PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2024

Kerry Beal · May 1

Just now, curls said:

I also ordered some molds!

You contacted Renee directly?

**curls** · May 1

11 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

You contacted Renee directly?

Yes, I coordinated with Renee directly.

@Kerry Beal if others want to order from Renee for workshop delivery, what is the preferred process?

Edited May 1 by curls (log)

Kerry Beal · May 1

19 hours ago, curls said:

Yes, I coordinated with Renee directly.

@Kerry Beal if others want to order from Renee for workshop delivery, what is the preferred process?

Not totally sure - but I can certainly pass on info to her.

YetiChocolates · May 1

Hey Kerry! Is there going to be access to a Fuji during the workshop this year?

Kerry Beal · May 1

Pretty sure we can convince Rodney to bring one over - not sure about the spray booth!

Kerry Beal · May 1

Renee says "'They can order online and choose pick up' (that would be the US orders) or order by email and pay by e-transfer when I bring it to them (that would be the Canadians)."

Edited May 1 by Kerry Beal (log)

RanaMN · May 1

49 minutes ago, YetiChocolates said:

Hey Kerry! Is there going to be access to a Fuji during the workshop this year?

I would LOVE to see a Fuji in action! I have been intimidated about getting one.

Kerry Beal · May 2

Just in discussion with Bhavani around melangers, etc. Have a look at Melangers.com

I'm going to get him to send some good video of his new small winnower so we can admire it (and covet it)!

What do you need him to send up? Unfortunately he isn't going to be able to attend this year.

RanaMN · May 8

Kerry, have you ever made Tahini halva (Helva in Turkish)? The traditional way in Turkey is made using Gypsophilla root (I think in some cultures they also use Saponaria, also known as soapwort, which is in the same family as Gypsophilla, I believe). The root is boiled, and then the water is used as a texturizer in the syrup base. I am just curious if you ever tried it.

Kerry Beal · May 8

1 hour ago, RanaMN said:

Kerry, have you ever made Tahini halva (Helva in Turkish)? The traditional way in Turkey is made using Gypsophilla root (I think in some cultures they also use Saponaria, also known as soapwort, which is in the same family as Gypsophilla, I believe). The root is boiled, and then the water is used as a texturizer in the syrup base. I am just curious if you ever tried it.

Nope - just with a honey/sugar syrup in my thermomix

**curls** · May 8

4 hours ago, RanaMN said:

Kerry, have you ever made Tahini halva (Helva in Turkish)? The traditional way in Turkey is made using Gypsophilla root (I think in some cultures they also use Saponaria, also known as soapwort, which is in the same family as Gypsophilla, I believe). The root is boiled, and then the water is used as a texturizer in the syrup base. I am just curious if you ever tried it.

RanaMN there are a few discussions about halava recipes on eGullet! Here is a link to one of them (I'm still looking for the posts about Kerry's halava experiments).

Kerry Beal · May 8

1 hour ago, curls said:

RanaMN there are a few discussions about halava recipes on eGullet! Here is a link to one of them (I'm still looking for the posts about Kerry's halava experiments).

I suspect you'll find it in one of our Manitoulin trips.

RanaMN · May 8

2 hours ago, curls said:

RanaMN there are a few discussions about halava recipes on eGullet! Here is a link to one of them (I'm still looking for the posts about Kerry's halava experiments).

Thanks, Curls. I did check that thread, but there's no actual recipe. some people are aware of the root I'm talking about to make it in the thread too. I was hoping Kerry has tried it with that root since it feels like she's tried everything under the sun related to sweets. I will share a video of the traditional way it's made in a factory in Turkey. I know the ingredients needed; I just need to experiment making that white fluff using soapwort. It will probably take me all summer to figure it out, but that will be my challenge for the summer Here is the video I am talking about in case anyone is curious about the type of halva I am referring to:

Edited May 8 by RanaMN (log)

Kerry Beal · May 8

Halvah TMX version 2

Candy, Thermomix

Difficulty: Easy Source: Me

INGREDIENTS

500 grams tahini

400 grams sugar

200 grams water

125 grams honey

chocolate

DIRECTIONS

Bring 500 g of tahini to 50ºC in Thermomix at about speed 2. Boil the sugar and water to about 115ºC - meanwhile heat honey in microwave - add to syrup and bring to 121ºC. Add to tahini, reverse at speed 3 for about 1 or 2 minutes. When you see it start to thicken, pour into prepared loaf pan. With chocolate, add about half, sprinkle the callets, add other half. Swirl.

VistaGardens · May 9

I could benefit greatly from understanding the various capping techniques and when to use them. And to figure out why sometimes my capping is an epic failure. Might someone be able to speak to that topic?

