Confections! What did we make? (2017 – )

[Haley]

My Christmas collection is finished! 😅

[curls]

Quite a selection @Haley! I really like the green one in the front with the two shades of green and a bit of white. Would you please tell us the flavors for all your chocolates.

Edited December 16, 2018 by curls (log)

[Haley]

3 hours ago, curls said:

Quite a selection @Haley! I really like the green one in the front with the two shades of green and a bit of white. Would you please tell us the flavors for all your chocolates.

 

The green at the front is key lime.  The other flavors I did are:

maple bourbon pecan

dulce de leche coffee

bananas foster caramel

mango habanero

espresso

salted caramel

peanut butter pretzel

turtle

pecan gianduja ganache

salted caramel and black pepper ganache

fresh mint ganache

peppermint

hazelnut gianduja

cookie butter crunch

chai

jasmine

orange blossom

toasted coconut

blackberry mojito

white chocolate grapefruit

raspberry

passionfruit

black sesame

soft chocolate nougat

 

I think I got a little carried away with trying new flavors this year!

[Rajala]

I made this today, recipe from Leroux's "Praliné". Super soft, had to put it in the fridge in order to cut it. I guess I shouldn't have used extremely smooth praliné, but something with a bit more texture to it. Also got stuck in the guitar sheet. But yeah, it tastes amazing though. Next piece of expensive equipment needs to be a guitar cutter (if I continue making things like this.)

 

Edited December 20, 2018 by Rajala
Spelling (log)

[curls]

This year's Winter Holiday flavors:

chocolate truffle, bourbon ganache, milk chocolate peanut butter hearts, dark chocolate peanut butter hearts, marzipan & cherry-raspberry pâte de fruit, and chocolate dipped candied ginger. For lagniappe, some milk & dark chocolate dipped pretzels.

 

arranging the box of chocolates

 

completed box

 

milk chocolate pretzels

[curls]

chocolate house - pre-decorations

Planning to go real simple with the decorations... maybe just some icing/snow.  Many thanks to @Chocolot and @lambrecht gourmet for the inspiration.

Edited December 23, 2018 by curls
add credits (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Wasn't a particularly productive holiday season for chocolate this year. Time taken up writing a paper (not a skill set I possess). 

 

Did manage to make chocolates for teachers, educational assistants and bus drivers as well as for neighbors. Threw together a few Santas, barks, dipped cookies, etc for friends and family and to take to work for the only shift I have before Christmas. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

Threw together a few Santas, 

 I love the facial expression on the last Santa.  I wouldn’t count for one minute on him leaving anything other than a lump of coal at my door.  He seems to be saying, “You gotta be kidding me. There’s nothing in that sack except my lunch”. 

[Nickos]

On 12/16/2018 at 1:41 AM, trisme11 said:

Chocolate milk truffle filled with salted caramel, dipped in chocolate and covered with feuilletine

 

 

 

looks good! do you mind to share your recipe

[ChocoMom]

For Christmas, my 10 year old niece got a gift certificate for a private chocolate class with her Aunt (me). She's been dying to do this for the last couple of years, so that's what I decided to do for her. It was 7 1/2 hours of fun and learning.  I did something that I NEVER do in a class....let her concoct her own fillings.  I showed her how to weigh out ingredients, mix, taste, etc.   So, we ended up with a crazy combination of tangerine creme layered with dragonfruit pineapple; a dark chocolate-cherry ganache, a caramel, and raspberry-white chocolate.  She picked out the colors, and I taught her how to airbrush. So, below are a couple pics of the adventure.....

 

[chromedome]

That'll be a lifelong memory. Well done, Auntie.

[SchiehallionHandmade]

On 10/16/2018 at 9:17 PM, sbain said:

Love it! Have you ever tried other planets? I am dreaming about a box of 9. Jupiter and Mars would be fun:)

Your earth is excellent, I have just started with colours, I did do an interesting Scottish blue chocolate but used non fat soluble colouring, so when people ate it it turned their tongue blue. I quoted Braveheart and said it was supposed to do that lol.

 

 

I definitely want to try and improve my planets.

[sbain]

I love the green swirly one (Venus?). Nice technique!

[Pastrypastmidnight]

I’m finally back in my own kitchen making things again. I had shells I painted and made in November before I took a part-time job for the holidays and just never had time to finish them until after the New Year. And I got a freaking guitar cutter and if I wasn’t terrified of breaking the wires I think I’d be cutting everything in my kitchen in to perfect little squares all day long  .

blackberry

 

Peanut butter pretzel

 

Peppermint fondant and fresh mint ganache

 

sour cherry and lemon thyme

 

pink grapefruit

 

pear cardamom caramel 

 

mango passionfruit vanilla caramels

[Jim D.]

1 hour ago, Pastrypastmidnight said:

And I got a freaking guitar cutter and if I wasn’t terrified of breaking the wires I think I’d be cutting everything in my kitchen in to perfect little squares all day long  .

