Cooking with "Chocolates and Confections" by Peter Greweling (Part 1)

[Kerry Beal]

Kerri, Where would I find albumin? Would I go to a pharmacy or to a health food store?  I am in Calgary.

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I got it at Baker's Warehouse in Toronto. It would be worth checking out health food stores.

You can make frappe with just egg whites, it's known as Mazetta in Candymaking by Ruth Kendricks.

2 egg whites (50 g), 275 g glucose, 60 grams water, 100 grams sugar. Beat egg whites to stiff and set aside. Bring glucose, water and sugar to 120C, beat into whites.

Edited August 25, 2007 by Kerry Beal (log)

[prairiegirl]

I have sourced the albumin. A large health food store carries it. I need to find the invert sugar. That could be more difficult. I will try some patisseries and buy 250ml. Thanks for the help. i am quite focused on making frappe and the cocomels!!!

Edited August 25, 2007 by prairiegirl (log)

[David J.]

I made the "Hot Chocolate" recipe:

I went to the local Metal Supermarket and had the guy cut me eight one foot sections of aluminum bar 1/4" by 1/2". I taped a set of four down to a Silpat and started mixing up the marshmallow recipe.

The ingredients were much the same, but the directions were different from NightScotsMan's. In particular they instruct one to leave the heated sugar in the mixing bowl to cool a bit and then pour in the gelatin. That didn't work out for me as the cinnamon fell to the bottom and the sugar thickened and trapped it. When I was done mixing and poured it out I noticed that it was all firmed up on the bottom of the mixing bowl. Next time I'm going back to the original method. I'll mix it right away and hopefully the marshmallow will pour better. With this batch it started firming up before I could get a nice even scrape. That gave me an uneven surface which resulted in some truffles mostly ganache and others heavy on the marshmallow.

The ganache batch wasn't quite enough to fill the second frame, probably due to too little marshmallow so I didn't get a perfect scrape on that either.

The bars did work out well for the batch of "PJ's" I made.

I used Andrew's recipe for raspberry Pate de Fruit since it works so well and I have plenty of his G-Pectin. I topped that with the peanut butter ganache.

The "PJ's" are my favorite so far, followed closely by the Hot Chocolate. The multiple textures really work well. I love the crunch through the chocolate shell into the soft marshmallow and then the firmer ganache. Of all the recipes I've made, this is the one that I have personally eaten the most of.

The biggest surprise for me was the difficulty I had in forming the little white chocolate poodle curls. That's all detailed in another thread so I won't repeat it here. I haven't solved it yet, but I'm going to try this one again so I'll get another shot.

[lebowits]

Chocolate and Humidity (not to mention humility)

I needed to do 2 major pieces this weekend in preparation for an event. As it turned out, the humidity was the worst we've seen all summer long. On Friday evening, about 1 kg of milk chocolate seized in my tempering machine. Now I've always found that my particular milk chocolate (Albert Uster Imports 37% couveture) has been a bit "thick", but this was the worst I've ever seen. Despite being in an air conditioned room at a comfortable temperature, the humidity just seemed to take over.

Then on Saturday, I my workhorse chocolate (AUI, 62%) was almost unworkable. I was making "Pistachio Homage" (very back of Chef Greweling's book) and had the worst time dipping the pieces. I had hesitated to add more cocoa butter to thin out the chocolate because I was re-melting some left-over from a previous batch that was already thinned.

In any case, I managed, but I would not want to have really needed to do anything more. I was exhausted from managing the temper (I don't dip in my tempering machine).

Has anyone else had similar issues in humid weather?

[David J.]

Chocolate and Humidity (not to mention humility)

Has anyone else had similar issues in humid weather?

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I had exactly such a problem last year when the humidity hit Michigan and I was making my first large batch of truffles for wedding favors. The normal chocolate I use was far too thick to dip. I was frustrated and afraid that I would miss my commitment.

I was dipping in the basement with central air so the environment was fairly controlled, but still I failed batch after batch. In desperation I bought a quality standalone dehumidifier and ran it full tilt. That did the trick.

[John DePaula]

I always find that when the humidity rises to 54% or above, I'm gonna have a tough day!

[apronstrings]

I had a problem with the Madras recipe today. Though the taste was wonderful ( a curry/ creamof coconut/ butter/ white chocolate mix), I just couldn't get the white chocolate butter ganache to set up. I know that a white chocolate/cream ganache may take quite a while to be ready, but Greweling says this particular one should crystallize in 20 minutes. After 3 hours, there was a very slight change, but definitely not enough to coat with a layer of tempered chocolate. Slice it? Fuggetaboutit! What should I have done?? I did not want to put it in the fridge.

