take to ensure all goes well (like having aprons for everyone dipping)?  How much should I attempt to put into the lesson?  That sort of thing.

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There is a tendency to want to teach too much in one lesson, so KISS rule applies. I would pick just one skill with variations. So truffle class has - making ganache, shaping ganache for truffles, tempering the chocolate, dipping the truffles. The switch up is using the same ganache for filling a plate of molds, perhaps showing making some piped truffle mice. Then with the left over tempered chocolate I usually show them how to make bark, a very easy thing to do at home and a great take away skill.

The advantage of truffles is that even if they don't 'get' the tempering the first time, you can show them to dip in cocoa or nuts etc.

I would also print out instructions for tempering, instructions for the dipping and your recipes so they can take the info away with them. Make sure you put your contact info on that sheet or attach a business card as is may bring more business in the future.

Stumbling blocks, more than anything it is the students who watch and don't get their hands in there. They think they can do it from watching, but you really need to try something to figure out where the problems are. Another stumbling block is trying to show too much in one lesson.

Aprons are good, as are towels. I always have non latex gloves for everyone (of course I do most of my dipping by hand rather than with forks). A garbage can somewhere in the middle of the room so that you don't have to open a cupboard with chocolate covered mitts. Inexpensive packaging for people to take home their goodies with them.

Might be nice to have some prepackaged bulk chocolate in case any of them want to buy it from you to make stuff at home. I'd sample the bulk chocolate as well so they know how good it is.

[David J.]

There is a tendency to want to teach too much in one lesson, so KISS rule applies.  I would pick just one skill with variations.  So truffle class has - making ganache, shaping ganache for truffles, tempering the chocolate, dipping the truffles.  The switch up is using the same ganache for filling a plate of molds, perhaps showing making some piped truffle mice.  Then with the left over tempered chocolate I usually show them how to make bark, a very easy thing to do at home and a great take away skill. 

The advantage of truffles is that even if they don't 'get' the tempering the first time, you can show them to dip in cocoa or nuts etc. 

I would also print out instructions for tempering, instructions for the dipping and your recipes so they can take the info away with them.  Make sure you put your contact info on that sheet or attach a business card as is may bring more business in the future. 

Stumbling blocks, more than anything it is the students who watch and don't get their hands in there.  They think they can do it from watching, but you really need to try something to figure out where the problems are.  Another stumbling block is trying to show too much in one lesson. 

Aprons are good, as are towels.  I always have non latex gloves for everyone (of course I do most of my dipping by hand rather than with forks).  A garbage can somewhere in the middle of the room so that you don't have to open a cupboard with chocolate covered mitts.  Inexpensive packaging for people to take home their goodies with them. 

Might be nice to have some prepackaged bulk chocolate in case any of them want to buy it from you to make stuff at home.  I'd sample the bulk chocolate as well so they know how good it is.

That's the sort of thing I need to know. I'm usualy trying to teach too much at once.

Having them roll a few in cocoa powder or nuts is also a good idea. That will give them more confidence to try it at home.

Someone else also mentioned bark with is a great idea. I haven't made it myself yet so I hadn't thought of it.

I had thought of printing an instruction/FAQ/souce sheet as a takeaway.

The cooler/packaging idea is good in case it's hot out. Maybe a few inexpensive cold packs and cardboard boxes.

I hadn't thought of selling bulk chocolate, but that's a great idea. It's sold here at "Whole Foods", but it's twice the price of mail order.

Obviously I need to find out how much time they want to spend, but I think that I've got some good suggestions here.