Chocolates with that Showroom Finish, 2012 –

[Jonathan]

My bars for lunar new year, the red ones are lotus root and salted duck egg (moon cake) in a gold chocolate shell and the black ones are pu-erh tea with a crispy roasted puffed rice layer

[Muscadelle]

5 hours ago, Jonathan said:

My bars for lunar new year, the red ones are lotus root and salted duck egg (moon cake) in a gold chocolate shell and the black ones are pu-erh tea with a crispy roasted puffed rice layer

I wish I could try those 😭 I love pu-erh tea and they are so pretty!!

[Jonathan]

First time I’ve tried to paint a portrait on moulded bonbons and it’s infinitely harder than on a flat moulded block. You’ve got to paint back to front and if you make a mistake it’s lights out... Still, very happy with how these turned out

Edited February 16, 2021 by Jonathan (log)

[Jonathan]

Now that there’s no upcoming events I’ve had a bit more of a chance to play. Tiramisu cats for example, vanilla marscapone mousse and a tia maria and espresso ganache

 

[Rajala]

Haha I love the cat. Some kind of sticker and doing white + colors and then spraying black?

[Jonathan]

How I wish I had stickers, I hand painted these ones, I'm trying to figure out the sticker thing, I assume cricket cutter and a specific type of tape but I haven't found much info on it

[Rajala]

Hand painted? That's some steady hands.

[Jonathan]

Weirdly enough for fine stuff like this I used a toothpick

[Jonathan]

My Chocolate Totoro

[Jonathan]

Opalys is an absolute pain to temper, too thin then on a re-coat too thick... Still, thickness aside the look came out better than I’d hoped. Kill Bill themed bars, a Trix flavoured bar for the bride and for O-Ren I wanted to use something Japanese, Chinese and American. Ended up going with a play on PB&J, strawberry jelly, miso and peanutbutter ganache and a black sesame crunch for the base

[pastrygirl]

I've been making a few ... hundred ... Easter eggs, am happy with most of them

 

lemon & passion fruit in white chocolate

 

double (blond vanilla + dark salty) caramel in dark chocolate

 

milk chocolate hazelnut in a dark shell

 

boxed (that was a different, less purple batch of hazelnut)

[Jonathan]

This one was a doozy... It was hard to get the streaky effect since cocoa butter is so fluid it just blends but probably the piece I’m most proud of overall, Valrhona Tainori studded with hazelnuts

[Jonathan]

I’m going to preface this with a strongly worded statement: I HATE THESE MOULDS. Polishing them, painting them and demoulding them was an absolute nightmare. Still, the outcome wasn’t half bad, I was a little worried I wouldn’t be able to demould them. These first of my Mother’s Day Line, “Places you know and places you’ll go”, 6 flavours from around the world starting with something close to home, blueberry lamington. Blueberry pate de fruit and coconut ganache in dark chocolate

[Kerry Beal]

I've looked at those molds and the square ones with the hole in the center - and can't help thinking they would be a PIA. The Russian contestant in the World Chocolate Masters used the square ones for his bonbon contribution to the contest - not a good choice in my opinion!

[Jonathan]

They were an absolute nightmare, thankfully only got 2 trays to try. I want to use them so as not to waste them but it’s almost not worth the effort. The result is fine enough but still, spending 10 minutes with a cotton pad on a Q-tip to polish wasn’t fun

[Jonathan]

It feels good to be back to simpler designs for production, Kintsugi Tres Leches and Mango Kulfi bonbons for the next leg of the mother’s day boxes

[Jonathan]

And finally done with Mother’s Day, Baklava bonbons inspired by Chefchaouen with a pistachio, walnut and feuilletine gianduja and the classic Apple Pie with an apple compote, cinnamon ganache and dulcey and shortbreae base:

 

Edited April 26, 2021 by Jonathan (log)

[Jonathan]

Haven’t had much time with how busy work has been but managed to put together this for a friend, cocoa butter on valrhona manjari dark with raspberry and feuilletine inclusions

[Jim D.]

@Jonathan, about your baklava bonbon:  I'm assuming this is the filling in the faceted pyramid/triangle.  I get the green part of the filling, but what is the pink- or tan-colored base?  It looks very interesting.  I tried a baklava, but in attempting to get a strong honey flavor (definitely part of actual baklava), the ganache ended up much too sweet.  I even bought some of the macadamia honey (I think you are the one who mentioned that).

[Jonathan]

@Jim D.Pink was because I used a rose paste to emulate the rosewater, a touch of that. I toned down the sweetness as much as possible by adding more cocoa butter and less white chocolate (used Valrhona Opalys) for the ganache but just accepted it would be somewhat sweet regardless.

Edited May 24, 2021 by Jonathan (log)

[MikanPotatos]

@Jonathan What is the general method for getting a cookie into the chocolate like you did for the short bread? I had some ideas for a smores chocolate but wasnt sure how to incorporate. the graham cracker. 

[Jonathan]

2 hours ago, MikanPotatos said:

@Jonathan What is the general method for getting a cookie into the chocolate like you did for the short bread? I had some ideas for a smores chocolate but wasnt sure how to incorporate. the graham cracker. 

I was a little worried about shelf life just using a standard sable biscuit, also the risk of it going soggy with time. I ended up baking a batch, grinding it into a crumb and mixing it with tempered dulcey chocolate. I spread that out and let it set before punching out little discs that I just popped in before capping. Maintained the texture well but meant I didn’t have to worry as much about spoilage

[Jonathan]

Took a bit of a break as my day job got busy but doing some prep work for my Niece’s second birthday based on some of her favourite foods. Dulcey coconut rough, pistachio and an abomination I’ve resurrected from one of my first attempts a year ago, french fry vanilla shake. I know that last one sounds weird but it kinda works, french fry infused vanilla ganache with a touch of salt and a potato crisp and opalys insert for texture

Edited June 22, 2021 by Jonathan (log)

[Jonathan]

Getting started on my father’s day boxes (5th of Sept in Aus). I went with the theme “Things I did with dad”. The first are a caramel apple and butter popcorn bonbon based on trips to the fairground and watching the fireworks at night and the second are Homer Simpson's Patended Space Age Out of this World Moonwaffles (Brown butter ganache, crispy waffle insert and hickory smoked caramel) based on watching TV together. 4 to go in the coming weekends

Edited August 9, 2021 by Jonathan (log)

[Jonathan]

Finally finished with Father’s Day! I went with the theme this year of “Things I did with Dad”. It’s always a fun exercise in nostalgia brainstorming ideas for what to do. From top to bottom in the first pic the activity/design theme/flavour for each are:

The Fair - Fireworks at Night - Butter Popcorn & Toffee Apple

Trips to the Toyshop - Lego - Hazelnut Gianduja & Praline, Freeze Dried Strawberries, Feuilletine & Popping Candy

Camping - Toasted Marshmallow - Smores

Visiting the Ocean - The Sea - Nori & Soy Sauce Caramel (you HAVE to try this combo, it’s absolutely wild)

Watching TV - The Simpsons - Hickory Smoked Caramel, Brown Butter Ganache, Waffle Insert (Homer Simpson’s Moon Waffles)

Reading Books Together - Harry Potter & The Philisopher’s Stone - Firewhisky (Spiced Whisky & Chilli)

 

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by Jonathan (log)