Confections! What did we make? (2017 – )

[pastrygirl]

Not so much the what but the how. 

 

I have always been utterly convinced that cutting caramels on my guitar would be a disaster.  I had this image of a sticky mess with a ton of broken strings then having them all stick back together anyway.  So I've cut thousands and thousands of caramels over the years one at a time, by hand.  Six strips per pan then each strip into 15 pieces.

 

This morning when needing to cut three more pans after doing two yesterday and dreading not only the cutting and wrapping but all the carefully tucking into boxes,  I decided to face my fear and cut caramels on the guitar.  Other people manage to do it; I needed to try it. 

 

I started slow, with one strip of 15.  Lo and behold, it worked!  The next pan, I cut the six strips on the guitar then two at a time for 30 pieces at once.  Tomorrow I'll spread out all the wrappers and try the whole pan at once - two cuts instead of 89.

 

I'm a new woman.  The hours I'll save!  The profit I'll make!  The less I'll resent caramel eaters!  I mean, I still have to wrap each one of the little fuckers, but cutting 30+ at once ... why oh why didn't I try this sooner? 

 

It's never too late to try something a new way.  Work smarter, not harder!

 

 

 

And how much is a caramel wrapping machine?

 

[Jim D.]

@pastrygirl, Do you mind posting the recipe you use for making these caramels? Is this type of caramel always made--to simplify it, I'm sure--by mixing everything together at the beginning, then cooking it to a certain temp?  That is the recipe Greweling gives. This is unlike the other type, where sugar is caramelized first, then cream is added and cooked to temp? I've never fully understood how the two types differ. And I've not had reliable success with making caramels that can be cut--they flow back together or are too firm to eat. I would sooner slash my wrist with my guitar than cut caramels with it. You are braver than I. Get in touch when you run out of replacement guitar wire. 

[pastrygirl]

lol, @Jim D. I have a whole fresh spool when I need it.

 

I caramelize the sugar then add warmed cream, etc.   For 90 pieces, heat 600 g heavy cream, 150 g butter, 170 g lyle's golden syrup (or whatever liquid sugar), salt and other flavors as desired.  Caramelize 700 g sugar as dark as you like then add liquid*.  I cooked to 258F, poured into a 9" square pan & cooled at room temp overnight.  It was a nice mid-high 60's in the kitchen today, finally better pastry-making weather!

 

I could see it not going as well if the caramel was soft and the kitchen is warm, or hard caramel and cold kitchen.  And you probably need to wrap as soon as they're cut, they do stick together a little bit so I wouldn't cut them and leave them sitting around.  But the caramel wasn't any firmer than the butter ganaches I make, and a far cry from the semi-solid gianduja that I've broken too many strings on.

 

*I always do wet caramel and just keep an eye on it while I do something else. 

Edited September 20, 2017 by pastrygirl
wet caramel (log)

[Kerry Beal]

10 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

Not so much the what but the how. 

 

I have always been utterly convinced that cutting caramels on my guitar would be a disaster.  I had this image of a sticky mess with a ton of broken strings then having them all stick back together anyway.  So I've cut thousands and thousands of caramels over the years one at a time, by hand.  Six strips per pan then each strip into 15 pieces.

 

This morning when needing to cut three more pans after doing two yesterday and dreading not only the cutting and wrapping but all the carefully tucking into boxes,  I decided to face my fear and cut caramels on the guitar.  Other people manage to do it; I needed to try it. 

 

I started slow, with one strip of

It's never too late to try

 

And how much is a caramel wrapping machine?

 

I've never seen a new one - think the cheapest used I've seen has been around $7500 - but that's from one of the places that resells and isn't inexpensive. I know you are talking half in jest right now but if you get serious I'd watch auctions. 

[Jim D.]

9 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

I caramelize the sugar then add warmed cream, etc.   For 90 pieces, heat 600 g heavy cream, 150 g butter, 170 g lyle's golden syrup (or whatever liquid sugar), salt and other flavors as desired.  Caramelize 700 g sugar as dark as you like then add liquid*.  I cooked to 258F, poured into a 9" square pan & cooled at room temp overnight.  It was a nice mid-high 60's in the kitchen today, finally better pastry-making weather!

 

Well, that totally turns my expectations on their head--it's not the type of caramel Greweling's "soft caramel" recipes describe. It is, in fact, the type I make for pipeable caramel, although cooking it to a considerably lower temp  for that application. Maybe @Chocolot will chime in and clear this up for me (I think I've asked her this before, but could use more clarification). If I'm not mistaken, I think she makes her wrappable caramels by putting everything (including the dairy) in at the beginning and cooking all to temp.

 

9 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

...a far cry from the semi-solid gianduja that I've broken too many strings on.

Yes, the only string I've broken so far was on gianduja that got firmer sooner than expected. Now after I pour gianduja into the frame, I virtually stand over it, watching it like a hawk (or like a human who still remembers the encounter with a broken wire), and at the first signs of crystallization around the edges, start testing it with my little knife.

[Chocolot]

@Jim D.

