Confections! What did we make? (2012 – 2014)

[YetiChocolates]

IMG_0590.jpg

Snapping turtles - milk chocolate with poprocks. I'm packaging them 3 in a cello sleeve. Working on a bunch of items for an upcoming fun fair at my child's school.

Ok Kerry, are they just shells filled with poprocks to make a monster pop rock explosion in your mouth when you eat them or did you mix the poprocks together with the milk chocolate? Your creative genius kills me sometimes (in a good way, I love it!)

[Alleguede]

Those look great... For your molds, have you tried rubbing them with alcohol and cotton?

For the airbrushes, I have 3, the Canadian tire set hvlp which have the compact and large gravity feed and an iwata eclipse model. They all work great. The unfortunate part of the big airbrushes is that they also spray the whole room. :-)

[Kerry Beal]

IMG_0590.jpg

Snapping turtles - milk chocolate with poprocks. I'm packaging them 3 in a cello sleeve. Working on a bunch of items for an upcoming fun fair at my child's school.

Ok Kerry, are they just shells filled with poprocks to make a monster pop rock explosion in your mouth when you eat them or did you mix the poprocks together with the milk chocolate? Your creative genius kills me sometimes (in a good way, I love it!)

Poured the shell - while still wet sprinkled in the poprocks, then backed off with more milk chocolate.

[Kerry Beal]

Those look great... For your molds, have you tried rubbing them with alcohol and cotton?

For the airbrushes, I have 3, the Canadian tire set hvlp which have the compact and large gravity feed and an iwata eclipse model. They all work great. The unfortunate part of the big airbrushes is that they also spray the whole room. :-)

Alcohol and cotton to clean them?

I usually just use a soft microfibre or a non shedding cotton lap sponge (the kind they use to soak up blood in the OR) to give them a polish.

Even the HVLP sprays the whole room? The Fuji that I have sprays less than any other. Do you have an exhaust set up?

[curls]

Adorable turtles!

[Alleguede]

We have set up a great system... It's called cardboard box and plastic wrap. It works to some extend. When you have to spray cakes, it just doesn't absorb enough of the flying residu. That's why I now use the small hvlp (which I really like). The complete system bought out way too much and takes a lot of room.

For the airbrushes, I have been having difficulties using home made cocoa butter colors.

The alcohol should take out the shimmer mix inside the mold or airbrush... You can use anything. I actually liked a lot your blue tissue you had at the workshop.

[Kerry Beal]

Ah - that would be these. Rolls of blue Scott shop towels. They also come in boxes that dispense one at a time. Costco sells them and most hardware and home reno places.

My cardboard box now sits in front of a kitchen downdraft ventilation unit (traded for chocolate) that vents out through the wall. I realize I didn't get around to posting pictures of that yet - I'll put that up on the chocolate lab thread tonight.

Edited May 9, 2013 by Kerry Beal (log)

[emmalish]

I haven't been doing any confectionery work for awhile - other than the marshmallows I make at Christmas. I think it's about time for me to get back into it. Last weekend (when it was WAY too hot to be making anything), I made some salted chocolate caramels. Recipe here for anyone interested.

I used Valrhona Araguani for the chocolate, which is darker than recommended in the original recipe, but it worked out for me. These are fantastic. Like a grown-up tootsie roll :-) The biggest problem I have is that I want to eat them all myself. And I want to make them again instead of trying a new recipe.

Edited May 9, 2013 by emmalish (log)

[keychris]

I haven't been doing any confectionery work for awhile - other than the marshmallows I make at Christmas. I think it's about time for me to get back into it. Last weekend (when it was WAY too hot to be making anything), I made some salted chocolate caramels. Recipe here for anyone interested

I'm interested!

But then all your measurements are in volume, and conversions to australian cups are not going to be terribly useful

But they look just devine!

[emmalish]

But then all your measurements are in volume, and conversions to australian cups are not going to be terribly useful

But they look just devine!

Aren't Australian cups almost the same as US? I'll be honest, I'm not always totally careful with my measurements when I'm baking. I measured the chocolate and the syrup by weight, and used a 500mL carton of cream (which is actually 2.11 cups according to Google). So... you might be ok with just doing Australian cup equivalents. Probably more accurate than what I did. ;-)

[keychris]

tyvm for the clarifications. It's on my todo list

[psantucc]

For my part, I can't get over the caramels. I have several different formulas, but none of them turn out firm enough to stand alone like those; dip or wrap in less than 10 minutes is required! Do you mind sharing a recipe? I can't decide if I should start troubleshooting my formulae or my technique.

