Calling all Chocolatiers

[Kerry Beal]

I had a request on my website from someone who wanted to imitate See's bordeaux centres. I've never had them myself, but I did a little research online and think that the recipe is essentially a brown sugar fudge like penuche.

I realized looking back at the fudge recipe I did for the confectionary course that if you made that fudge, without the nuts, it is probably essentially the same as the bordeaux centers.

So could someone who has tasted those chocolates before make up a batch of the fudge, using half and half instead of heavy cream and leaving out the pecans, dip in dark and milk chocolate and taste them and see how they compare?

Link here to fudge recipe. Scroll down to lesson 3 which is post #4.

[aguynamedrobert]

Hey Kerry,

I have come to the same conclusion as you on this one. I had been asked the same question...one thing that might be in there as well is "Maple"...I worked for a Competitor or See's and we copied that one and it had maple in it...

If I get a chance I'll try to make up a batch...

Robert

Chocolate Forum

[Kerry Beal]

Hey Kerry,

  I have come to the same conclusion as you on this one. I had been asked the same question...one thing that might be in there as well is "Maple"...I worked for a Competitor or See's and we copied that one and it had maple in it...

  If I get a chance I'll try to make up a batch...

Robert

Chocolate Forum

←

Hey Robert,

Check out the ingredient list here. I don't see any maple, but it would make a lovely addition to the flavour.

I think this will make a chocolate that is way to sweet for my taste, but others seem to like it.

[aguynamedrobert]

woops...I probably should have checked that first huh?

Do we know for sure that those are the ingredients? the only reason I ask is because it talks about milk chocolate coatings "Milk chocolate coating (sugar, milk, cocoa butter, chocolate, soy lecithin, vanillin)" and it doesn't mention vegetable fats...only cocoa butter..that would make me think that someone made up the recipe since they missed that part....

Just checking...

Robert

Chocolate Forum

[Kerry Beal]

woops...I probably should have checked that first huh?

Do we know for sure that those are the ingredients? the only reason I ask is because it talks about milk chocolate coatings "Milk chocolate coating (sugar, milk, cocoa butter, chocolate, soy lecithin, vanillin)" and it doesn't mention vegetable fats...only cocoa butter..that would make me think that someone made up the recipe since they missed that part....

Just checking...

Robert

Chocolate Forum

←

I think they have listed the ingedients for the milk chocolate coated and dark chocolate coated versions of the candy. I assume this means See's uses 'real' chocolate rather than confectionary coating.

[aguynamedrobert]

Where were those ingredients listed?

Just a quick tidbit of info....See's gets all their chocolate from Guittard...their headquarters are about a football field apart in south San Francisco...

Either way I will try to make something like that soon if possible....

Robert

Chocolate Forum

[Kerry Beal]

Where were those ingredients listed?

Just a quick tidbit of info....See's gets all their chocolate from Guittard...their headquarters are about a football field apart in south San Francisco...

Either way I will try to make something like that soon if possible....

Robert

Chocolate Forum

←

I'm assuming that the 'sugarsavvy' writer took them from some sort of literature from See's. It looks like the ingredient list from a package.

See's website says it is a "heavenly blend of brown sugar and buttercream" which would have the same ingredients I would think ie brown sugar, fondant which is sugar, glucose, and butter.

I actually did make up a brown sugar penuche yesterday, kneaded it to smooth today and enrobed some in dark and some in milk. It's very sweet, and of course I don't have the original to compare it too. I assume you have tasted the bordeaux centre before.

[aguynamedrobert]

Yeah funny thing, right after I saw your first message a got a box of see's candy from someone so I tried the Bordeaux again...very good but yes very sweet...but I always have friends asking me to make it for them...I bet the recipe would be fairly simple...

I think it is more of a buttercream then a fudge even...more cream and butter...you can taste it more in the flavor...

How did yours turn out? Did you let anyone try it that has tried the Bordeaux?

Robert

Chocolate Forum

[Kerry Beal]

Yeah funny thing, right after I saw your first message a got a box of see's candy from someone so I tried the Bordeaux again...very good but yes very sweet...but I always have friends asking me to make it for them...I bet the recipe would be fairly simple...

    I think it is more of a buttercream then a fudge even...more cream and butter...you can taste it more in the flavor...

How did yours turn out? Did you let anyone try it that has tried the Bordeaux?

Robert

Chocolate Forum

←

Here in canada I don't know anyone who has tried the See's. Maybe the simplest thing to do would be to get someone to send me some so I would have a speciman to compare to. Of course when I figure it out I'll never make them again cause they are just too damn sweet.

So how about making a butter cream with fondant and butter then adding some of the penuche?

[Desiderio]

I just realize now of what you were talking about .A friend of mine gave me a box of see's candies for this Christmas ( it was only to taste them , she is hooked to mine now ).I found them very very sweet ,kinda of rough around the edge and most of the flavors are alike .Their bordeux centers says tehy are buttercreams , like Robert was saying , it a sugary buttercream but had that fudgy consitency .I made some caramel once and I think was made with condensed milk and the final result came out little bit like those filling .Kinda Grainy and smooth at the same time way too sweet that you can barely savor different flavors. ( could you tell I wasnt too impress with them ? )

I have their holiday catalog here and on the fudge section they have the vanilla walnut , chocolate walnut and Bodreaux pecan ( bordeaux has the TM on it means is the same used for the centers) ingredients , butter cream , sugar and it says its a creamy fudge .So i am guessing the centers you want to reproduce are something like that , a creamy fudge kinda sweet .

Oh well sorry not too much help , I just saw the box and I thought about it

[CaliPoutine]

Yeah funny thing, right after I saw your first message a got a box of see's candy from someone so I tried the Bordeaux again...very good but yes very sweet...but I always have friends asking me to make it for them...I bet the recipe would be fairly simple...

    I think it is more of a buttercream then a fudge even...more cream and butter...you can taste it more in the flavor...

How did yours turn out? Did you let anyone try it that has tried the Bordeaux?

Robert

Chocolate Forum

←

Here in canada I don't know anyone who has tried the See's. Maybe the simplest thing to do would be to get someone to send me some so I would have a speciman to compare to. Of course when I figure it out I'll never make them again cause they are just too damn sweet.

So how about making a butter cream with fondant and butter then adding some of the penuche?

←

Hi Kerry,

As an Expat from Cali, I've tried See's numerous times( more times than I can count). In fact, I just brought a box back from Detroit( its sold at the airport) and gave it to my MIL for xmas. I wish you would have posted this message a week ago, I could have sent you the piece of candy.

I'm not a fan of the Bordeaux though, I enjoy the coconut buttercream, scotch mallow and California brittle. I'm having a craving now...... Their chocolates are very good, I like them so much better than godiva.

[aguynamedrobert]

So how about making a butter cream with fondant and butter then adding some of the penuche?

Hey Kerry,

Actually I think it is made in all one process just like a normal buttercream. Are you familiar with buttercreams? not many are but I had the chance to make about 6 110 pound batches everyday for a few months when working for a different company.

(For anyone who doesn't know)Buttercream is all made together like a fudge but with more butter and cream. You cook it like a fudge to the fudge temp or a little lower temp(just a little lower). You then work in to produce small crystals(like a fudge)...

Kerry on this one it wouldn't be Penuche because they want a soft center and small crystals...but similar because of the brown sugar...(at least the way I know Penuche, yours could be different).

Fudge, buttercreams, fondant, and penuche are all in the same "species" of candy. They all just have small differences but they are the same in the main procedures.

Robert

Chocolate Forum