Sweet/Petits Fours making difficulties. help appreciated!

kate83

I don't know if you're doing this already but I get a cocktail stick, dip truffle in the choc, take out but leave hanging over the choc until it stops dripping (I would say about 5/10sec), then put onto the greaseproof - should just have a slight flattened bit on bottom then. Can always do a second coat if it's a bit thin

Leave choc to cool slightly so it's thicker rather than having it over the heat (might need to reheat it a few times though)

Could also put a plate in freezer until it's cold, greaseproof paper on top then it's a cool surface to put the choc onto and it should set quicker, kitchen window open so kitchen's cool will also help.

purpleivy

Well, couldn't get to your mails earlier as the email's been off.

I have started on the white choc coating. DH is an automation engineer and one of his more exciting jobs was working at an M & S supplier of birthday cakes. They were piping stuff on in liquid chocolate. He reckons that my temperature control isn't adequate, they used to have it to +/- 1/2 degrees.

So tried it a bit cooler. I had also read that you should do it with your hands, but not got that desperate yet. these ones don't look bad really. I don't expect them to look perfect, otherwise they'd look like shop ones, but a little less blobby would be good! It's something that I probably need to practise more, after all I only do this once a year.

I set the white choc and apricot in a plastic box and scooped out with the melon baller. Not absolutely even, but they look reasonably samish.

If I think later on I'll take some pix

Thanks for the tips everyone.

mardatha

I had the white cooking choc chunks as well and they are really really dry and hard to melt. The cocktail stick thing sounds feasible, will try that tomorrow on my cherries. TY all and glad you some done PI !

purpleivy

Right, have photo of the ones done for MIL to take to SIL. I can't finish the rest tonight as I need more white chocolate. Also can't be [STRIKE]@r$£d[/STRIKE] bothered as I'm tired.



Top Row- Left Ginger truffles
Top Row Centre- Bounty balls
Top Row Right -White chocolate and Apricot Truffles
Bottom Row -Left Peanut butter squares
Bottom Row -Centre Cherries with marzipan
Bottom Row -Right Almond macaroons

CRANKY40

http://www.thechocolatecellar.co.uk

Too late now Purpleivy, but if you're ever in Liverpool, stick you head round the door here and see if you can pick up any tips. Bala's first shop sold only the chocolates that she made at home, but I've just had an email to say they've expanded the business, and in the new shop you can watch the chocolatiers at work while you sit in the cafe.

Bala is a working mum with 2 small boys, and I should imagine they're mad busy at the moment, but in quieter times I'm sure you would get some questions answered. Her chocolates are great too

I'm not advertising by the way, I have no connection to her business. We got to know each other during traumatic pregnancies.

Gers

I had a problem with Nigella's Christmas Puddin Bonbons but worked out (on second round) that I was using too much liquid, even if I was adding what the recipe asked for. Just experiment, less is better than more.

Oh, and I left the white chocolate for about 10 minutes before coating the bonbons so it became a little thicker and less liable to run.

Eat the testers!

pavlovs_dog

they look smashing purpleivy. are the recipes all on the boards or have you got them from elsewhere?

purpleivy

Recipes are from all over the place!
Top Row- Left Ginger truffles - This looks like it's from an old Prima mag
Top Row Centre- Bounty balls -from the board somewhere
Top Row Right -White chocolate and Apricot Truffles -internet find
Bottom Row -Left Peanut butter squares -Nigella Lawson Domestic goddess, but can be found on the internet. american site with the amts in cups.
Bottom Row -Centre Cherries with marzipan, just made it up! done some now with crystallised ginger pushed in.
Bottom Row -Right Almond macaroons

I have just finished the last of the chocs and pleased with the results. Now need to put all the recipes and amendments together so that it's easier next time. The big difference this time is that I have them all at a sensible size. THis means they fit nicely in the paper cases. All I have to do now is remember to take them with me!

Have heard from dd in Mexico this evening. Her sweet making hasn't gone as planned. She couldn't find little cases in the supermarket, so she made do with the halloween ones she found in the staff house! Also trouble with some ingredients as well, but has improvised. She's making a Yule log today for the volunteers as well.

Thanks for the compliments.

floyd

CRANKY40 wrote: »

http://www.thechocolatecellar.co.uk

Too late now Purpleivy, but if you're ever in Liverpool, stick you head round the door here and see if you can pick up any tips. Bala's first shop sold only the chocolates that she made at home, but I've just had an email to say they've expanded the business, and in the new shop you can watch the chocolatiers at work while you sit in the cafe.

Bala is a working mum with 2 small boys, and I should imagine they're mad busy at the moment, but in quieter times I'm sure you would get some questions answered. Her chocolates are great too

I'm not advertising by the way, I have no connection to her business. We got to know each other during traumatic pregnancies.

Wow thanks for this Cranky, I live in Liverpool and had no idea this place existed

purpleivy

....and I don't live so very far from Liverpool, so planning a visit. Perhaps we should have an OS meet?