I've always wanted to learn to make chocolates, like the kind you buy at Mrs. See's. So, this fall I started learning.

 First making ganache, which is quite tasty just to eat by the spoonful. Then tempering chocolate, and finally enrobing.

Of course it didn't go so smoothly as all that. I started out working with some "chocolate flavored candy." Don't. Just Don't. Yes, it's easier, you can heat it higher than chocolate, so it flows more easily and still have it set solid at room temperature, and you don't ever need to temper it, but it simply doesn't taste right, nor have the right mouth feel. It can be used to make ganache, but I won't do that again either.

Ganache, when made with 50% cream and 50% chocolate (the ratio I keep seeing recommended as a "good" place to start) is far too soft to be used as centers for hand dipped chocolates. I don't know what ratio I've ended up using; I haven't kept good enough notes. Yet.

Ganache enrobed with improperly tempered (untempered) chocolate may not ever set enough to be able to pick up. I've had some success, forcing tempering or something close, by using a hair dryer to reheat the chocolate. This also encourages "Blooming" of the chocolate, which is rather unsightly, but they still taste good, even if they don't look so good, and the texture is a bit off. They looked bad enough I didn't take any pictures. Sorry.


I've even tried making cherry cordials. Another adventure. I will write posts on all of these things... eventually.

The attempt at cherry cordials resulted in a whole lot of sugar that was supposed to be fondant, but was far closer to taffy (too much corn syrup) so I made caramel: