Cooking with "Chocolates and Confections" by Peter Greweling (Part 2)

[CurlySue]

Trying the molded cherry cordials today.  I thought the invertase would be a special order item but found it readily enough right here in town.

By the way, I counted about 40 drops invertase per 1/2 t. required by the full recipe.

The fondant I made using the recipe from French Professional Pastry series.  It was almost identical (just a bit more water than Greweling) but they included a Machine method which worked just fine for me.  Very smooth texture and fresh taste.

Can't wait to checkout my cordials in a week or so.

←

Could you tell us what the machine method was? Thanks

←

That's pretty much it: cook the syrup as usual, slab it on marble until cooled a bit, then transfer to the mixer and use the hook attachment on low until it's ready.

←

Good to know!! Thanks you.

[alanamoana]

in school we made fondant in the kitchen aid using the paddle. i can't remember exactly whether we slabbed it first or just let it cool a bit before beginning agitation.

doing it by hand is a bit exhausting, for sure. and i can't imagine attempting a larger sized batch.

[John DePaula]

in school we made fondant in the kitchen aid using the paddle.  i can't remember exactly whether we slabbed it first or just let it cool a bit before beginning agitation.

doing it by hand is a bit exhausting, for sure.  and i can't imagine attempting a larger sized batch.

←

Actually, I thought the paddle might work better and was surprised that the dough hook worked. I'll try the paddle next time.

[Tri2Cook]

I don't remember where I got it, but I have a fondant recipe that calls for cooking the syrup, pouring it into a food processor, letting it cool to 60c, then blitzing it. Works well for me but I don't do large batches or use it to fill chocolates, I usually only make it because the large pail of purchased stuff I keep on hand ran out. I'm going to try it with the mixer next time, never thought of that.

Actually, while on the subject of using a machine, I made a few batches of New Orleans style pralines yesterday and while I was graining the second or third batch by the good ol' beat with a wooden spoon method I wondered what would happen if I dumped it in the kitchen aid instead. They were fairly large batches which required close to 15 minutes of steady beating so it was sounding like a good idea but I didn't try it. I think I'd be worried about the pecans being broken into tiny pieces as well. I made them with cream yesterday, today I'm doing a buttermilk version so maybe I'll give it a try.

[lebowits]

Trying the molded cherry cordials today.  I thought the invertase would be a special order item but found it readily enough right here in town.

By the way, I counted about 40 drops invertase per 1/2 t. required by the full recipe.

The fondant I made using the recipe from French Professional Pastry series.  It was almost identical (just a bit more water than Greweling) but they included a Machine method which worked just fine for me.  Very smooth texture and fresh taste.

Can't wait to checkout my cordials in a week or so.

←

Would you please post the citation for book you got the fondant formula and method from?

[John DePaula]

Trying the molded cherry cordials today.  I thought the invertase would be a special order item but found it readily enough right here in town.

By the way, I counted about 40 drops invertase per 1/2 t. required by the full recipe.

The fondant I made using the recipe from French Professional Pastry series.  It was almost identical (just a bit more water than Greweling) but they included a Machine method which worked just fine for me.  Very smooth texture and fresh taste.

Can't wait to checkout my cordials in a week or so.

←

Would you please post the citation for book you got the fondant formula and method from?

←

French Professional Pastry Series: Creams, Confections, and Finished Desserts by Bilheux and Escoffier. This is vol. 2 of the series.

[DanM]

Greetings! 22 pages of amazing insight and knowledge into making stunning chocolates and comments on Chef Greweling's books. It took me two days to read through it all, but it was well worth it.

I recently finished up culinary school (a second career for me) and garnered a great respect for chocolate and confectionery work. My chocolate and confections instructor was a student of Greweling's at the CIA and suggested that I pick up a copy of his book to learn more. Most of my internship was spent at a chocolatier here in CT. Now that I am done and have free time to play, I will put Chef Greweling's book to use.

Here is a box I made for my final along with a bunch of hand rolled truffles.

Does anyone know of a manufacturer of kosher glucose syrup? I haven't had any luck finding any.

Today's project... Put my new mold and box of chocolate to work and make a runny caramel filling for them. Pictures, of course, once I am done.

