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

[Chocolot]

Yes, I used water--about half way up. I didn't think to use a rack:) The color is a little darker that the real stuff. I added about 200 g of cocoa butter besides the silk. I think it was too much. I think using clarified butter instead would have been better. Mine is snappier than Dulcey. The butter would make it a bit softer. The flavor is similar, but not as salty. I plan to use it in ganache, so it probably will be ok.

[psantucc]

If it is Kerry's fork you are interested in why don't you PM her. She has them custom-made.

So sorry. Looks like I misunderstood your question.

I'll second that. I use mine almost exclusively.

[RobertM]

Psantucc - good to see you here! We missed you last weekend!

[minas6907]

I'll second that. I use mine almost exclusively.

 

Just today actually I think I solved my problem. The forks I us are from ateco, they are the full stainless ones (I think they have others with wooded handles). Anywho, Kerry sent me pictures of what hers looked like, and I noticed they were bent at the tines. I've been trying to come up with a way to bend mine at the base of the handle (I didn't have a vice or anything, and I'm not very mechanical) but today I just bent the tines how I wanted them, and they seem to hold up fine. I was afraid the tines would be too delicate to bend, but they are fine. This is just a simple solution for what I needed, I have no doubt that Kerrys forks are much more durable, but what I do with dipping is on the limited side, and was trying to figure a way to make a simple modification to these forks that are cheap enough that I wouldnt feel bad about destroying :-)

[psantucc]

Beginning a post binge. These aren't exactly "lately"; my first public sale last November:

 

Before going to the venue, clockwise from top: Irish Cream fudge, Cappuccino Truffles, Raspberry rustic truffles, white chocolate amaretto chocolate shortbread sandwiches.

Candy on the sale table

 

Wide shot. My wife makes the beautiful cookies.

[psantucc]

The usual Christmas Party spread:

 

[psantucc]

Torrone:

 

and Marzipan squares:

 

Art show opening at a beer and wine shop

[psantucc]

My favorite recent project: a precise chocolate warmer on a budget. Still in testing; this is the first attempt:

 

 

Total parts cost $50.00. Note the genuine thrift shop Revere warming tray (as used by Kerry Beal!) I can't believe I found one. Water for this test as I wasn't ready to risk chocolate.

 

 

Two short tests later shows it rigged for dipping. It worked, and the extra hot pad space kept my spat ready to go. Though it kept the chocolate within 1 degree C of center point, the difference between the real center and set point grew as the level of chocolate fell - and the chocolate was warmer than the probe. I nearly lost the last bit.

 

 

This year's Easter production came entirely from the warmer.

[psantucc]

Latest test model. I figured that the open sides really chilled the probe and 1/3 pan more than I thought likely, so added insulation - blue foam wrapped in foil. Heat deformed the foam somewhat, but the results were good - center temp between 1 and 4 degrees C over setpoint, depending on time in the heat/cool cycle. When set to hold, center was steady at 2 degrees over setpoint with less than 1 degree C variance.

 

 

Made bourbon cordial cherries with it, still setting up. Note: moulding fondant around a small, pitted, wet cherry does not result in a better or easier piece than dipping in melted fondant. They're both pretty tedious and subject to fault, at least when I do it, but I really like the flavor better than the firm candied cherries.

 

[psantucc]

Psantucc - good to see you here! We missed you last weekend!

Missed you too, and the conference - it was thinking of you that finally made me get off my bum and at least post. My twin sons turn 18 in a month, and I confess I wasn't prepared for the degree to which the demands on my time and funds would increase. Whenever I squeezed in a  confectionery session for most of this year I ended up without time to organize my thoughts before haring off to the next thing.

Someday I shall return!

[keychris]

today I just bent the tines how I wanted them, and they seem to hold up fine

 

That's exactly what I did with mine

[pastrygirl]

Just today actually I think I solved my problem. The forks I us are from ateco, they are the full stainless ones (I think they have others with wooded handles). Anywho, Kerry sent me pictures of what hers looked like, and I noticed they were bent at the tines. I've been trying to come up with a way to bend mine at the base of the handle (I didn't have a vice or anything, and I'm not very mechanical) but today I just bent the tines how I wanted them, and they seem to hold up fine. I was afraid the tines would be too delicate to bend, but they are fine. This is just a simple solution for what I needed, I have no doubt that Kerrys forks are much more durable, but what I do with dipping is on the limited side, and was trying to figure a way to make a simple modification to these forks that are cheap enough that I wouldnt feel bad about destroying :-)

 

I have a couple of those and did the same thing.  I think as long as you're not bending them back and forth and weakening the  metal you should be fine.  I don't do much hand dipping though.  I have a hard time with how thin the handles are, I feel like i need big clunky 'good grips' type handles to not make my hand go numb