 

I know just what you mean. The pleasure of getting those perfect squares (after years of jagged pseudo-squares) cannot be overestimated. But it is balanced by dread of a broken wire. I've done it once (gianduja too firm), and now I watch and test the filling to be cut like a hawk (I also now add coconut oil to gianduja to keep it softer). Fortunately those many, many test cuts cannot be seen once enrobing takes place.

 

How was the pear flavor in the caramel? Pear is so subtle that I can't help wondering how detectable it was.

[Pastrypastmidnight]

34 minutes ago, Jim D. said:

I know just what you mean. The pleasure of getting those perfect squares (after years of jagged pseudo-squares) cannot be overestimated. But it is balanced by dread of a broken wire. I've done it once (gianduja too firm), and now I watch and test the filling to be cut like a hawk (I also now add coconut oil to gianduja to keep it softer). Fortunately those many, many test cuts cannot be seen once enrobing takes place.

 

How was the pear flavor in the caramel? Pear is so subtle that I can't help wondering how detectable it was.

How do you test cut?

 

The pear was too subtle. Or the cardamom was too strong. I used the same amount of cardamom that I use in my orange cardamom ganache and it was too much. It’s a work in progress  . Still yummy. I’m going to try again. I have a container in my freezer if the pears I grew this summer and then puréed. Hopefully I’ll get it right before they’re all gone. 

[Jim D.]

22 minutes ago, Pastrypastmidnight said:

How do you test cut?

 

The pear was too subtle. Or the cardamom was too strong. I used the same amount of cardamom that I use in my orange cardamom ganache and it was too much. It’s a work in progress  . Still yummy. I’m going to try again. I have a container in my freezer if the pears I grew this summer and then puréed. Hopefully I’ll get it right before they’re all gone. 

I too make my own pear purée so that I can be sure they are ripe and can include a little of the pulp.

 

I wasn't clear on test cuts. I don't actually cut. I have a knife with a tiny blade and I stick it into the ganache, first on the sides (which will be cut off eventually), and when they are firm, into the middle. When there is almost no filling on the knife blade, I know it's time--or I hope it's time! In my opinion, one time of replacing a wire makes all this obsession something completely justified, and I do not apologize for it. By the way, once you buy the extra frames for making little bars, you will have a whole new possibility for cutting everything in sight.

[pastrygirl]

 

3 hours ago, Pastrypastmidnight said:

And I got a freaking guitar cutter and if I wasn’t terrified of breaking the wires I think I’d be cutting everything in my kitchen in to perfect little squares all day long  .

 

1 hour ago, Jim D. said:

 In my opinion, one time of replacing a wire makes all this obsession something completely justified, and I do not apologize for it. By the way, once you buy the extra frames for making little bars, you will have a whole new possibility for cutting everything in sight.

 

Wires are gonna break, don't freak out, it's only 2 screws, you can handle 2 screws.*

 

*I mean, of course it's a drag, especially when you break multiple at once, and do that multiple times a day when you don't have time for it, and the ends of the wires are sharp and now you're bleeding and the 15mm frame is the worst because the screws are so close together, but other than that, it's only 2 screws.  Should I find my youtube tutorial?

[Jim D.]

9 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

Should I find my youtube tutorial?

I think this would be a good spot to add a link to it. It was very helpful in my replacement of a wire.

[pastrygirl]

5 hours ago, Jim D. said:

very helpful in my replacement of a wire.

 

Have you really only broken one?  I've gone through two spools of replacement wire - over the course of 8 years, but still!

[Jim D.]

1 hour ago, pastrygirl said:

 

Have you really only broken one?  I've gone through two spools of replacement wire - over the course of 8 years, but still!

I guess some of us are more careful than others. 😛

[Pastrypastmidnight]

On 1/10/2019 at 9:18 PM, pastrygirl said:

 

 

 

Wires are gonna break, don't freak out, it's only 2 screws, you can handle 2 screws.*

 

*I mean, of course it's a drag, especially when you break multiple at once, and do that multiple times a day when you don't have time for it, and the ends of the wires are sharp and now you're bleeding and the 15mm frame is the worst because the screws are so close together, but other than that, it's only 2 screws.  Should I find my youtube tutorial?

Baby’s first broken wire (messed up my chablon in one corner and it was too thick). 

 

I’d love to see that video if you can post it, please  .

[pastrygirl]

@Pastrypastmidnight there's a link in the guitar cutter thread: 

 

Edited January 13, 2019 by pastrygirl (log)

[Jim D.]

Here is a direct link to the video on Youtube. And many thanks to @pastrygirl for taking to time to make it.

  

 

[Chocoguyin Pemby]

So I visited with my sister this past weekend and made some chocolates with my nieces -  salted caramel and peanut butter, solid chocolate lotus and coconut cream.  This difference in the red heart shaped one is one is backed with white.  Practicing for valentines this year.  I want to offer a 5 pack of flavours - i was thinking baileys, red hot cinnamon,  salted caramel, hazelnut praline and ???  any suggestions?