Dan

PS... Thanks for the link to Chocolat-chocolat. I see a lot of cool molds in there I might have to add to my honey-please list.

Edited December 22, 2008 by DanM (log)

[lebowits]

Trying the molded cherry cordials today.  I thought the invertase would be a special order item but found it readily enough right here in town.

By the way, I counted about 40 drops invertase per 1/2 t. required by the full recipe.

The fondant I made using the recipe from French Professional Pastry series.  It was almost identical (just a bit more water than Greweling) but they included a Machine method which worked just fine for me.  Very smooth texture and fresh taste.

Can't wait to checkout my cordials in a week or so.

←

Would you please post the citation for book you got the fondant formula and method from?

←

French Professional Pastry Series: Creams, Confections, and Finished Desserts by Bilheux and Escoffier. This is vol. 2 of the series.

Many thanks! I've added it to my "must buy" list.

←

[John DePaula]

Trying the molded cherry cordials today.  I thought the invertase would be a special order item but found it readily enough right here in town.

By the way, I counted about 40 drops invertase per 1/2 t. required by the full recipe.

The fondant I made using the recipe from French Professional Pastry series.  It was almost identical (just a bit more water than Greweling) but they included a Machine method which worked just fine for me.  Very smooth texture and fresh taste.

Can't wait to checkout my cordials in a week or so.

←

Would you please post the citation for book you got the fondant formula and method from?

←

French Professional Pastry Series: Creams, Confections, and Finished Desserts by Bilheux and Escoffier. This is vol. 2 of the series.

←

Many thanks! I've added it to my "must buy" list.

←

I think they're well worth the cost, though I didn't buy Vol. 4 which was cake design - most of us thought the cakes looked very dated. However, for the classics of French pastry, this is my "go-to" set.

ETA: By the way, these books have a lot of interest to the chocolate maker but most of the books are about pastry making.

Edited December 22, 2008 by John DePaula (log)

[John DePaula]

Chef Greweling on NPR today, talking about Sugarplums: Dreaming Of The Sweet Unknown

[Elle Bee]

I don't remember where I got it, but I have a fondant recipe that calls for cooking the syrup, pouring it into a food processor, letting it cool to 60c, then blitzing it....

←

Hello everyone, newbie here. There's a recipe for "Food Processor Poured Fondant" in The Cake Bible by Rose Beranbaum. Other than glazing petits fours, I've only used it to make the centers for chocolate covered cherries (which everyone in my family loves except me - I'm a caramel and nougat junkie myself). Just got Greweling's book about a week ago, and am eager to try the food processor method with his fondant. Meanwhile, here's the Rose recipe:

500g sugar

118g water

82g corn syrup

Cook to 238F. Immediately pour into food processor bowl, insert a clean thermometer, allow it to cool (uncovered) to 140F, add flavorings, process a couple of minutes until it's opaque, pour it into a sealable container, cool completely, seal it so it's airtight, and let it rest at room temp for 24 hours. To use, heat the fondant over a water bath, and thin it to the required consistency with a warm stock syrup (i.e., 30% - 1 part water to 2 parts sugar by volume).

[Kerry Beal]

I don't remember where I got it, but I have a fondant recipe that calls for cooking the syrup, pouring it into a food processor, letting it cool to 60c, then blitzing it....

←

Hello everyone, newbie here. There's a recipe for "Food Processor Poured Fondant" in The Cake Bible by Rose Beranbaum. Other than glazing petits fours, I've only used it to make the centers for chocolate covered cherries (which everyone in my family loves except me - I'm a caramel and nougat junkie myself). Just got Greweling's book about a week ago, and am eager to try the food processor method with his fondant. Meanwhile, here's the Rose recipe:

500g sugar

118g water

82g corn syrup

Cook to 238F. Immediately pour into food processor bowl, insert a clean thermometer, allow it to cool (uncovered) to 140F, add flavorings, process a couple of minutes until it's opaque, pour it into a sealable container, cool completely, seal it so it's airtight, and let it rest at room temp for 24 hours. To use, heat the fondant over a water bath, and thin it to the required consistency with a warm stock syrup (i.e., 30% - 1 part water to 2 parts sugar by volume).

