Confections! (2006-2012)

[Lior]

You sound just like me when developing a product. Each time a change!!! I know exactly how it is!!! Hah, I can reap from your work!!! Can u imagine if we meet??

[Darienne]

Putting the squares into cocoa...bad idea. Too much gets on and too much work taking it off again.

How exactly does one 'dust' with cocoa?

Yes, to meet us and all the others...so exciting! I might even bring a box of finished Enstrom goodies. By then I would have it perfected for certain.!

[Sebastian]

i put the ccp in a tea ball, and shake it over whatever i want to dust

[Darienne]

i put the ccp in a tea ball, and shake it over whatever i want to dust

I didn't think of a tea ball. Good idea. I had an extra salt type shaker and thought that might work. But a tea ball might be better.

Thanks.

[lebowits]

So what is everyone making THIS weekend? Last weekend I attempted to caramelize white chocolate and make a ganache from the result. I also made a fluid mango caramel for piping into shells. Looking back on the results I think I need to cook the white chocolate a little longer in order to really get that "dulce de leche" color and flavor. The caramel came out really well, however I think I'm going to add more mango puree next time and cook it to a higher temp so it's not quite as fluid.

I also finally got around to making a pate de fruit (mango) and did some almond rocher just for fun. I've been thinking about adding rocher, coconut "haystacks" and a white chocolate/pistachio/candied orange peel/puffed rice piece to my line up for the coming season.

This weekend, I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to make. I'm thinking about lemon grass and coconut, maybe Greweling's "Habanos", or a simple dark chocolate/chile (I'm thinking ancho).

[RWood]

So what is everyone making THIS weekend? Last weekend I attempted to caramelize white chocolate and make a ganache from the result. I also made a fluid mango caramel for piping into shells. Looking back on the results I think I need to cook the white chocolate a little longer in order to really get that "dulce de leche" color and flavor. The caramel came out really well, however I think I'm going to add more mango puree next time and cook it to a higher temp so it's not quite as fluid.

I also finally got around to making a pate de fruit (mango) and did some almond rocher just for fun. I've been thinking about adding rocher, coconut "haystacks" and a white chocolate/pistachio/candied orange peel/puffed rice piece to my line up for the coming season.

This weekend, I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to make. I'm thinking about lemon grass and coconut, maybe Greweling's "Habanos", or a simple dark chocolate/chile (I'm thinking ancho).

A lot, I know that. I'm starting to gear up for the San Francisco Chocolate Salon, so I have a ton of stuff to make.

I've wanted to work on something with mango as well, but I'm not a fan, so it hasn't been a priority.

I did just make a white chocolate honey lavender piece. It came out very nice. I went with all white chocolate because it reminded me of the honey lavender ice cream and brulees I used to make, and didn't want dark chocolate to interfere with the flavors.

I need to finalize a gianduja piece, and I made an Aztec bark with ancho and cayenne, nibs, pepitas and sea salt. Nice flavor, I can't stop eating it .

[Kerry Beal]

Yesterday evening I had 3 delightful women over to the new chocolate room. They had come a week or so ago to learn the basics of tempering - last night they came to do some recipe development. They want to add a 'superfood/herb' to a filling and make a 'medicinal' chocolate. An interesting experiment in what goes with what. And how to disguise bitterness.

When all was said and done - we had a very hazelnutty gianduja with a sprinkle of this and a pinch of that - which tasted pretty good all things considered.

Today I had to make a molded cocoa pod for a friend, and with the leftover toasted hazelnuts I made some milk chocolate bars with hazelnuts on the back.

[Darienne]

Because of the make-up snowstorms we have been having lately in our corner of the woods, our candy date got canceled, so I am going to have to go it alone with Chinese Milk candy this weekend. Maybe I can get DH to help pull it. Anita Chu (Pastry Girl). Field Guide to Candy.

Edited February 27, 2010 by Darienne (log)

[Darienne]

The Chinese Milk Candy is made.

The candy is delicious, but it is not white. The commercial candy I bought is pure white.

I would have added a few more instructions to the recipe, notes which I'll add in the margin.

