Confections! (2006-2012)

[Kerry Beal]

I've been playing with my enrober - definitely on the upslope of the learning curve. William Curley's book had some pretty looking dessert items where you made a biscuit, some blackcurrent preserves and blackcurrent marshmallow then enrobed. I cheated - took some shortbread cookies, bottled preserves and premade blackcurrent marshmallows that we discovered today in a European grocery store.

Still working on the finer points of minimizing the feet on my enrobed items - and preventing the bumped together doubles!

[ChrisTaylor]

Just put my first two lots of Heston Blumenthal-style 'whisky gums' in the fridge. I have one lot of Maker's Mark and another of Sazerac.

[Darienne]

I've been playing with my enrober - definitely on the upslope of the learning curve.

Sounds as if you are having a good time.

Maybe it's time for another chocolate lesson for the three chocolateers. I'll ask.

Edited March 1, 2012 by Darienne (log)

[tikidoc]

So, I am lucky enough to be attending the candy conference in a couple weeks. I have been looking at everyone's gorgeous pictures of fancy chocolates with more than a little trepidation about Friday evening, when we share our creations. Yea, I know, nobody is judging us, don't worry about it, blah, blah, blah. But I still don't want to show up with something TOO amateurish or unoriginal. So, I did some experimenting last night and came up with a caramel that tastes just. like. apple. pie. It's not beautiful, but I can dress it up with a quick dip in dark chocolate. But at least I now have something a little bit original to bring. What a relief. Phew. Can you tell I'm getting really excited about the upcoming conference???

Jess

[lebowits]

So, I am lucky enough to be attending the candy conference in a couple weeks. I have been looking at everyone's gorgeous pictures of fancy chocolates with more than a little trepidation about Friday evening, when we share our creations. Yea, I know, nobody is judging us, don't worry about it, blah, blah, blah. But I still don't want to show up with something TOO amateurish or unoriginal. So, I did some experimenting last night and came up with a caramel that tastes just. like. apple. pie. It's not beautiful, but I can dress it up with a quick dip in dark chocolate. But at least I now have something a little bit original to bring. What a relief. Phew. Can you tell I'm getting really excited about the upcoming conference???

Jess

And I'm looking forward to tasting it! Don't worry if they're not as pretty as others. Flavor first, beauty second! Not to mention that it takes a bit of practice to figure it all out.

[tikidoc]

And I'm looking forward to tasting it! Don't worry if they're not as pretty as others. Flavor first, beauty second! Not to mention that it takes a bit of practice to figure it all out.

Ugh, tell me about it. My first try with molds over the weekend resulted in virtually all the color (made from cocoa butter and powder) left in the mold. On a brighter note, the areas I didn't put color were really shiny, and the ones with just a little luster dust looked pretty much OK. Didn't I read that new molds can stick? Yea, that's my excuse! Flavor was OK (filled with a dark ganache with a little Chambord) but nothing mind blowing, but my kids and friends from work happily got rid of them for me. I think the apple caramels are a heck of a lot better, and I'm not even a huge caramel fan.

Looking forward to learning how to make this stuff look nicer. My kids want to sell chocolates/candies at the farmers' market this summer, and I think it's a great way to teach them about managing money and having a good work ethic.

Jess

Edited March 2, 2012 by tikidoc (log)

[RobertM]

Yes, having a business like that is a great way to learn about managing money - but, have you given any thought to the heat in Richmond? If memory serves me, chocolate tends to melt at warmer temperatures....that may not be very conducive to selling....

[tikidoc]

I would assume we could do the same thing people selling meat and cheese do, bring a cooler and keep the chocolate in moisture proof containers. When I lived in TN, there was someone who sold lovely chocolates at the farmer's market and that's what she did. They may also make some other things like a couple baked goods, and they each have space for their own gardens if they want to grow stuff too. It would be nice to be able to keep the candies out and visible but it's a small community. Word spreads fast if something at the market is good, and having a couple cute kids selling tends to make people give things a try.

I'm currently trying to let them come up with their own ideas. I'll contribute the initial supplies (to be replaced with profits) and hardware, and I'll do anything that involves hot sugar. But they will need to learn how to make things under supervision and they will be managing the money (also supervised).

Edited March 2, 2012 by tikidoc (log)

[RobertM]

Goats Milk Caramels - ????

[tikidoc]

Yea, I made some killer cajeta last year. Yummy stuff but it takes quite a while to reduce. We should have enough milk to skim some cream, so I might try a basic caramel with that.

[chocoera]

baby shower today: wizard of oz theme. (toto paw print, rainbow fondant accent, dead witch) also did some popcorn cake with m&ms and spice drops to represent the munchkins and the "lollipop guild". cupcakes were red velvet and cream cheese-

[tikidoc]

Beautiful! I am so looking forward to learning from you in a couple weeks!

