Santa's Spectactular Tonawanda Workshop

[patris]

9 hours ago, curls said:

 

Looks like a bit of Becolade chocolate was used today (unless I am reading the boxes incorrectly)! Any idea how much you went thru today?

 

I don’t have exact numbers, but we used probably 5 kilos of dark, maybe 3 of milk, and between 1 and 2 kilos of caramelized white. It was Belcolade - it’s really lovely to work with.

[curls]

8 minutes ago, patris said:

 

I don’t have exact numbers, but we used probably 5 kilos of dark, maybe 3 of milk, and between 1 and 2 kilos of caramelized white. It was Belcolade - it’s really lovely to work with.

Good numbers but a bit less chocolate than we use for the eGullet chocolate workshop.I'm contemplating a chocolate class for friends and trying to get a sense of how much chocolate to have prepared. Guess it really depends on what we make. Did you go thru more chocolate in your early workshops when your friends filled their own chocolate moulds?

[patris]

14 hours ago, kayb said:

OK, if you take orders,  I want a set of the trees. Just let me know how to acquire them. And you people are about to tempt me over the line into fancy chocolate making, and that is a step I do NOT need to take!

 

9 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

Thanks to @patris & @Kerry Beal for sharing with us.  Looks like so much fun!  I came ever so close to buying Rice Krispies today so I could make the caramelized variety....for which I have no use whatsoever 🙃.

Do put me on the reservation list for the trees though.  I don't know that I could invest in an entire forest but a small grove would be lovely!

 

 

These trees were my first attempt and I will work on them when the studio opens back up in January (it is closed from Thanksgiving until New Year’s). My technique needs loads of work if I am ever to feel good about selling, but If you’re serious about wanting them I will check back in with you when I get a better handle on them!

Edited December 9, 2019 by patris (log)

[patris]

1 hour ago, curls said:

Good numbers but a bit less chocolate than we use for the eGullet chocolate workshop.I'm contemplating a chocolate class for friends and trying to get a sense of how much chocolate to have prepared. Guess it really depends on what we make. Did you go thru more chocolate in your early workshops when your friends filled their own chocolate moulds?

 

The first year was the only year we did molds, and the overall logistics were quite different. I didn’t keep any record of how much chocolate we used, as far as I can tell. It does change a bit from year to year, and this year we had 3 new faces as 3 of the regulars couldn’t attend, so I don’t really have an apples to apples comparison. It does all really depend on what people want to make and how much of it - I had some folks who used less than a kilo altogether and some who used 2 or 3. If you limit people’s options - say, have everyone do one mold, barks or clusters with x pounds of chocolate, and maybe allot x pounds of chocolate per person for dipped items - that might be a good way to think about it. Presenting it as a class rather than the friends and family free-for-all like I do it gives you the structure to set limits like that.

Edited December 9, 2019 by patris (log)

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, patris said:

 

I don’t have exact numbers, but we used probably 5 kilos of dark, maybe 3 of milk, and between 1 and 2 kilos of caramelized white. It was Belcolade - it’s really lovely to work with.

And that’s not counting the bark you made ahead of time

[patris]

5 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

And that’s not counting the bark you made ahead of time

 

Good point! I used 4500 g of dark chocolate and 3750 g of white in the peppermint bark, and 2200 g of milk chocolate for peanut butter meltaways.

[patris]

11 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I spy a Paragon and orange spatulas are best.

 

 

I am loving the Paragon (though my go-to spatula is purple) - makes the best damn grilled cheese sandwich.

[kayb]

7 hours ago, patris said:

 

 

These trees were my first attempt and I will work on them when the studio opens back up in January (it is closed from Thanksgiving until New Year’s). My technique needs loads of work if I am ever to feel good about selling, but If you’re serious about wanting them I will check back in with you when I get a better handle on them!

 

 

Yes, please.

 

I'm in no rush!

 

[curls]

Browsing this topic and missing this year's Santa's Spectactular Tonawanda Workshop. @patrisI hope that you are doing well. Hopefully you will be able to do this again in 2021.

[Chocolot]

I have missed lots of Kerry's adventures. Let's hope for more travel in 2021!

[Kerry Beal]

I’m terribly sad this wasn’t able to happen this year! I love my visits down to @patris

[MokaPot]

I like this thread a lot. I hope, next year, you can get together and make stuff again.

[patris]

Of all the events in my life lost to COVID this year, this is the one I miss the most! Thank you @curls for reaching out.  Assuming things get back to normal by then, you can bet @Kerry Beal and the elves will be back at it next December.

[RobertM]

I’m with the majority here.....I am missing seeing the fun at Santas a workshop......

[Kerry Beal]

Not really a Santa's workshop this year - but I took the opportunity to pop down to visit with @patris this weekend and she is working on some items to give away at work this week - so I'm up for helping. 

 

 

 

 

The reveal will come later after these are unmolded - but it's a 'gingerbread cookie' ganache - doesn't contain any cookies with the flavour is spot on. 

 

 

 

There will be Twix bars later. 

 

 

 

Neglected to get a picture when made - but this is Trader Joes ginger thins and orange bark. 

 

 

And this is the peppermint bark that @patris made earlier this week. 

 

Peanut butter and feullitine meltways 

[Kerry Beal]

 

the gingerbread cookie ganache 

[Jim D.]

@Kerry Beal is the gingerbread cookie ganache the one in Greweling's book?  He enrobes it and drops a little turbinado sugar on top.  I am always amazed at how close to gingerbread it tastes; the "secret" ingredient is anise liqueur (I use Sambuca). 

[patris]

1 hour ago, Jim D. said:

@Kerry Beal is the gingerbread cookie ganache the one in Greweling's book?  He enrobes it and drops a little turbinado sugar on top.  I am always amazed at how close to gingerbread it tastes; the "secret" ingredient is anise liqueur (I use Sambuca). 

It’s a pretty simple recipe modified from here - 300 grams white chocolate, 100 grams cream, 20 grams molasses, and about a teaspoon of your preferred blend of gingerbread spices.

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

 

 

 

First 2 pics - @patris's dipping which she claims wasn't beautiful! Second 2 - my dipping which is put to shame by her dipping! The last pic is some gluten free crackers from Trader Joes dipped for my friend who is eating low fodmap. @patris didn't care for the crackers as is (in either their gluten filled or gluten free form) - but finds them tolerable dipped in chocolate. 

[curls]

Wonderful selection of treats! Surprised that there are no marshmallows this year. Happy Holidays!