Confections! What did we make? (2017 – )

[Tri2Cook]

1 hour ago, Matthew.Taylor said:

Thanks for the honesty.

No problem. Though, to be completely honest, that was entirely tongue-in-cheek. I was just pointing out little unimportant nothings under the guise of being merciless as sort of a joke. Nothing wrong with the way you did your ganache and the thing about the milk chocolate was just a little jab I like to take now and then because I personally like milk chocolate. 

 

1 hour ago, Matthew.Taylor said:

but wouldn't that put too much liquid in the ganache?

Maybe. Wouldn't think it would be any worse than using a strawberry puree though. I guess it depends on the shelf life you're shooting for.
 

[sbain]

Happy Earth Day! These little guys are filled with yuzu pate du fruit and milk chocolate ganache. Hope you are all having a great weekend  

[Kerry Beal]

 

Making a few barks to take for the examiners to share this weekend in London, Ontario. This one is lemon and lavender with dried blueberries from Costco.

[teonzo]

10 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

This one is lemon and lavender with dried blueberries from Costco.

 

I suppose you used essential oils, right? If so, can I ask how much lavender did you add? I go crazy each time I use lavender essential oil, most of the times 1 drop is few and 2 are too much (or 2 and 3, or 3 and 4). Lavender oil (the ones I tried, at least) is really strong, next times I'm considering to add it to a part of the batter, then add parts of this to the rest to be more precise, only problem is that I end up with waste which doesn't make me happy.

Dried blueberries are something I'd really love to find here.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[Kerry Beal]

This particular lavender oil is not totally overpowering - I think I used three drops to the 10 drops of lemon oil for about a kilo of white chocolate.

[Chocoguyin Pemby]

52 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

This particular lavender oil is not totally overpowering - I think I used three drops to the 10 drops of lemon oil for about a kilo of white chocolate.

That bark sounds delicious - I wish  I had thought about making something for my examiner today - I have to drive 2 hours on my motorbike for a 15 minute skills test so I can get my learners license - 50 yrs old and I  still get nervous - afterwards I am going to the Gourmet Warehouse for some therapy - What brand is the lavender oil?  I might find it there and pick it up - and the lemon oil.  And some molds.  and some olive oil and........:)

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, Chocoguyin Pemby said:

That bark sounds delicious - I wish  I had thought about making something for my examiner today - I have to drive 2 hours on my motorbike for a 15 minute skills test so I can get my learners license - 50 yrs old and I  still get nervous - afterwards I am going to the Gourmet Warehouse for some therapy - What brand is the lavender oil?  I might find it there and pick it up - and the lemon oil.  And some molds.  and some olive oil and........:)

Not one you'll find in stores. It's from Annatolian Treasures. It's English Lavender - don't see it on their list anymore. 

[teonzo]

3 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Not one you'll find in stores. It's from Annatolian Treasures. It's English Lavender - don't see it on their list anymore. 

 

Thanks for the info and for the link, really useful. The essential oils I find here are generic, never seen the differentiation about origin. So I assume English lavender should be milder than the French one, good to know for the next time. They have great prices too, I was asked 120 euro for 5 ml of chamomile essential oil, here it costs $17.40, just a liiiiiittle difference. They have stuff I've never seen too, like magnolia essential oil: I knew they make magnolia pickles in Japan, but never seen this flower used anywhere else. $1 samples are a great idea too, wish more sellers had them.

Only problem is that I'll go through import hell if I try to place an order.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[Kerry Beal]

1 minute ago, teonzo said:

 

Thanks for the info and for the link, really useful. The essential oils I find here are generic, never seen the differentiation about origin. So I assume English lavender should be milder than the French one, good to know for the next time. They have great prices too, I was asked 120 euro for 5 ml of chamomile essential oil, here it costs $17.40, just a liiiiiittle difference. They have stuff I've never seen too, like magnolia essential oil: I knew they make magnolia pickles in Japan, but never seen this flower used anywhere else. $1 samples are a great idea too, wish more sellers had them.

Only problem is that I'll go through import hell if I try to place an order.

 

 

 

Teo

 

Indeed - even to import to Canada is a bit of an issue. 

 

I first discovered this company when I bought Rose Otto. I paid pennies on the dollar compared to what it costs now.

[Tri2Cook]

2 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Indeed - even to import to Canada is a bit of an issue. 

 

I first discovered this company when I bought Rose Otto. I paid pennies on the dollar compared to what it costs now.

Kinda sad to hear that. I bookmarked the site because it said they can ship most items to most places without trouble. I don't even know if there's anything I want, I'm not up on essential oils enough to be confident about what is or isn't safe to use in a food situation, but I was going to take a peek. But I know there's nothing I want bad enough to deal with import hassles.

[Kerry Beal]

4 hours ago, Tri2Cook said:

Kinda sad to hear that. I bookmarked the site because it said they can ship most items to most places without trouble. I don't even know if there's anything I want, I'm not up on essential oils enough to be confident about what is or isn't safe to use in a food situation, but I was going to take a peek. But I know there's nothing I want bad enough to deal with import hassles.

It was quite a few years ago - back in the days when the Americans were a little hesitant to sell to Canadians. I suspect it wouldn't be a problem these days. 

[keychris]

 

mother's day gifts for my children's school mother's day stall

[minas6907]

I normally dont do boxed items, but there was a request, box included espresso ganache, salted caramel, blueberry pate de fruit, peanut butter, peppermint fondant, and cashew caramel. Next in some licorice sticks and pops. In another post, I mentioned how a friend of mine works in a machine shop and had made me a form so I can get a more consistant shape on the lollipops. So he made one for me as a test, then I asked him for four others and gave him the measurements. So these are the molds that he made me, as well as the lollipops they produce. Next two pictures, peanut brittle and sesame brittle.

