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

[YetiChocolates]

IMG_0593.jpg

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.

Wish I had my Greweling's book with me here in Jackson, that looks like a fun delicious thing to experiment with...oh well, November will be here before I know it!

[Kerry Beal]

IMG_0593.jpg

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.

Wish I had my Greweling's book with me here in Jackson, that looks like a fun delicious thing to experiment with...oh well, November will be here before I know it!

Happy to forward you the recipe if you would like.

[YetiChocolates]

Kerry, that would rock, I'm sure my co-workers would appreciate it as well

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry, that would rock, I'm sure my co-workers would appreciate it as well

On it's way.

[Chocolot]

Willow, remember your altitude. You aren't in Washington anymore

[YetiChocolates]

Willow, remember your altitude. You aren't in Washington anymore

Oh how right you are Ruth!

[minas6907]

Heres a batch of pics, sorry if its too much at one time.

We have raspberry sticks (hard candy), shells for rose marcaron, swirled gummies, action shot of me dipping peppermint patties, bottoming a coconut slab with chocolate, almond joys recieving thier almonds, and finally the finished almond joys.

[curls]

Beautiful minas6907! I also like the step by step photos, so hard to remember to take progress photos when you are the chef and the photographer. Just wondering, when you make taffy, how are you pulling it? Are you using a taffy hook?

[Kerry Beal]

Very nice!

Loving that silpat with the dams on it.

[FrogPrincesse]

Beautiful indeed.

I was wondering about that silicon mat for macarons. I've seen something similar at the kitchen supply store but read mixed reviews. Do you like yours?

[minas6907]

Beautiful minas6907! I also like the step by step photos, so hard to remember to take progress photos when you are the chef and the photographer. Just wondering, when you make taffy, how are you pulling it? Are you using a taffy hook?

When I do taffy, I dont use a hook. I'd love to mount one, but it might be a bit too much to ask my roomate haha, for now anyways! I just do it by hand working over a silpat.

[minas6907]

FrogPrincesse, on 21 May 2013 - 17:24, said:

Beautiful indeed.

I was wondering about that silicon mat for macarons. I've seen something similar at the kitchen supply store but read mixed reviews. Do you like yours?

I do like it, although I am new to making them. I saw the mats a while back on chef rubber for $10 as a new item, and since I was placing an order I just picked up a few of them. Anyways, now they are $30, and they are not worth that price. You can fine the exact same thing on ebay for very cheap. As far as functionality, I think it works great! I got it because I liked the idea of making consistent sized cookies, and knowing I could get 48 of them per mat. Now that I've been making macarons a bit more regularly, I see that its easier then I was thinking to pipe out consistent mounds, but still I think the mat helps a little bit. One odd note though, the silicone seemed to expand in the oven. The mat fits in a standard 1/2 sheet pan, so when I took the macarons out, the mat was slightly larger, working its way up the rim of the sheet pan, making a whole row of cookies slide and malformed. Not really sure how that was never caught, but an easy fix I did was cutting the border of the mat with a sharp thin paring knife, so now the mat has lots of room in the sheet pan to do whatever it wants and not warp. All in all, get a cheap one off ebay to try, these things arent worth $30 plus shipping.

[Kerry Beal]

For 3 years running I've had two little girls come over with their aunt to make chocolate as their birthday present.

We made the usual snickers bars, dulce de leche truffles and mocca truffles. New this year - rocky road bark - and these little bugs. They start out as Nutter Butter PB cookies.

They are working cleaner each year - the floor can be seen this morning and the youngest only had chocolate on face, hands and arm. Last year she had it on her back, in her hair...

Her aunt sent along video - it's become a classic to see the young one fast asleep in her car seat on the trip back home.

[Darienne]

What a wonderful gift and how good of you to offer it.

[minas6907]

Heres a few things recently. Macaron pops, just to see how they would turn out, and pig and zebra lollipops!

[Darienne]

As always, Minas, you have done a terrific job. Did you do the pig and zebra freehand or do you have some kind of molds?

Love the zebra....

[minas6907]

As always, Minas, you have done a terrific job. Did you do the pig and zebra freehand or do you have some kind of molds?

Love the zebra....

Thank you! I certainly did use a mold, just cookie cutters.

[Darienne]

Thank you! I certainly did use a mold, just cookie cutters.

But did you cut a flat piece as in the usual cookie cutting way or did you sort of stuff the candy mixture into the mold?

[minas6907]

Thank you! I certainly did use a mold, just cookie cutters.

But did you cut a flat piece as in the usual cookie cutting way or did you sort of stuff the candy mixture into the mold?

Definitely didn't cut with cutters, that doesn't work as well as you might imagine it to! I stuffed the pulled candy into the mold, it releases easily, then shove a stick into it!

[minas6907]

Strawberry blackberry pate de fruit.

[Kerry Beal]

Strawberry blackberry pate de fruit.

Those look great - cut with a cutter?

[minas6907]

Strawberry blackberry pate de fruit.

Those look great - cut with a cutter?

Yes mam, I got a set of cutters from Ateco, just made a small amount of jellies to try them out!

[JustinThyme]

Marron glace dipped in white caramelized chocolate

[The Choc Doc]

Hey everyone, long time no see - my day job has kept me manically busy lately, and away from chocolatiering much!

Great to see so many lovely pieces of work - many very talented people here! Making me hungry too...

I'm working on my new 6-flavour range for 2013, so hopefully can contribute some photos soon as well.

Keep them coming!!

J

[minas6907]

Heres a some things of the past few weeks. I made a citrus confit using the technique from Couture Chocolates, came out nicely, note the beautiful transparency of the peels. I havent tried Grewelings method in his professional book, but was not pleased with the results obtained from his At Home book. Next is the citrus confit pieces dipped in chocolate, which tasted much nicer then I was expecting. Then we have some kumquats, they are on day three of the candying process, I just wish I had gotton a refractometer earlier, I love this thing! Lastly is some sugar work, licorice scotties, and apple flavored rose lollipops.

Edited June 16, 2013 by minas6907 (log)