Confections! What did we make? (2014 – 2016)

[minas6907]

Host's note: this is a continuation of the ever-popular Confections! topic; the previous segment is here: Confections! What did we make? (2012 – 2014)

 

 

Here's something I did yesterday, peanut butter chocolate bars.

[Smithy]

Those are gorgeous.  Is the oozy sauce a peanut butter sauce, then?  I could imagine it being caramel, but your description suggests otherwise.

[minas6907]

Yep! Its came out a bit thinner then I wanted, I think next time when I make it im going to pour off some of the oil from the top, then add the other ingredients. These were slightly difficult to cap.

[psantucc]

A batch of Grewling's chocolate fudge, cooling prior to agitation:

 

 

 

I really only made it in order to do something with the fondant I need for a seed for this weekend's project... bourbon cherry cordials. The fondant turned out well, and so did the fudge seeding,

 

Now I want a bigger marble!

 

[RWood]

Not the best photos, but at this point I at least took a few.

Some of the over 600 chocolates I made for Rolls Royce at the Concours d' Elegance in Pebble Beach this week.  I was given confirmation last week, so I did these after working at my restaurant job all day.  Kinda zombied .

 

[pastrygirl]

Nice work, RWood!  Especially the hand-dipping, I can imagine how extra-tedious that was when already tired

[RWood]

Nice work, RWood!  Especially the hand-dipping, I can imagine how extra-tedious that was when already tired

Thanks! Yes, really bad, especially when it was really humid here the first day I molded and about six of the molds bloomed.  Was so not happy.  Fortunately, I check that before I fill now, just in case.

Edited August 12, 2014 by RWood (log)

[Jim D.]

RWood,

I would love to know what the fillings are for the pieces you photographed--when you have recovered from the experience, that is.

 

Jim D.

[RWood]

RWood,

I would love to know what the fillings are for the pieces you photographed--when you have recovered from the experience, that is.

 

Jim D.

No problem Jim. I made 11 flavors I think.

 

Raspberry Butter Ganache (all dark)

Mimosa (white with champagne and orange)

Lime Coconut (all white, came out of Greweling's home book)

Peanut Butter

Dark and Stormy (I used Greweling's flavors, but used a different base, and added finely minced candied ginger as well) It's in the leopard shell

Passion Fruit (dark shell with white/passion fruit)

Fresh Spearmint (dark shell with white and fresh mint)

Absinthe (all dark with Pacifique Absinthe) the green fleur de lys

Dark butter ganache with vanilla bean

Mexican Coffee (dark with coffee, vanilla bean, cinnamon and kahlua in the white coffee bean)

Chocolate dipped squares are honey vanilla caramels with fleur de sel

 

I had also tried a small batch of ganache trying out the new Dulcey blonde from Valrhona.  I just made it like a white ganache and added a little sea salt and and some of the Jack Daniels that is made with honey.  Not sure if I am that crazy about it.  I didn't have a mold ready for it, so it didn't get to use it.  I still need to work on it.

Edited August 12, 2014 by RWood (log)

[Victor Antonio Padilla]

A batch of Grewling's chocolate fudge, cooling prior to agitation:

 

grewling_fudge.jpg

 

 

I really only made it in order to do something with the fondant I need for a seed for this weekend's project... bourbon cherry cordials. The fondant turned out well, and so did the fudge seeding,

 

Now I want a bigger marble!

 

I love your ¿ruler? system would like to know where did you get it.

 

 

To continue in topic this is the last thing I did about two weeks ago, I have not been very creative since that day, have a deadline soon and I get somewhat blocked.

 

[Jim D.]

To continue in topic this is the last thing I did about two weeks ago, I have not been very creative since that day, have a deadline soon and I get somewhat blocked.

 

Fiestas patrias 2014.jpg

I love the look of that praline.  Do you mind telling how you got the stripe effect?

[Kerry Beal]

 

I know I've mentioned before the two little girls who come over every year, brought by their aunt, as a birthday treat.   I think I've got to start calling them young ladies now - the youngest will be a teen soon!  

 

Amazingly this year there was no chocolate on the floor when they left.  I've gotten more on there myself today while making chocolate to put together an order of 40 boxes!

 

They made snickers bars, nutter butter bugs, freeze dried marshmallow clusters, hazelnut gianduja squares, espresso truffles and some dipped freeze dried ice cream bars and chunks.  Oh yeah, and some bark with marshmallows and peanuts and bark with deep fried chow mien noodles.

 

 

[Smithy]

Those two little girls are building happy memories, thanks to you and their aunt. What a fun time!

[Kerry Beal]

Those two little girls are building happy memories, thanks to you and their aunt. What a fun time!

I look forward to seeing them every year - and they get very excited before they come.