 

In writing this short post, I thought of doing a sesame caramel. Any thoughts on that? It sounds delicious, but I'm not sure if it would have a weird chew. Anyways, just throwing it out there.

[Chocoguyin Pemby]

Made a batch of chocolates for Mothers Day and tried some new to me flavours - Gold is Earl Grey Tea, Bolt is raspberry, bluey is pistachio, Heart is baileys and Green is white chocolate mango.  made over 500 and they are all gone - time to buy some more chocolate!!  I tried using a Russian piping tip with some success on the green one - I think the air pressure was to high using my HVLP spray gun.  Next time I will try my other airbrush and compressor.

[SchiehallionHandmade]

Found some of this 3m vinyl tape 471+ on UK amazon for trying to make stripes and shapes. 

 

I don't currently use a spray gun, it's coloured cocoa butter and a gloved finger lol. 

 

Flavour is a Honeybush Pumpkin Chai tea ganache (looks like it's available elsewhere apart from UK) 

Edited June 5, 2019 by SchiehallionHandmade (log)

[Kerry Beal]

 

Suffice it to say they are almost the same as that famous Italian brand - though I mustn't tell you much more than that. Freshly made are a very different beast than prepackaged. 

 

 

Edited October 3, 2019 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Darienne]

5 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Suffice it to say they are almost the same as that famous Italian brand - though I mustn't tell you much more than that. Freshly made are a very different beast than prepackaged. 

It may well suffice for most, but I have no idea what they are.  Can you give me some kind of insight or recipe?  They do look delicious.  

[Kerry Beal]

4 minutes ago, Darienne said:

It may well suffice for most, but I have no idea what they are.  Can you give me some kind of insight or recipe?  They do look delicious.  

Don't recognize the gold foil covered Italian rochers out of their covering? Can't give a recipe. Hubby indeed thinks they are delicious - he's snuck down to the chocolate room 3 times now!

Edited October 3, 2019 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Chocoguyin Pemby]

Those look delicious Kerry - I have a recipe for them but I had trouble finding the wafers - now you have inspired me and I am going to try these again - I am going to Vancouver and have located a source for them.   I recognized the right away.  They look pretty labour intensive.

 

[Kerry Beal]

3 minutes ago, Chocoguyin Pemby said:

Those look delicious Kerry - I have a recipe for them but I had trouble finding the wafers - now you have inspired me and I am going to try these again - I am going to Vancouver and have located a source for them.   I recognized the right away.  They look pretty labour intensive.

 

I'd be curious where you find the wafers.

[Darienne]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

Don't recognize the gold foil covered Italian rochers out of their covering? Can't give a recipe. Hubby indeed thinks they are delicious - he's snuck down to the chocolate room 3 times now!

 

Truly, I have never had one.  

 

[Smithy]

6 hours ago, Darienne said:

Truly, I have never had one.  

 

 

You've missed out, and I recommend that if you ever see Ferraro Rocher confections in a store you pick up a few to try them. They turn up, especially during the holiday season, at a variety of USA stores: Walgreens, probably WalMart, and I think even some grocery stores I've visited. They're light, airy, crunchy, and a pleasant blend of chocolate and hazelnut. I can only imagine what Kerry's version is like.

[Darienne]

8 hours ago, Smithy said:

 

You've missed out, and I recommend that if you ever see Ferraro Rocher confections in a store you pick up a few to try them. They turn up, especially during the holiday season, at a variety of USA stores: Walgreens, probably WalMart, and I think even some grocery stores I've visited. They're light, airy, crunchy, and a pleasant blend of chocolate and hazelnut. I can only imagine what Kerry's version is like.

We do have them in Canada...we've just never purchased them.   Now that I look up the ingredients I'm not in a hurry to buy them.  We don't like milk chocolate and loathe Nutella.  Yep, both of us.  I did however once purchase a slab of Gianduja while in Utah, which was of course milk chocolate, and loved it...but not the jarred Nutella.  I expect it tasted quite different going back a few decades.  

 

Still I expect Kerry's would have been quite wonderful. 

[Jim D.]

1 hour ago, Darienne said:

We do have them in Canada...we've just never purchased them.   Now that I look up the ingredients I'm not in a hurry to buy them.  We don't like milk chocolate and loathe Nutella.  Yep, both of us.  I did however once purchase a slab of Gianduja while in Utah, which was of course milk chocolate, and loved it...but not the jarred Nutella.  I expect it tasted quite different going back a few decades.  

 

Still I expect Kerry's would have been quite wonderful. 

Just wanted to point out that gianduja can be made with any chocolate (dark, milk, or even white). And as for milk chocolate, I definitely prefer dark, but there are some milks being made that are certainly "on the dark side" (so to speak). I currently use Felchlin's Maracaibo Créole (49%) and think it's delicious. Or you can always mix some dark with the milk. I just feel there are some fillings that go better with milk chocolate.

[Darienne]

1 hour ago, Jim D. said:

Just wanted to point out that gianduja can be made with any chocolate (dark, milk, or even white). And as for milk chocolate, I definitely prefer dark, but there are some milks being made that are certainly "on the dark side" (so to speak). I currently use Felchlin's Maracaibo Créole (49%) and think it's delicious. Or you can always mix some dark with the milk. I just feel there are some fillings that go better with milk chocolate.

The gianduja I bought was in milk chocolate...Guittard if I remember correctly...but I loved it.  And our local dealer (of Belcolade) once gave me a piece of a Barry(?) milk chocolate and it was amazing. 

 

My more intense relationship to chocolate and confections in general has somewhat fallen by the way over the last five years...Carpal Tunnel Syndrome amongst the reasons...and so I'm not producing much any more at all.   However, I do thank you for the information.