Chocolat

We started chocolate this week and working with chocolate is NOT FUN. It has to be tempered by one of three methods: Tabling - where you pour a portion of the liquid chocolate onto a cool surface, Ice-Bath, or Seeding - where you add whole pieces of chocolate to the liquid chocolate to bring the temperature down. There are temperature ranges you need to work within, otherwise you have to the process all over. And it all depends on room temperature because if the room is too cold, the chocolate will set too quickly, but if it's too warm, it won't set, etc...

Here are some of the things we made this week:

3.26.08: Chocolate Leaves - we covered organic lemon leaves with tempered chocolate

the decorated chocolate leaves (actual leaves removed) on a Chocolate Fruit Cake (figs, apricots and walnuts). The cake tasted like a big brownie!

3.28.08: Chocolate Box

the chocolate box filled with bite-size Orange Truffles. I wrapped the filled chocolate box with three layers of thick plastic wrap so I could give it to Caren after class today. Stupid me wasn't paying attention and wacked the top of it, crushing the box. I still gave it to her though - it's all edible. Sorry Caren, but this is what it was supposed to look like!

A chocolate bow I made:

My partner, Emily, placing dried cherries, pistachios and hazelnuts on tempered chocolate to make little chocolate candies:

Next week we have a chocolate candy stand project due. It has to have a bowl that will hold truffles of candy and it has to be at least 5 inches tall. This should be interesting.