So begins the Candy holidays

[SiFumar]

Thanks for tips...will keep following.

[La Quinta]

I guess my first question Drac....is don't you have to have a lot of candy making "doo dads" to do this kind of stuff?

[ghost9mm]

We are still watchin Drac, I already gained 5 pounds...lol.

[muebe]

UHGHGHHHH Chocolate!!!!

[Drac]

Well got the flavor list finalized for this year -

Brandy
Caramel
Cookie dough
Creamsicle
Dark chocolate truffle
Dirty Irishman
French kiss
Grand Marnier
Habanero/mango/rum
Hazelnut
Kahlua
Love Potion
Milk chocolate truffle
Mudslide
Peanut butter
Raspberry
Rum
Salt caramel
Salted dark chocolate truffle
Toffee
Vanilla
White chocolate cappuccino
White chocolate truffle
Wine

Red ones are new this year.

I guess my first question Drac....is don't you have to have a lot of candy making "doo dads" to do this kind of stuff?

Like smoking you don't need fancy equipment but it can make life a lot easier.  I still make a couple of the emulsions by hand.  I'll cover that when I do them.  I do use molds that can be expensive but you can set the truffle mixture in a baking pan, slice up and dip.  You can also hand roll and dip.  For both techniques you have tweek the recipe from the one you would use for molds. 

If you want to check out one of the best books for making and understanding chocolate truffles check out - http://www.amazon.com/Making-Artisan-Chocolates-Andrew-Garrison/dp/1592533108/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320764166&sr=1-8.  Covers all the techniques and theroies.  Great for if you want to step up your game and some of the "tricks" are really easy.

For general candy making (and the recipes I use for caramel and toffee) check out http://www.amazon.com/Candymaking-Ruth-Kendrick/dp/0895863073/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320764228&sr=1-2.  Full of no-fail recipes, though I am a master of failing so they aren't 100% idiot proof.  Trust me.  It is still the best for basic candy making out of the dozen+ books I have.

Tempering chocolate can also be done by hand.  I've never done well but it can be.  I prefer to use my tempering machine but I do a lot of chocolate and it was a god investment for me.  If you aren't going to do 30+ boxes of candy it may not be a good one though.  Me, I will I had the 10lb one vs the 2lb I currently use.  Granted also wish I had 3 or 4 of some of the molds (especially the magnetic ones) so I wouldn't have to reuse the same mold and slow things down.  Yes, I'm lazy... and I hate doing dishes  :D

Hopefully more tonight,
Jim

[Habanero Smoker]

Habanero and mango is a great combination.

[deb415611]

This is a great thread Jim.

If you want to check out one of the best books for making and understanding chocolate truffles check out - http://www.amazon.com/Making-Artisan-Chocolates-Andrew-Garrison/dp/1592533108/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320764166&sr=1-8.  Covers all the techniques and theroies.  Great for if you want to step up your game and some of the "tricks" are really easy.

Jim

you know what's cool, this book is available in the kindle version, and while I know all you guys like to get boxes,  the kindle version doesn't get detected, there is no spouse - what did you order now ? .........  just ordered this one :D

[Drac]

Good day all,

Got home and started this days works.  Started with a new one, the Dirty Irishman.  The inspiration for this one came from Zest Fest.  I tried a hot sauce, Crazy Uncle Jester's AfterBurner Sauce, and really liked it.  I thought this need to be in candy.  I was poking around their website and saw the drink recipe (http://www.crazyunclejester.com/pages/recipe_dirty_irishman.html) and like the idea.  So the starting lineup -



I decided to do this as a hand emulsion to show how it is done without machines.  Scalded the cream, sauce and sugar together.  Added to chopped chocolate, waited a minute and started stirring in little circles to start the mixing.  The idea is to get the emulsion going slowly.  You know when it has began when you get a dark, shiny circle -



Once you got it going than increase the circles bringing in more chocolate  -



Continue until done.  Don't rush this part.  This is the foundation of the truffle -



Jim

[Drac]

While that was cooling I started on the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough truffle.  This is a super top secret (with a NePaSmoKer level rider) recipe.  A favorite of the ladies. 

Simple formula -



On white chocolate I have found it easier to melt it in the microwave before adding the cream -



Same procedure with the mixing -



Both need to cool to room temp so as to not melt the butter added.  The fancy name is pommade.  I noticed the texture and taste is more what I like since the fats and solids don't separate.  Once they color I'll stir in the butter and add the flavorings.

Jim

[Drac]

The two came out well.  I really liked the flavor of the Dirty Irishman.  Bang of heat (unlike the habenero/mango/rum which sneaks up on you) and than a wonderful after glow.

Tonight is the wine and some of the white chocolate.  I have been informed that my box has arrived at my wife's work.

The wine takes a while to boil down the bottle to 1/4 cup so i have to start early.

Jim

[ghost9mm]

We're watching with great interest....

[Drac]

Having some issues with Image Shack tonight...

Here is the start.  When I started with wine flavors I liked the sirahs since it has a low tannin (yuck) and a high berry flavor but I forgot to write down the name and the ones I've tried sinced sucked.  My butcher's wife (they own a wine and meat shop) recommended a zinfandel than was sweeter than the normal -



To give you an idea how far down I take it -



And I got a box!!!!!



And what lay inside but more boxes -



What is even cooler is that they pack the box with these (what's with the popcorn bags, they use them every year) -



Enough to last me a while.  Ice that is, not chocolate.

Jim

[SiFumar]

That Four Vines wine is actually pretty decent.  I've had that in their tasting room, and they give you some dark chocolate after you taste it, then taste the wine again, you'd be surprised how well it pairs with chocolate.  It should go great with your homemade candys.

[deb415611]

Jim,

I flipped through the Making Artisan Chocolate book but haven't had a chance to read much.  It looks like a great book.

I thought that you didn't need to temper Couverture ?  Or do you get a better looking candy if you do?


thanks,
Deb

[Keymaster]

Cool Thread Jim, I bet clean up is a choar ;)