[minas6907]

Heres my second rose I did at a friends house. I put just a touch of violet color and after pulling, it came out to be a nice silver color. I think I might actually get a heat lamp to make things easier for doing this.

[Darienne]

Chocoera and Minas both, beautiful work.

[RobertM]

Just posted in another place, but, what the heck, why not here too - these are for the conference Friday night -

[Mette]

I was looking for something to practice the 'bouncey-bouncey-scrape'-technique on, and came up with these puppies. Its an apple-ganache piped on a crispy round of milk chocolate mixed with feulliutine. I'm pleased with the dipping, although there was a lot more than 2 bounces per dip

[Kerry Beal]

Those look great! I always have to do more than 2 bounces per dip - always!

[Mette]

Not a great picture, and inquiring minds might like to now what all that chocolate is doing on the sofa, but:

Chocolates for my friend's 40th birthday - I haven't had much time recently to do cool, drawn out productions so I went the easy way and purchased shells from PCB, filld and capped them. The quality of the shells i medium - not dreadful, but not brilliant either. Makes producting 500 chocs in 5 hours doable. The flavours are: elderflower, blackcurrant, Gianduja with marcipan, and espresso (as well as little smartie-rounds for the kiddies). The blackcurrant is tasty but to firm - my adaptions from a recipe to be slabbed did not add up, obviously...

[pastrygirl]

Dark chocolate bunnies with milk chocolate passion fruit caramel centers.

[minas6907]

Heres a few things I did about a month ago. I made taffy for some of my friends when we went to see The Artist, they requested lime and grapefruit flavors. Then I also made some peppermint patties. I made the fondant from Grewelings book, added some peppermint oil, formed in starch molds, and dipped. I had never worked with fondant before, it was interesting, quite a workout when you agitate it, but rather easy when you melt it and form them, I was surprised at how quick they set up.

[stuartlikesstrudel]

Mette, those Smarties rounds are beautiful - as an adult I'd be drawn to them (though by the sounds of your other chocolates fillings I'd quickly be distracted back to the grown ups table!).

I made another small foray into chocolates last weekend. I've only done a few things before, just truffles a few times, and I decided this time to try a slabbed ganache. I needed to make something vegan so I used a dark chocolate ganache with coconut milk. For flavour, I copied the idea of Greweling's Dark and Stormies which I've seen mentioned here - some lime juice and zest, a bit of ginger and rum.

The flavour was great (if a bit subtle), the dipping process was slow and messy but enjoyable

I attempted tempering but continually forget that I don't have a thermometer that measures those temperatures so every time I go to try it, I have an "oh" moment... nevertheless I try to wing it and inevitably fail! Must remember to buy thermometer!

But even with the flawed look, I was happy with how these came out and people enjoyed eating them.

[Kerry Beal]

Mette, those Smarties rounds are beautiful - as an adult I'd be drawn to them (though by the sounds of your other chocolates fillings I'd quickly be distracted back to the grown ups table!).

I made another small foray into chocolates last weekend. I've only done a few things before, just truffles a few times, and I decided this time to try a slabbed ganache. I needed to make something vegan so I used a dark chocolate ganache with coconut milk. For flavour, I copied the idea of Greweling's Dark and Stormies which I've seen mentioned here - some lime juice and zest, a bit of ginger and rum.

The flavour was great (if a bit subtle), the dipping process was slow and messy but enjoyable

I attempted tempering but continually forget that I don't have a thermometer that measures those temperatures so every time I go to try it, I have an "oh" moment... nevertheless I try to wing it and inevitably fail! Must remember to buy thermometer!

But even with the flawed look, I was happy with how these came out and people enjoyed eating them.

That's fine looking dipping - especially for a first time!

[Mette]

Mette, those Smarties rounds are beautiful - as an adult I'd be drawn to them (though by the sounds of your other chocolates fillings I'd quickly be distracted back to the grown ups table!).

Thanks very much - they went amazingly quickly (as did everything else) What a confidence booster to bring stuff to a celebration

[minas6907]

Ok, well heres some on my own crude work after getting the book Art of the Confectioner. I'm getting better at pulling pedals, so my flowers are improving, and the snowman was just a test. I wanted to make a dove, then I realized I wasnt ready for that, so I made spheres, I tried to make him complete with arms and scarf. So do keep in mind this was just a test, I had pink sugar left over from the flower, and I didnt feel like boiling more, so no color for him! My pump bulb is in the mail, but since I was anxious to do blown sugar (and bored) I just used a plastic straw. Please dont laugh :-).

[tikidoc]

The rose is beautiful, and the snowman is adorable!!!