Chocolate workshop

[Lior]

I have a workshop of 16 adults in December at a beer factory, who work in this factory. I need to do an hour an a half workshop with them. It is supposed to be more fun than learning. I thought about:

1. A short speech on chocolate

2. Make some solid shapes- 3 people to a mold of 6 shapes- choice of two colors-milk and white(?)

3.In groups of 3 still, have them prepare shells for filling-set aside to crystalize.

. Have premade slab of ganache cut into squares for rolling into truffles- set aside balls.

4. Prepare ganache for filling shells. Each group makes their own ganache.

5. Fill shells with ganache-set aside

6. Roll truffles in chocolate and then in various coatings (nuts, c.p etc)

7. Close shells

8. Have them each decorate a pre made chocolate disc with a paintbrush and melted choc.

9. clean up

10. They package up their goods.

So, my questions are:

1. Does this sound good?

2. Any organizing tips?

3. Any good ganache recipe that most people would like for truffles and shells?

4. Average amount of cream and choc for around 28 shells-as each group of three will have to measure out the amount they need for a mold of around 28.

5. Any other nice idea? Maybe coating and decoratin cupcake tops instead of circles? Etc

Thank you!!

[Mette]

Teach how to recognize and fix a broken ganache - the workshop sounds like fun - good luck

[lebowits]

Since you're doing this at a beer factory, why not make a beer flavored ganache? Wybau has a nice formula for a "stout" (think Guiness) ganache that is rather tasty.

[Kerry Beal]

Great idea about the beer flavoured ganache. I had a lovely apple belgian lambic beer last night with dinner - I'm thinking something like that would go wonderfully in a filling too.

Sounds like it's doable in 1 1/2 hours if you have your chocolate ready to go from the start. Will you be using a melter to hold the chocolate?

[Darienne]

Hi Ilana,

Sixteen at once? Boy, are you brave.

I'll think back to our workshops with Mari, Kerry's protege...but there were only three of us and what a difference that made.

We got messy with chocolate and we learned!

Edited November 22, 2009 by Darienne (log)

[Sebastian]

making chocolate boxes is fun and easy, requires a little bit of prework on your part to premould/precut the slabs, and have some tempered chocolate on hand and piping bags to join the seams. couple that with some fancy plaquettes to paste along the walls of your box, some decorative flower petals or cigarettes, and you've got a favorite.

Here's a photo of something similiar

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i-5sviyAtss/R_VpEJe1I6I/AAAAAAAAArE/Fw1UkCvuZhs/s320/IMG_2508.jpg

I like to use a hollow truffle shell similiar to what they've got in the picture, rolled in gold leaf, and then make flower petals of alternating white and dark to paste around the gold truffle shell. Plaque along the sides of the box, and the end result is something that's stunning and really quite easy to do, and if you come with the parts pre cast, all they have to do is assemble them, so no real special techniques need to be taught.

i think what yo've got above is great too - just wanted to toss another idea into the ring 8-)

[Anna N]

And think about Kerry's solution for leftover chocolate - make some bark!

[Lior]

some great ideas! Thanks guys! The chocolate box is great, but I will first try that on a smaller group! I have to first develop it myself a bit...

Bark is great too! I know 16.... I have done it before with 20. Was so nervous I had a stiff back! I always feel I need to learn more before I can do this...Who am I? bla bla bla!

But business is slow so I decided to go ahead and leave my confidence issue behind.