←

Welcome Elle Bee - always happy to have another caramel and nougat junkie here on eG.

That looks like a really nice and easy way to make fondant. Even better than using a mixer I'd say.

I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for posting it.

[Darienne]

Hi Elle Bee,

Hello from one newbie to another , although I think I am more of a marshmallow (homemade ONLY) junkie at present. Hmmm...it's a close call between marshmallows and nougat.

As for caramel, you must try Kerry Beal's special caramel recipe. It's the very best.

[Tri2Cook]

I don't remember where I got it, but I have a fondant recipe that calls for cooking the syrup, pouring it into a food processor, letting it cool to 60c, then blitzing it....

←

Hello everyone, newbie here. There's a recipe for "Food Processor Poured Fondant" in The Cake Bible by Rose Beranbaum. Other than glazing petits fours, I've only used it to make the centers for chocolate covered cherries (which everyone in my family loves except me - I'm a caramel and nougat junkie myself). Just got Greweling's book about a week ago, and am eager to try the food processor method with his fondant. Meanwhile, here's the Rose recipe:

500g sugar

118g water

82g corn syrup

Cook to 238F. Immediately pour into food processor bowl, insert a clean thermometer, allow it to cool (uncovered) to 140F, add flavorings, process a couple of minutes until it's opaque, pour it into a sealable container, cool completely, seal it so it's airtight, and let it rest at room temp for 24 hours. To use, heat the fondant over a water bath, and thin it to the required consistency with a warm stock syrup (i.e., 30% - 1 part water to 2 parts sugar by volume).

←

That must be where I got it. That or someone posted it online and I stumbled across it. I have it in one of my notebooks anyway. I have that book but I haven't had it out in a really long time so it's possible I wrote it down from there at some point. I have glucose wrote down instead of corn syrup but it's possible I made that alteration myself. I keep a large pail of glucose on hand so I rarely use corn syrup for anything.

[RobertM]

Count me in as a Caramel Junkie - and a newbie - although I've been lurking around the corner, reading and absorbing all your knowledge - I hope that I'll be able to contribute to your knowledge and fun as well. In the meantime, I'm that shadow over there in the corner...

I have a very old confectionery book that calls for adding wheat flour to caramel - has anyone here ever heard of that? Or done it before? If so, what were your experiences?

Bob

[Elle Bee]

I don't remember where I got it, but I have a fondant recipe that calls for cooking the syrup, pouring it into a food processor, letting it cool to 60c, then blitzing it....

←

Hello everyone, newbie here. There's a recipe for "Food Processor Poured Fondant" in The Cake Bible by Rose Beranbaum. Other than glazing petits fours, I've only used it to make the centers for chocolate covered cherries (which everyone in my family loves except me - I'm a caramel and nougat junkie myself). Just got Greweling's book about a week ago, and am eager to try the food processor method with his fondant. Meanwhile, here's the Rose recipe:

500g sugar

118g water

82g corn syrup

Cook to 238F. Immediately pour into food processor bowl, insert a clean thermometer, allow it to cool (uncovered) to 140F, add flavorings, process a couple of minutes until it's opaque, pour it into a sealable container, cool completely, seal it so it's airtight, and let it rest at room temp for 24 hours. To use, heat the fondant over a water bath, and thin it to the required consistency with a warm stock syrup (i.e., 30% - 1 part water to 2 parts sugar by volume).

←

Welcome Elle Bee - always happy to have another caramel and nougat junkie here on eG.

That looks like a really nice and easy way to make fondant. Even better than using a mixer I'd say.

I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for posting it.

←

Thanks, Kerry! Rather in awe of everybody's knowledge here, so I'm happy to offer something from my own comfort zone (cake/cookies) that may prove useful to any of you candy mavens.

Meanwhile, I cautiously ventured into Greweling Land today with a quarter batch of Mint Meltaways (you know, sort of like putting one toe in the water first...). Used about 2/3 70% dark and 1/3 milk chocolate, with about 7 drops peppermint oil. They set up nicely, good flavor -- discernably minty, but not overwhelmingly minty. VERY melty, and just as soon as I finish my hot cocoa with Frangelico whipped cream*, I intend to enrobe them in some shiny dark chocolate (less messy than the confectioner's sugar Chef G. shows in the book).