[rajoress]

From the peppermint patties thread, I made the epicurious recipe to see how they would come out. I usually make Greweling's fondant and flavor it with mint but it can be a little too chalky sometimes. These were very easy to make, had a great texture once dried, but were a little too sweet and you can taste the confectioner's sugar. But, covered in dark chocolate, they make a very nice mint. Thanks for looking!

Ruth

[rotuts]

what happens to all the 'stuff' the Girls make ?  do they get to take some home and 'pass around?'

 

I bet they look forward to it.

[Kerry Beal]

Yup - they take it home - fair to say the whole family enjoys it when they come!

[psantucc]

I love your ¿ruler? system would like to know where did you get it.

 

 

 

I made it myself. It does some things, like this kind of frame, better than traditional rulers, but you can't use it to roll out to even thickness. It's what mould-makers call a "clinker box". I didn't even know that until after I made it B-}=

 

It's very simple to make. I got Aluminum Angle from OnlineMetals.com

https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=63&step=2&top_cat=60

 

6063-T52 ALUMINUM ANGLE

1-1/2 X 1-1/2 X 1/8" ALUM ANGL 6063-T52

Two Ft. (24") Length

3 piece(s)

 

Cut it to length, cut short pieces for the clamp tabs, and fixed them in place with JB Weld metal adhesive, taking care that no adhesive spread to the food contact surface, as I don't know it's food safety.

[ChocoMom]

Playing around with molds this week...came up with this offering for the shop and hotel....

The little hearts with the pink and blue foot prints were a special order for a baby shower. She wanted all heart-shape; 4 different fillings, and both pink and blue feet.

 

 

   (Oreo)

 

 

 

 

[psantucc]

A bit of catch-up (not ketchup; I haven't made that ganache since workshop 2013)....
 
Bourbon Sour Cherry Cordials:

 

They turned out very liquid. Next time I'll wrap room-temperature fondant rather than dip in liquified; I think my layer was too thin. Also, dipping stemless is a right pain.

 

Oktoberfest Marzipan, from scratch:

 

 

I had trouble leaving fork marks on the sides of each piece. Chocolate too viscous, maybe? I also want whatever knife they used to cut the chocolates in Grewling's book. Looks like I used a cleaver!

 

These are Lumberjacks, and they're OK:

 

 

Maple and smoked sea salt ganache in semi-dark chocolate, sprinkled with turbinado.

 

[Kerry Beal]

Lovely collection Pat.  Now if I could just get rid of the ear worm - "I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK - I sleep all night and I work all day"

[psantucc]

Lovely collection Pat.  Now if I could just get rid of the ear worm - "I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK - I sleep all night and I work all day"

Glad I could share !

 

This was a piped butter ganache, so I made them all in one go, about 3.5 hours start to finish, and the song just kept coming back, alternating with the Australian philosophy song.

[Matthew Kirshner]

I have a question psantucc...did you use a starch mold for the cherry cordials with the stems?  Also the marzipan looks great, I wish I could make those in shop I work at.

[psantucc]

I have a question psantucc...did you use a starch mold for the cherry cordials with the stems?  Also the marzipan looks great, I wish I could make those in shop I work at.

No starch mold for either type of cherry - I followed Grewling's method, heating the fondant to liquid in a bain-marie and dipping. Stems make that process a whole lot easier.

 

Thanks for the marzipan compliment. I was very happy with the final product, particularly the texture, and it wasn't nearly so difficult as I feared to make them.

[minas6907]

Recently I got married, and more then anything for the wedding, I wanted to contribute the candy bar. I think everything came out a little better then I expected, especially since about a month before the wedding I had moved into a new place and had to get the kitchen set up as soon as I could...and it was summertime, not good for the chocolates, but I made those at my mother in laws house since they have ac. Anywho, everything on the table was made by myself with some help from my fiance.

 

The list of sweets are as follows:

 

Piped Marshmallow (Two colors)

Chocolate Caramels garnished with Cacao Nib

Caramels garnished with Maldon Sea Salt

Coconut, Peach, and Cherry Pate de Fruit

Chocolate Taffy

Peanut Butter Taffy

Pb&j Bonbon (Raspberry pate de fruit with peanut gianduja)

Cinnamon and Fireball Whiskey Bonbon

Espresso Bonbon

 

The only negative thing that happened was on the pb&j's, all the triangles developed some serious bloom, but there was no way I was gonna remake those :-). Other then that, we were concerned about the heat that day, and it being an outside venue, but it worked out fine. Some friends of mine who helped out with the actual setting up were able to store all the candy the day of at the club house. They set up the table before the wedding, and right before the start of the reception they plated all the items, and they did a beautiful job! Just wanted to share!