[pastrygirl]

 I signed up for two outdoor weekly markets this summer, will be making lots of pate de fruits so I have something that won't melt!  Flavors of the moment: nectarine, raspberry-apricot, blueberry-ginger (with some morello cherry puree because the blueberries were a bit insipid) and strawberry-rhubarb.  Using fresh fruit may end up being a challenge... though that rarely stops me

 

[kriz6912]

Crispy Coffee... milk chocolate ganache & coffee, milk chocolate truffle shells, crispy feuilletine

 

More photos at...

https://www.facebook.com/KrisSchoofsChocolates

https://instagram.com/kriz6912

Edited June 6, 2015 by kriz6912 (log)

[Anna N]

On Thursday evening Kerry Beal and I did a charity gig for the Brain Injury Association of Peel and Halton (BIAPH). We set up a cookie and truffle decorating station and participants could each decorate a chocolate-dipped Oreo cookie and a vanilla truffle (Kerry made enormous truffles to give them a "canvas").

The decorating station is all set up with spares ready beside the microwave (which decided to act up and almost caused me to go into panic mode. Kerry stayed cool as usual).

Kerry filling squeeze bottles with tempered chocolate.

There were a fair number of artistic types but an equal number who were perfectly happy to just grab an Oreo and run! During the speeches many Oreos and truffles were surreptitiously consumed.

Edited to fix a typo.

Edited June 6, 2015 by Anna N (log)

[Kerry Beal]

 

Continuing prep for fun fair this Thursday - I made a couple of pans of Rice Krispie treats that I then dipped in milk chocolate and drizzled with dark. Finished up the chocolate with some ginger and freeze dried lemon bark and some almond smoked salt bark.

 

Tomorrow I hope to make a couple of panned items and sponge toffee. 

[Kerry Beal]

 

So one of the last things I finished up before the fun fair was a batch of sponge toffee - it turned out perfectly! Too bad it didn't sell!

 

 

 

 

 

Setting up at the fun fair.  

[Darienne]

Are those red Twizzlers dipped in milk chocolate and drizzled with dark and white chocolate?  Were they a success?  I can't imagine Twizzlers in chocolate... 

[Kerry Beal]

Yes they are - they taste kinda like chewy turkish delight done that way. They are always popular - probably sold more of them today than anything else (not saying much given the disappointing day) - but kids seem to love them I suspect because they recognize what they are.

[psantucc]

Looks ace, of course! How are you panning? Hand, or mechanism?

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So one of the last things I finished up before the fun fair was a batch of sponge toffee - it turned out perfectly! Too bad it didn't sell!

 

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Setting up at the fun fair.  

[minas6907]

Very cool Kerry! The malted milk balls, do you make the centers, or are they purchased? I was looking into that today, I was surprised to see that you can buy the malted milk centers, but had trouble finding how they are made. Also, in the last picture, did you make those colorful panned items? I dont know what they are, but they look awesome! I love your work, seriously.

[Kerry Beal]

Looks ace, of course! How are you panning? Hand, or mechanism?

I have the DeBuyer pan that goes on the Kitchen Aid - and falls out of the 6 quart Kitchen Aid!

[Kerry Beal]

Very cool Kerry! The malted milk balls, do you make the centers, or are they purchased? I was looking into that today, I was surprised to see that you can buy the malted milk centers, but had trouble finding how they are made. Also, in the last picture, did you make those colorful panned items? I dont know what they are, but they look awesome! I love your work, seriously.

Purchased - first batch from Nuts.com, second batch from Superior Nuts (aka Nuts in Bulk) - the second batch were less expensive and nicer, lighter centres.

 

They are made under vacuum - not an easy thing to do at home.

 

I made up that container full of panned items with a bunch of odds and ends I had left - there is quite a variety of things in there - the person who guessed closest to the number of items in there took it!

[Toliver]

So one of the last things I finished up before the fun fair was a batch of sponge toffee - it turned out perfectly! Too bad it didn't sell!

 

Sponge toffee...it looks like Butterfinger candy bars. Is it crispy/crunchy or soft?

If it's /crispycrunchy you could always label it "Futterbingers" so people would know what it tastes like.

 

I am in awe of your continued great work in chocolate.

[Tri2Cook]

Sponge toffee...it looks like Butterfinger candy bars. Is it crispy/crunchy or soft?

If it's /crispycrunchy you could always label it "Futterbingers" so people would know what it tastes like.

 

I am in awe of your continued great work in chocolate.

Sponge toffee isn't at all reminiscent of Butterfingers in taste or texture. I'm not a real big fan of sponge toffee. I like making it, it's a pretty cool thing watching the syrup puff into a big foam that hardens into a candy sponge, but I don't eat much of it. I do like Butterfingers and have tried to replicate it... without success.