There is NO WAY the candy makes 50 pieces if pulled according to the directions, 1/2" rope. We made about 70 and thicker than 1/2".

Worked with DH, Ed. My hands would not have stood the pulling and cutting by myself. DH had lots of ideas of how we should do it. (Some of you can see my broad smile )

Oh, last note: The candy cost next to nothing to make. The twisty waxed paper from LorAnn's was incredibly expensive!!

[Kerry Beal]

Had 12 and 8 year old sisters for a chocolate class today. Working from a list of their likes - which included caramel, peanuts, nougat, praline and coffee - I put together Snickers bars, some pecan praline and a coffee truffle filling.

We dipped the Snickers, some fudgeos, some cows tails, made some molded chocolates, coated the truffles, made peanut clusters and praline bark.

The original thought was that the younger child would last about an hour - not true - sugar sustained her for a full 3 hours.

Why wash your hands when you have a tongue!

[tarko]

nice work - and that last photo is fantastic:)

[patris]

What fun! And what lucky kids, to be learning such things from you at such a young age!

[Kerry Beal]

What fun! And what lucky kids, to be learning such things from you at such a young age!

Their aunt bought them the class as a present. I'd had as much fun as they did.

[E.T.]

Hello everyone,

I'm a frequent reader of this forum and a first time poster. As a newcomer to chocolate making, I've found this site to be a great source of inspiration and, of course, practical solutions to newbie problems (weeping Turkish delight, cracking truffles, ending up with jam instead of pate de fruit, and counting

Here are some of the things I've made recently, mostly from P. Greweling's "Chocolate and Confections at Home." They aren't as polished as the goodies in this thread, but they are still pretty tasty!

strawberry pate de fruit

pecan buttercrunch

peanut butter & milk chocolate gianduja

lattes

[prairiegirl]

Wow, for a newbie that is some excellent, excellent work!!

[Kerry Beal]

And great pictures - welcome E.T.

[E.T.]

Thank you prairiegirl and Kerry!

Of course, only the "good" ones made it into the pictures. The rest were rescued by family and friends

[tarko]

E.T - wow, they all look fantastic!

[Darienne]

Not exciting, but still useful. Five dozen butterscotch lollipops for two small local libraries to sell. Gives me an excuse to make them.

First time using a heat gun to smooth a couple of late poured items. Worked quite well. Learn something new each time!

[Darienne]

This is so cute. The librarian at the local library found this little lollipop tree on which to display the goodies. (She gave me a tree also as a gift. Now that was great!)

[RobertM]

I posted these elsewhere but thought I would post under the Confections topic too -

This is the beginning of English Toffee

Toffee waiting to be dipped

and the final product

Some S'Mores I made - (my splatter technique needs work)

And some Turtles (I call the Lucy's) waiting to be dipped

[Darienne]

Hello RobertM,

Do you dip each piece individually in the tempered chocolate and then drop it into a bowl of nut bits? And then place it to dry?

I have done my the other way. Dust one entire unbroken side lightly with cocoa, then brush with chocolate and then sprinkle with nuts. Then when that side is hardened, turn the entire slab over and follow the same procedure on the second side. Then when hardened, break into pieces.

These were made on Tuesday. (The silly text was for envious friends back home.)

[RobertM]

I did each piece by hand and put that piece on a tray with almonds sprinkled on the tray - then, coat the top side with nuts - so, that way, both sides get a full dose of almonds...

[Lior]

I testify to their yumminess!!!

[Darienne]

I have been working out the cost of making the stuff.

Enstrom's in Grand Junction sells their stuff $20 a lb online. Depending upon what I can buy at what price, it costs me about $15 to make one batch.

Oops. I have no idea of what one batch weighs. OK. I'll weigh it next time: 1 1/4 lbs sugar, 1 pound butter, 12 oz chocolate, 7 1/2 oz of almonds. Total of 3.75 lbs. I guess the finished product should weigh 3lbs? 2.75? I'll weigh it this time around. Had to learn how to make confections at 4000'.

I have a few orders from the condo management company to make some. (And the plumber who just fixed the toilet has ordered a Spirit Elk gourd for his Father! )

Life is interesting...

Edited October 15, 2010 by Darienne (log)