Thanks! Glad you like them! The folios is from Chocolates and Confections. Specifically, the sea salt caramels use the formula that include sweetened condensed milk, and the espresso caramels use the formula that contains evaporated milk and fresh cream. For as many recipes as you've tried, I'm going to assume you have Greweling book. There's a note on each caramel recipe that the temp of 239f or so is just an estimate, and that the caramels should be tested by hand. When making caramels, I add the butter at 230f or so, then when it nears 235ish I remove the thermometer and test a little bit of the mixture in cold water every few minutes, and you'll just see what the caramel feels like as you cook it a little longer. Just make some caramels and cook them a little longer then your inclined to. They will set up firmer, and have nice sharp edges when you cut them. Let me know if you want grewelings recipe if you don't have it already.

Thanks very much. I do have the Grewling book, but all of my currently in use caramels are ones I've been making since before I got it. It never occurred to me to try his formulas and technique. I shall do so as soon as convenient, and see what results I get and if I can apply them to other recipes.

[minas6907]

Heres something from a few days ago. Had some time, so I made a citrus confit, these are tangerine skins. Then used them to garnish some chocolates I did. The chocolate pieces use Andrew Shotts Grande Marnier ganache.

[Kerry Beal]

I haven't been doing any confectionery work for awhile - other than the marshmallows I make at Christmas. I think it's about time for me to get back into it. Last weekend (when it was WAY too hot to be making anything), I made some salted chocolate caramels. Recipe here for anyone interested

I'm interested!

But then all your measurements are in volume, and conversions to australian cups are not going to be terribly useful

But they look just devine!

Here's the recipe for you by weight -

• 500 grams heavy cream
• 300 grams fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao), finely chopped (not chocolate chips)
• 350 grams sugar
• 180 grams light corn syrup
• 62.5 grams water
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 45 grams unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
• 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt such as Maldon

Made a batch tonight - used Portuguese Cream salt. Waiting for them to cool a bit more before cutting. The scrapings from the pan were quite delicious.

Also made a batch of Almond Buttercrunch and dipped some giant marshmallows on sticks in dark chocolate and decorated with a variety of sprinkles and such.

Edited May 12, 2013 by Kerry Beal (log)

[minas6907]

Alleguede, on 07 May 2013 - 19:11, said:

Minas6907: if I may give you a little advice, you should mix gently (macaronner) your mixture a little more. It should be slightly runny (au ruban) and tap your tray with the flat of your hand to flatten the macaron just a little bit, or drop it on the table twice. For the rest, I love your products and confiserie, great job.

Thanks for the advice! I've made macarons a few times before, but I used another recipe this time, in which I was able to get much more of a feel for how to make these, including deflating it, which I should have done more, but I know for next time! Also, I probably could have used a slightly larger piping tip, perhaps that would have reduce my peaks a bit, but overall I think making the mixture a bit more runny. And trust me, I certainly did tap the sheet pans....like for minutes, those peaks werent going anywhere! Haha, but thanks for your compliments as well as the tips!

[keychris]

Here's the recipe for you by weight -

Kerry, my inner anal-retentive thanks you from the bottom of his teeny tiny heart

I'm making these next weekend!

[Prabha]

Those caramels look gorgeous, Emmalish! And thanks, Kerry, for the recipe by weight. I'm going to have to try this one.

[Kerry Beal]

Double batch of Greweling's sponge toffee - changes I made this time - heated the hotel pan in the oven at the lowest oven temp - turned off the oven and cracked the door for the cooling time.

Mixed the bicarb into about 60 grams of glucose so there wouldn't be any lumps - didn't wait the 5 minutes cooling before I added the gelatin and bicarb - just waited until the bubbles stopped.

Looks like it might just turn out to be the best batch ever.

Now I need to find an airtight container big enough to store it in until I can enrobe chunks of it and package it up for the fun fair.

[Beth Wilson]

I am very impressed with your sponge toffee! I may have to book you for some lessons in the perfect sponge toffee :-)

One thing I need to know, what is Portuguese Cream Salt that you used in the chocolate caramels? I am wondering how easy it will be to find around my neck of the woods :-)

[Kerry Beal]

I am very impressed with your sponge toffee! I may have to book you for some lessons in the perfect sponge toffee :-)

One thing I need to know, what is Portuguese Cream Salt that you used in the chocolate caramels? I am wondering how easy it will be to find around my neck of the woods :-)

I think I got it from the Spice House in Chicago - that or Penzey's. Spice House on the label.

Drop around any time for a sponge toffee lesson - but don't look at the batch I made yesterday!

[judiu]

Kerry, have you considered the large Rubbermaid storage bins? They're airtight, I believe...

[Kerry Beal]

The Rubbermaid bins that I have aren't as airtight as some of the others I have (Isis I believe). I have a bunch around here - they are just buried like so much of my stuff!

[Chocolot]

Today was all about Valrhona's Dulcey.

First one is a peanut butter filling in a Dulcey shell.

Next was an espresso caramel enrobed in dark and drizzled with Dulcey.

[Darienne]

Gorgeous, Chocolot.

[RobertM]

Chocolot - beautiful - I love the espresso caramels....