Sue PEI · May 9

We would love to learn this 'water colour' effect technique for painting bonbon molds. Does anyone know how to do this quickly so it's feasible for production? (pic is from Monde du Chocolat website)

Kerry Beal · May 10

On 5/8/2024 at 4:32 PM, RanaMN said:

Thanks, Curls. I did check that thread, but there's no actual recipe. some people are aware of the root I'm talking about to make it in the thread too. I was hoping Kerry has tried it with that root since it feels like she's tried everything under the sun related to sweets. I will share a video of the traditional way it's made in a factory in Turkey. I know the ingredients needed; I just need to experiment making that white fluff using soapwort. It will probably take me all summer to figure it out, but that will be my challenge for the summer Here is the video I am talking about in case anyone is curious about the type of halva I am referring to:

Rana - have you got any soapwort root? Bring it along - we can try.

RanaMN · May 10

9 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Rana - have you got any soapwort root? Bring it along - we can try.

I just got it off Amazon. I will bring it. I will also bring a jar of good tahini. I will read more about making Natef; I think that's essentially what they are making with the soapwort.

Kerry Beal · May 11

3 hours ago, RanaMN said:

I just got it off Amazon. I will bring it. I will also bring a jar of good tahini. I will read more about making Natef; I think that's essentially what they are making with the soapwort.

As far as I could determine you are making a meringue with the soapwort and glucose +/- sugar syrup, then working in the tahini.

RanaMN · May 11

2 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

As far as I could determine you are making a meringue with the soapwort and glucose +/- sugar syrup, then working in the tahini.

Yes, exactly! Natef is the Arabic word for soapwort meringue. I grew up eating it, but we never made it ourselves. We bought it at a store; they only made it once a year.

RanaMN · May 13

On 5/10/2024 at 5:21 AM, Kerry Beal said:

Rana - have you got any soapwort root? Bring it along - we can try.

Okay, I tried making meringue with the soapwort I ordered from Amazon today, but it turned out to be inedible because it was so bitter. I'll have to try a different type of soapwort when I'm in Turkey this summer. I suppose this will be a project for next time

Kerry Beal · May 13

45 minutes ago, RanaMN said:

Okay, I tried making meringue with the soapwort I ordered from Amazon today, but it turned out to be inedible because it was so bitter. I'll have to try a different type of soapwort when I'm in Turkey this summer. I suppose this will be a project for next time

How much so soapwort did you use? With how much water?

RanaMN · May 13

54 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

How much so soapwort did you use? With how much water?

25 grams soapwort with 300ml of water. Boiled it until I had 75ml liquid. The meringue itself was beautiful I made it with sugar syrup but was inedible. I saw here somebody else complained their meringue was super bitter, the writer thought it was probably the soapwort. https://www.anissas.com/natef-a-miraculous-transformation/

Kerry Beal · May 14

Today is last call for orders from Chocolat-Chocolat.

Kerry Beal · May 14

I have had my eG family since 2006 and my eG chocolate and confections family since 2009 - so by now you all know I'm like a dog with a bone.

So yesterday morning - after taking care of some family stuff - I ran out to Brampton to pick up some soapwort from a place called Botanic Planet. There is apparently a store in Burlington (where I live) called Botanic Universe - but I was unable to locate it at the given address and the answering machine instructs you to leave a number - so that was out. I didn't know if they had it anyway.

So driving home from Brampton I saw Rana's message about the bitterness and panicked a bit with my 1 lb of soapwort on the seat beside me. I licked the bag and only detected a hint of bitterness so hope still remained! (I didn't really lick the bag - I licked my finger and picked up some of the powder on the outside of the bag)

Last night I took 25 grams and put it in a pan with water and started it boiling, then started reading which said to rinse it well before cooking - so dumped that batch, and started again with a fresh (now clean) 25 grams and about 500 ml of water. Didn't take long to boil it down to around 75ml. Tasted for bitterness - only a hint - so feeling hopeful. I popped that in the fridge overnight and this morning before work I made the natef - 400 grams of sugar with 200 grams water, a 1/4 tsp of citric acid, cooked to 115º C, then added 125 grams of honey that I had heated in the nuke and brought to 121º C. I drizzled that into the beating soapwort solution (most of it - lots ended up on the counter) - need a pan with a spout. Tasted the natef - again only a hint of bitterness. Heated 500 grams of tahini to around 60º C, put into a short, wide stainless bowl I have (riffing off the pans they were using in the video) and mixed everything together using a flat silicone spatula. Pressed into a silicone bread pan - flattened as best I could - I think the video said 18 hours was the ideal time for unmolding - but I suspect it will be either 12 or 24 for me.

Forgot to add any vanilla - and did add one drop of citrus flower essential oil (my rose water and orange flower water didn't smell that good - the new ones I bought for the workshop were in the car).

All this to say - I think we will be able to continue the experiments at the workshop using this source of soapwort!