Easter chocolates 2020

[Jim D.]

@RWood, those transfer sheets are very nice. I also like those molds. Did you get them from JB Prince?  Unfortunately the molds have been discontinued (at least from JB Prince), and I have not been able to find more elsewhere. I had to supplement with some similar ones from Chocolate World.

[RWood]

Honestly, I can't remember where I got them. It wasn't JB Prince, most likely from either Bakedeco.com or Chocolat Chocolat in Montreal. I got them quite awhile ago and those were the places I ordered from. I had noticed when looking at magnetics, I didn't see it very much. Maybe it's been discontinued. I like it a lot, I have four, should have gotten more. 

The transfers are from Chocotransfersheets.com in Benicia CA that I went and picked up. 

[Tri2Cook]

Anybody else thinking Easter production isn't gonna be worth it this year? I had big plans to try something different (for me) this year but Easter is coming fast and I'm not seeing a lot of potential for it to be worth the work in my area right now. There are a lot of untouched looking Easter candy displays in the local businesses right now and the stores have been ridiculously busy so people just aren't interested right now. I'm sure there will be a mad dash for those displays closer to the date for people with kids but I'm still not seeing a lot of potential for what I do this year.

Edit: and I really need to proof read before posting... 15 minutes in timeout for overuse of "right now."

Edited March 25, 2020 by Tri2Cook (log)

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, Tri2Cook said:

Anybody else thinking Easter production isn't gonna be worth it this year? I had big plans to try something different (for me) this year but Easter is coming fast and I'm not seeing a lot of potential for it to be worth the work in my area right now. There are a lot of untouched looking Easter candy displays in the local businesses right now and the stores have been ridiculously busy so people just aren't interested right now. I'm sure there will be a mad dash for those displays closer to the date for people with kids but I'm still not seeing a lot of potential for what I do this year.

Edit: and I really need to proof read before posting... 15 minutes in timeout for overuse of "right now."

 

Was in a grocery store today and the Lindt bunnies appeared to already be in clearance.

 

 

[Jim D.]

I've gone ahead with the production I had planned. I'm making an assortment of 9 flavors for the various sizes of boxes I offer and 4 flavors for decorated eggs. Orders are down by something approaching one half. One regular customer emailed to explain that he didn't want me to think he is one of those customers who order for a while, then just disappear. But he works in a field where close contact with clients is essential, so all work has ceased. I can easily freeze the boxes for future use (there is nothing Eastery about them); the eggs are a different story. I suppose I could use them to make myself a spectacular omelet for Easter breakfast. I'm guessing that some people, when Easter itself arrives, may feel more of an interest in getting chocolates. And there is always the argument that in Christian circles, the Easter season lasts 50 days, so there is even more time to feel the chocolate urge. As a last resort, these eggs would make very good approximations of Christmas ornaments.

[Tri2Cook]

5 minutes ago, Jim D. said:

I can easily freeze the boxes for future use (there is nothing Eastery about them)

That's pretty much the case for what I wanted to do this year other than the "easily" part... I really don't have the freezer space available right now. I'm not doing too much stocking of people food at this point but I had to do some hefty just-in-case stocking for my pets because I can't get their food locally. And it has to stay frozen until needed so my little chest freezer is now a pet food freezer which means I'll have to either buy another freezer or not freeze chocolate.

[pastrygirl]

1 hour ago, Tri2Cook said:

Anybody else thinking Easter production isn't gonna be worth it this year?

 

Yes, but doing some anyway because there's nothing else.

 

Events are canceled and shops are closed but I can sell online and ship or deliver.  I'd already made some really fragile eggs that can't be shipped, sold a few at an event before everything got shut down but now I won't make more of those.  I made some solid dark bunnies and caramel filled egg halves today.  Eggs will be 3 halves in a box.  They're big, over an ounce each.  I'll make more solid bunnies and some holiday-neutral bonbons.

 

Even if I have added costs for advertising and shipping it shouldn't be any worse than selling wholesale.  I also dropped some truffles off with a caterer friend who's trying to pivot to take-out starting tonight, we'll see how it goes.

[curls]

4 hours ago, Tri2Cook said:

 

Anybody else thinking Easter production isn't gonna be worth it this year? 

 

Ditto. I’ve already decided it would not make sense for me to do Easter production. My Easter chocolates are different moulds and flavors than what I make the rest of the year so it doesn’t make sense to make them & try to store them for a year. When we come out of this thing I’ll consider making some celebratory chocolates & confections.

 

Thanks for the reminder to notify my customers! Meant to do that but dealing with life has gotten in the way.

[Jim D.]

In spite of the current uncertainty in the world, I pressed on with my plans for Easter chocolates. Below are the eggs. The fillings (clockwise from top) are all simple, mostly traditional ones:  (1) strawberry pâte de fruit & strawberry cream, (2) dark caramel with sea salt, (3) coffee ganache with Kahlúa & rum buttercream, (4) crispy hazelnut gianduja.

 

[ElsieD]

Those are stunning.

[Jim D.]

My chocolate assortment for Easter 2020:

 

 

In the red heart in the middle: cherry pâte de fruit & almond gianduja. Then clockwise, starting from the top: banana & passion fruit caramel; coconut cream; raspberry & kalamansi ganache molded in Ruby chocolate; pecan & chocolate shortbread crunch; black currant ganache & hazelnut gianduja; dark chocolate ganache with orange, cinnamon & habañero pepper; maple walnut ganache; lemon cheesecake with graham cracker crust.

[ElsieD]

Gorgeous!

[Haley]

I went ahead with my Easter chocolates this year and am so happy with how they turned out, but will never put myself through this painting process again! It turns out that I enjoy painting a few intricate eggs at a time, but not 60 per batch at a time.  I was worried that all my hard work would go to waste but it turns out that people were really looking forward to these chocolates with all that’s going on and I ended up selling every last box.  Flavors are s’mores, caramel with shortbread cookie, cookies and cream, and caramel with peanut butter and pretzel.  The large eggs have small milk chocolate and cookie butter truffles inside them.

[Smithy]

@Haley, those are adorable! Congratulations on the work and the successful sales!

[Tri2Cook]

1 hour ago, Haley said:

I was worried that all my hard work would go to waste but it turns out that people were really looking forward to these chocolates with all that’s going on and I ended up selling every last box.

I was worried about the same thing and didn't go ahead. Now I kinda wish I had. Maybe I'll do some "isolation relief chocolates" sometime in the near future and see what happens. And those look absolutely amazing, by the way. Brings back good memories, my mom used to do painting on actual emptied egg shells when she was still alive.

[ElsieD]

Beautiful, @Haley

[pastrygirl]

5 hours ago, Haley said:

It turns out that I enjoy painting a few intricate eggs at a time, but not 60 per batch at a time.  I was worried that all my hard work would go to waste but it turns out that people were really looking forward to these chocolates with all that’s going on and I ended up selling every last box.

 

Really great work! 

 

I am happy with Easter sales, too.  LOTS of gifts. I sold all my bonbons and caramel eggs, lots of bunnies. 

[Jim D.]

15 hours ago, Haley said:

 

 

They are all beautiful. I can only imagine the amount of time it took. I especially like the third egg in the top row and the second one in the bottom row. Having tried that blended effect, I know how difficult it is to achieve (I gave it a try but without much success--I painted one color in the egg, but before I could add a second one, the first had crystallized).

 

A good friend of mine moved to your location, and I have been urging her to seek out your chocolates. I will send her the photos of your  Easter assortment to show her what she is missing. 

[teonzo]

@Haley, those eggs are gorgeus, especially because they are true to the spirit of Easter eggs!

 

 

 

Teo

 

[gfron1]

@Haley, Would you mind linking your source for the packaging? Thanks.

[Haley]

7 hours ago, Jim D. said:

 

They are all beautiful. I can only imagine the amount of time it took. I especially like the third egg in the top row and the second one in the bottom row. Having tried that blended effect, I know how difficult it is to achieve (I gave it a try but without much success--I painted one color in the egg, but before I could add a second one, the first had crystallized).

 

A good friend of mine moved to your location, and I have been urging her to seek out your chocolates. I will send her the photos of your  Easter assortment to show her what she is missing. 

Thanks!  I actually didn't do much blending on purpose on those eggs.  I was just doing layers of splatters, paint brush swipes, and finger swipes (when the big splatters started to drip down the side of the egg in a way I didn't like--that's probably where the blended look came in).  I loved how they turned out in the end though.

 

If your friend wants to find me, I'm on Instagram @handcraftedbyhaley

[Haley]

1 hour ago, gfron1 said:

@Haley, Would you mind linking your source for the packaging? Thanks.

I used these boxes for the large eggs

https://www.nashvillewraps.com/boxes/clear-favor-boxes/p-358/1114

 

I had to custom make the colored inserts that hold the eggs in place myself.  I have a cricut cutting machine and made a template that would hold my egg size in place.  Since I only made a few of these, it worked well for my small scale production.  I have used my cricut to make packaging for my bars and inserts for my boxes instead of trays.  But it is only useful for very small quantities because it's quite time consuming. It does let me try different packaging ideas so when I am ready to make a big custom order I'll know what I like.

[keychris]

not much from me this year, just eggs for kids as we weren't allowed to see the family

 

 

 

 

[A Polderman]

Quote

 

A little late to the Party but I was busy hand delivering this year! Over 40 baskets made to thank clients for their support to our business nad for friends,, and family to bring Easter cheer!

[heidih]

@A Polderman All lovely. The angular bunny is different - what inspires that design?