Does air conditioning make any difference here in New York on an August day?

[John DePaula]

I had a problem with the Madras recipe today. Though the taste was wonderful ( a curry/ creamof coconut/ butter/ white chocolate mix), I just couldn't get the white chocolate butter ganache to set up. I know that a white chocolate/cream ganache may take quite a while to be ready, but Greweling says this  particular one should crystallize in 20 minutes. After 3 hours, there was a very slight change, but definitely not enough to coat with a layer of tempered chocolate.  Slice it? Fuggetaboutit! What should I have done?? I did not want to put it in the fridge.

Does air conditioning make any difference here in New York on an August day?

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How hot was your workspace? Temp does make a difference.

[Lior]

I can't control my environment when it gets so hot and humid ,as I only have a room unit and the area is too big. So at 23C and high humidity, forget it. Batch after annoying batch gets white and gray spots, no shine-total loss. I am nearly done renovating my basement/bomb shelter so that should improve things a lot!! It will be a kitchen for my chocolate.

[apronstrings]

Thanks so much! I guess 'll wait 'til the fall to do this one again. The nice shine that was on my chocolate coating layer last night became very dull when I checked on my Madras candy this morning. Still not firm enough to slice nicely. Will be eating a lot of my fiasco this evening. Chocolate flops are never a total loss, I guess. Couldn't do much with my hair yesterday, either. That should have been a dead giveaway.

[John DePaula]

I had a problem with the Madras recipe today. Though the taste was wonderful ( a curry/ creamof coconut/ butter/ white chocolate mix), I just couldn't get the white chocolate butter ganache to set up. I know that a white chocolate/cream ganache may take quite a while to be ready, but Greweling says this  particular one should crystallize in 20 minutes. After 3 hours, there was a very slight change, but definitely not enough to coat with a layer of tempered chocolate.  Slice it? Fuggetaboutit! What should I have done?? I did not want to put it in the fridge.

Does air conditioning make any difference here in New York on an August day?

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How hot was your workspace? Temp does make a difference.

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I don't know why you can't just stick it in the fridge. (Though odors can be a problem. I have a separate fridge just for chocolate so this isn't an issue for me.)

Why not try this:

- Make your ganache

- Cover with plastic wrap (film) and place in refrigerator.

- The next morning (when it's presumably cooler) remove from fridge and allow to come to room temp WITHOUT removing plastic wrap (so that moisture won't form on surface).

- Precoat with chocolate and allow to set (back in the fridge if need be)

- Dip and then back in the fridge to set.

If your kitchen is warm-ish, it may take too long for the chocolate to set after dipping and it will go out of temper. A few minutes in the fridge will lock it in.

[apronstrings]

Will do. Thanks for the advice. I was afraid to put the ganache in the fridge, but if you say it'll be ok...

[SugarGirl]

So... I want to try out some recipes in this book, but the measurements in ounces and grams are inconsistent with each other in a lot of places and I'm wondering which measurements people are using for the recipes -- metric or imperial?

I'm used to thinking that 1 oz = 28.35 g, but I'll accept that it can be rounded to 1 oz = 30 g. But throughout the book, 1 oz can equal anywhere from 20 g to 40 g. With confections, that can make a huge difference!

For example, on p 315, for nougat montelimar recipe, here's a sample of the ingredients and measurements:

Sugar 30 g / 1 oz

Fresh Egg Whites 50 g / 2 oz

Hazelnuts 70 g / 3 oz

See what I mean? The more I look through the book, the more I see this issue pop up. Am I missing something?

I guess a solution would be to go through and recalculate the weights based on the percentages that he gives, but that sounds... a little tedious.

Any thoughts?

I bought the book immediately when it came out -- maybe I have some kind of faulty edition?

[Kerry Beal]

So... I want to try out some recipes in this book, but the measurements in ounces and grams are inconsistent with each other in a lot of places and I'm wondering which measurements people are using for the recipes -- metric or imperial? 

I'm used to thinking that 1 oz = 28.35 g, but I'll accept that it can be rounded to 1 oz = 30 g.  But throughout the book, 1 oz can equal anywhere from 20 g to 40 g.  With confections, that can make a huge difference!

For example, on p 315, for nougat montelimar recipe, here's a sample of the ingredients and measurements:

Sugar                    30 g /        1 oz

Fresh Egg Whites    50 g /        2 oz

Hazelnuts              70 g /          3 oz

See what I mean?  The more I look through the book, the more I see this issue pop up.  Am I missing something?