*Took your advice from some other thread and bought an iSi cream siphon today. Yum - thanks for that tip! (Note to self: if you can't stay away from the whipped cream, fine. Just stop spiking it with alcohol before you put it in the siphon...)

[Darienne]

Second time for Greweling's wonderful Montelimar nougat. Confectionary partner, Barb, and I made it last summer and loved it. Dipped in 70% chocolate, it was exquisite.

This time seemed exactly the same...except that today, Day #2, the nougat is a tad tougher than I would like. Not beyond delicious, but I'm not thrilled with it.

Could this be heating the syrup to too high a temperature...which I don't think we did...or overbeating the end product...which I think we did. Or any other opinions. Please.

Thanks. (It will still be gone in a trice)

[cmflick]

Second time for Greweling's wonderful Montelimar nougat.  Confectionary partner, Barb, and I made it last summer and loved it.  Dipped in 70% chocolate, it was exquisite. 

This time seemed exactly the same...except that today, Day #2, the nougat is a tad tougher than I would like.  Not beyond delicious, but I'm not thrilled with it.

Could this be heating the syrup to too high a temperature...which I don't think we did...or overbeating the end product...which I think we did.  Or any other opinions.  Please.

Thanks.    (It will still be gone in a trice)

←

Did you cook the nougat to 311F as Greweling recommends? When I used his recipe and cooked to 311F, the nougat came out much harder than I like. I routinely use Greweling's recipe, but cook it to 280-290F and the consistency is excellent. I give a temperature range, because I cook to a higher temperature when the weather is more humid, lower temperature when the humidity is low. When the weather is humid, my nougat tends to be softer so I cook to a higher temperature. Maybe humidity is why your batch was softer when you made it last summer.

Maybe, someone else can comment on whether I'm crazy about my humidity observations and how I deal with them.

[Darienne]

Did you cook the nougat to 311F as Greweling recommends?  When I used his recipe and cooked to 311F, the nougat came out much harder than I like.  I routinely use Greweling's recipe, but cook it to 280-290F and the consistency is excellent.  I give a temperature range, because I cook to a higher temperature when the weather is more humid, lower temperature when the humidity is low.  When the weather is humid, my nougat tends to be softer so I cook to a higher temperature.  Maybe humidity is why your batch was softer when you made it last summer.

Maybe, someone else can comment on whether I'm crazy about my humidity observations and how I deal with them.

←

Thanks. OK....our humidity is very high right now in the 90s. O, the joys of the Ontario winter. The other bit is that I did not do the cooking or the checking at the time. However, partner Barb is very careful...far more than I am.

I guess I was curious as to whether overbeating could be the problem, because I do think it was beaten too long.

Still I am interested in your humidity considerations.

Edited January 20, 2009 by Darienne (log)

[Elle Bee]

Mint Meltaway Weirdness...

OK, so there's been some strange chocolate behavior on MY planet, and I'm wondering if this happens on any of YOUR planets....

First batch of Mint Meltaways from the Greweling book (one quarter recipe) turned out GREAT. Second batch (half recipe) melted just like the first, set up more slowly, and then crystallized in a way I've never seen -- like little tiny BB's of chocolate suspended in a solid (but more melty) chocolate/coconut base. Both the chocolate and coconut oil were fully melted when I combined them. The only difference in handling between the first and second batches is that I didn't try tabling the second batch -- I did try it with the first batch, but it was so fluid I ended up scraping it all back into the bowl, stirring until cool, and then pouring it into the pan. Any clues as to what's going on?

Meanwhile, as there was nothing to lose, I decided to experiment a bit. Remelted about a fourth of the set up mixture, added a cup of warm heavy cream, cooled it over some ice, and put it in my cream siphon. Then heated a mug of milk until hot, and gave it nice big swirl of aerated mint meltaway/cream mixture on top. That was tasty -- way too rich, but no regrets... :-)

I will try turning the rest of the batch back into what it was originally meant to be. Or maybe I'll do something else. Or maybe I will throw it out. Comments and ideas welcome.