Yes, I make a Maillard caramel for my cut caramels and a burnt sugar caramel for piping. I too am chicken when it comes to using my guitar to cut:). I use a large diameter roller knife. I really think the texture of the caramel is important to cut with guitar. Also, the exact final cook temp. I guess with practice, changing wires isn't so much of a problem?:). Great that some have figured how to do it without a lot of wire changing.

[MelissaH]

3 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

I've never seen a new one - think the cheapest used I've seen has been around $7500 - but that's from one of the places that resells and isn't inexpensive. I know you are talking half in jest right now but if you get serious I'd watch auctions. 

Would it be cheaper to pay a slave human to help you do the job, even accounting for the inevitable shrinkage of your product?

[pastrygirl]

Seeing is believing -

 

Full disclosure: I did break a wire on the first cut, and a slab that I cut a few hours later when it was warmer did stick together more after cutting.  Like so many things we work with, it's going to have to be juuuuust right.

[Kerry Beal]

 

Heading to Belgium next week, I am a group leader for an Ecole Chocolat masters class.

 

While I'm not exactly a participant, each student is asked to bring some product for the group to check out. Of course that means I feel the need to bring something! 

 

Last trip I took caramel frogs - this year it's  'The Gentlemen Retire to the Library' - port wine pate de fruit and tobacco ganache. 

[RobertM]

Someone was asking about a wrapping machine.....(I'm hoping this is allowed)

union machinery just emailed me about one, a package machinery Midel K Kiss wrapper - it looks small and compact.....$28,500

it can wrap up to 100 pieces per minute.....

 

http://www.unionmachinery.com/Product.asp?Number=80231

Edited September 28, 2017 by RobertM (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Just now, RobertM said:

Someone was asking about a wrapping machine.....(I'm hoping this is allowed)

union machinery just emailed me about one, a package machinery Midel K Kiss wrapper - it looks small and compact.....$28,500

 

http://www.unionmachinery.com/Product.asp?Number=80231

Funny was just looking at the same ad.

[RobertM]

Kerry - beautiful pieces - port wine and tobacco.....please let us know how they go!

have a glorious time .......

[Jim D.]

On 9/28/2017 at 11:35 AM, Kerry Beal said:

Heading to Belgium next week, I am a group leader for an Ecole Chocolat masters class.

 

While I'm not exactly a participant, each student is asked to bring some product for the group to check out. Of course that means I feel the need to bring something! 

 

Last trip I took caramel frogs - this year it's  'The Gentlemen Retire to the Library' - port wine pate de fruit and tobacco ganache. 

 

Kerry,

Do you mind giving the details of how you achieved that beautiful effect on the chocolates?

[Tri2Cook]

1 hour ago, Jim D. said:

 

Kerry,

Do you mind giving the details of how you achieved that beautiful effect on the chocolates?

Thanks! I wanted to ask her that myself but I feel like I'm constantly asking her how to do things or for advice on things I want to try to do. Thought I'd wait and see if somebody else would ask this time before I completely wear out my welcome. 

[Jim D.]

Just now, Tri2Cook said:

Thanks! I wanted to ask her that myself but I feel like I'm constantly asking her how to do things or for advice on things I want to try to do. Thought I'd wait and see if somebody else would ask this time before I completely wear out my welcome. 

Having now met "herself" in person at the workshop in May and observed how ready she was to help, I thought it safe to ask for assistance yet again. That particular look is one I was trying to achieve today no less--without her success!

[Kerry Beal]

I splattered with two different cosmic colours - both were versions of purple apparently - sprayed bronze behind then a finger swipe of gold.

[Jim D.]

4 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

I splattered with two different cosmic colours - both were versions of purple apparently - sprayed bronze behind then a finger swipe of gold.

 

Thanks for that information. How did you do the splattering?

[Kerry Beal]

Spray onto a small offset then flick it off.

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, Tri2Cook said:

Thanks! I wanted to ask her that myself but I feel like I'm constantly asking her how to do things or for advice on things I want to try to do. Thought I'd wait and see if somebody else would ask this time before I completely wear out my welcome. 

like that would ever happen

[Tri2Cook]

4 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

like that would ever happen

I know, it was in jest. But a large percentage of our conversation does consist of me saying things with question marks at the end. 

[Bentley]

My latest...with a new-to-me mold from Pavoni.  It's a white chocolate salted caramel in a dark shell.

 

 

[minas6907]

Just wanted to say hello. Its been a few years since I"ve been able to get the time to come on the forums, this was always my favorite thread. When I get a pocket of free time, I'll sort through my photos and post what I've done. It's nice to see this topic lives!

[Kerry Beal]

3 minutes ago, minas6907 said:

Just wanted to say hello. Its been a few years since I"ve been able to get the time to come on the forums, this was always my favorite thread. When I get a pocket of free time, I'll sort through my photos and post what I've done. It's nice to see this topic lives!

Shall look forward to it - always loved your photos.

 

[curls]

1 hour ago, minas6907 said:

Just wanted to say hello. Its been a few years since I"ve been able to get the time to come on the forums, this was always my favorite thread. When I get a pocket of free time, I'll sort through my photos and post what I've done. It's nice to see this topic lives!

Would be great to have you back on eGullet and to see what you have been doing.

[minas6907]

Heres one picture from a wedding at the beginning of this year, grape lollipops.