I guess a solution would be to go through and recalculate the weights based on the percentages that he gives, but that sounds... a little tedious. 

Any thoughts?

I bought the book immediately when it came out -- maybe I have some kind of faulty edition?

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I just use the metric weights and haven't been unhappy with the results.

[choux]

He explains on page 'X' in the introduction.

[SugarGirl]

Thanks, choux! I missed that passage.

I'm not too crazy about his logic, though. To me, it's just as easy to scale out a fraction of an ounce as however many grams. Oh, well. I guess I'll go with the metric, like Kerry.

[Josho]

I had a problem with the Peanut Butter Honeycomb, and haven't dared to try it again yet.

First, I did NOT want filled Honeycomb, simply the Molasses Honeycomb, which I'd planned to enrobe once cut.

But I'm new at pulling, and Greweling's book (as much as I love it) is rather sparse on the topic. Since the honeycomb is supposed to have air holes, and mine turned out dense and airless, I'm guessing I either pulled it too much, or incorrectly (I twisted it during some of the pulls, as Greweling's book instructs).

There were plenty of airholes from the baking soda when I poured it out -- I stirred in the sifted baking soda VERY quickly. So there was something about the way I pulled it that completely eliminated the airholes by the time I was done.

I've examined molasses honeycomb chips from some stores, and MAN, those airholes are regular and orderly -- it almost looks as if they were added by machine!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated in regards to pulling the honeycomb.

--Josh

Edited September 14, 2007 by Josho (log)

[alanamoana]

if you're just dipping your honeycomb, there's no need to pull it at all. you should stir in the baking soda and quickly dump it out onto your silpat or oiled surface and that's all. it usually doesn't cut very easily and you just have to break it apart.

[Josho]

Alanamoana,

Really? When pouring it out, it doesn't seem to have the sheen that "commercial" honeycomb molasses chips have. I'll give it a shot, though, and see if it passes...

--Josh

[gfron1]

But if you're going to enrobe it - does it need sheen?

[alanamoana]

Alanamoana,

Really? When pouring it out, it doesn't seem to have the sheen that "commercial" honeycomb molasses chips have. I'll give it a shot, though, and see if it passes...

--Josh

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maybe i'm thinking of a different product. the honeycomb i used to make was just: sugar, honey, corn syrup, butter...cook to certain color, add baking soda...quick stir to aerate and dump out. break apart and serve.

[Josho]

Rob -- point well taken about the enrobing! Still, I'd LIKE to be able to produce a product that looks, crunches, and dissolves like the commercial honeycomb. Clearly it can be done, it's just one of those things I'd like to conquer.

Alanamoana -- ah, yes, you're talking about the cook-and-pour kinda honeycomb, also called Seafoam. I'm trying to make something you find in chocolate shops as "honeycomb molasses chips," which, like the Seafoam, uses baking soda to create the bubbles, but is then pulled to aerate it and produce a sheen. It's got a different texture than Seafoam as the bubbles are stretched, something I'd describe as almost flaky. Clearly there's a knack to pulling it enough to aerate it without pulling it so much that the bubbles vanish...a knack I'm probably not close to developing.

--Josh

[gfron1]

(Brushing the dust off his shoulders) So I've been doing some deep digging in the eGullet archives. I found two topics of interest:

This one has Kerry's attempt.

This one is a whole topic on honeycomb, but not super useful.

See if they take you somewhere...

(hunching his shoulders as he dives back into the archives)

[Kerry Beal]

I'm a bit confused as to whether we are talking about sponge toffee or the peanut butter honeycomb candy on page 184.

I don't picture the honeycomb as having much in the way of bubbles, instead it is very shiny and kind of shatters when you bite it from the texture added by the pulling.

My poor attempt at the honeycomb was in part due to not keeping the sugar mass warm and my inability to work fast enough.

There is a demo on pulling here. Go to post #5.

[Josho]

Hi, Kerry,

So glad you're here! I've been following this thread with some excitement. I had the chance to be in a class that Greweling held at the CIA a couple of years ago during "Pastry Boot Camp."

What I'm talking about is Molasses Honeycomb, which, I believe, is essentially Greweling's "Peanut Butter Honeycomb" minus the Peanut Butter filling. I'm not talking about the "cook and pour" honeycomb candy/Seafoam, which isn't pulled.

Attached is a photo of a Molasses Honeycomb Chip. (These are made by Plantation Candies in Pennsylvania, and I've been told that they're hand-pulled.) I believe this is what Molasses Honeycomb looks like when properly made. On the left is the enrobed candy, in the middle is the denuded version, and on the right is a cross-section. As you say, it shatters when you bite it.

--Josh