[Kerry Beal]

Mint Meltaway Weirdness...

OK, so there's been some strange chocolate behavior on MY planet, and I'm wondering if this happens on any of YOUR planets....

First batch of Mint Meltaways from the Greweling book (one quarter recipe) turned out GREAT. Second batch (half recipe) melted just like the first, set up more slowly, and then crystallized in a way I've never seen -- like little tiny BB's of chocolate suspended in a solid (but more melty) chocolate/coconut base. Both the chocolate and coconut oil were fully melted when I combined them. The only difference in handling between the first and second batches is that I didn't try tabling the second batch -- I did try it with the first batch, but it was so fluid I ended up scraping it all back into the bowl, stirring until cool, and then pouring it into the pan. Any clues as to what's going on?

Meanwhile, as there was nothing to lose, I decided to experiment a bit. Remelted about a fourth of the set up mixture, added a cup of warm heavy cream, cooled it over some ice, and put it in my cream siphon. Then heated a mug of milk until hot, and gave it nice big swirl of aerated mint meltaway/cream mixture on top. That was tasty -- way too rich, but no regrets... :-)

I will try turning the rest of the batch back into what it was originally meant to be. Or maybe I'll do something else. Or maybe I will throw it out. Comments and ideas welcome.

←

Remelt and cool over ice water until it starts to firm up on the edges. Take off the ice water and continue to stir until it's clear the mass is 'getting the message' then pour out.

It's like tempering chocolate - if you don't get the right crystals forming - you are out of temper.

One of my first batches was like that, and I was up north with my 18 inch round marble - which isn't going to let me slab a 1/2 batch of something that fluid, so I just poured it into the frame and waited. Ended up remelting and cooling over ice water.

Discussion of the meltaways starts on post #151 of this topic.

[Elle Bee]

.... and continue to stir until it's clear the mass is 'getting the message' then pour out.

←

Ah! It's a communications issue! I will go clarify my intent to the surly slab and report back (mutters to self,"I am the boss of my confections, I am the boss of my confections, I am the boss...")

Thanks for the tip!

Edited to add...

HA! That worked a treat!!!! (considering changing user name to Elle BOSS....)

PS - I actually considered posting my question as a reply in that original meltaway thread, and then wasn't sure, since all the "conversation" there took place pretty much at the same time. I dithered back and forth on whether to post there or here -- would it have been preferable to put it with the previous discussion? (sorry if I screwed up.... )

Edited January 23, 2009 by Elle Bee (log)

[cmflick]

Anyone have any tips on the best way to store nougat? I made a batch of Montelimar nougat using Greweling's recipe yesterday and it's the perfect texture. I'm only trying to store it as long as it takes to eat it, usually only a week or two, and I'd really like to maintain the texture that it has now!

Help please!

[Kerry Beal]

Anyone have any tips on the best way to store nougat?  I made a batch of  Montelimar nougat using Greweling's recipe yesterday and it's the perfect texture.  I'm only trying to store it as long as it takes to eat it, usually only a week or two, and I'd really like to maintain the texture that it has now! 

Help please!

←

I think an airtight container should be all you need.

[lebowits]

I'm looking for advice on making "Leaf Croquant". I remember successfully making this product when I took a class with Chef Greweling almost 3 years ago. In reviewing the formula and method, it seemed to come back to me as "medium" level of difficulty in execution.

Here is my problem. I have successfully made the almond nut "filling" and have that set aside. I have the ingredients measured out for the caramel and a set of rulers laid out in an approximately 12 x 12 inch rectangle. I cook the sugar and add the glucose off the heat once I've reached the "medium amber" color he recommends.

I pour the liquid caramel into the frame and it simply doesn't cover the entire surface inside the rulers before beginning to set. I've compared the quantities of the ingredients in both the book and the class notes/hand-outs and they match.

The only thing I can think of is that the surface under my silpat isn't temperature "neutral" and that the counter top is simply drawing away the heat too quickly.

Has anyone else executed this method? Do you have suggestions or advice?

Many thanks.