Chocolates Final

I got a little relaxed on updating the blog as finals for my chocolate class approached. So instead of adding a few of the missed items that we covered in the last few days of class; gummies, pate de fruit, pb&j chocolates I am going to put up pictures what we covered on the final.

We had to make 50 of the penuche, or another fudge product.
We also had to make 50 crystalline products and I chose to re-make Nougat Montelimar (the white candies wrapped)
In the top right corner is 30 pieces of dipped PB&J confections.

Pate de Fruit is a flavoured gummy that is coated with a light dusting of sugar. For both the in class exercise and the final I chose to use an apple puree because I liked the light aesthetic of apple puree when dusted in sugar. I also quite liked the natural taste of the puree.






Nougat Montelimar is a nougat confection packed with almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, dried pears, dried apricot, and dried cherries. It has a very high percentage of almonds because it comes from a region in France that is known for growing almonds.

  PB&J confections are equally delicious because it has an equal layer of peanut butter ganache and a raspberry pate de fruit. The combination of jelly and smooth ganache mimics the flavours of a pb&j sandwich perfectly (minus the bread element)

We revisited the polycarbonate molds, and I really enjoyed the aesthetic of the Toucans (passion fruit ganache confections) that I chose to do that recipe again for the final.

We also did 30 dipped caramels. Using a slightly different recipe that uses all cream and no milk, giving the caramels a slightly deeper and creamier taste and texture.

And for packaging, we had to make 50 fudge products and I chose to revisit Penuche because of the superior taste quality I found in the brown sugar confection to a traditional chocolate fudge.

Soft Caramels

We did caramels two different ways. One is the recipe from the Peter Grewler book and the other version is from Chef Web's recipe. The second recipe produces a deeper, creamier caramel that is softer verses chewier. Both are very lovely, but depending on what characteristics you want from a caramel.

Formula: pg.

Yield: 60 pieces, this is a third of the batch and is a good amount for individual use

23%              Sugar                                                               226 g

47%              Whole milk                                                      453 g

                    Vanilla bean*                                                   1 bean

10%              Heavy cream                                                    93 g

Caramel slab

19%              Glucose syrup                                                   190 g

1%                Butter                                                              13 g

<1%              Salt                                                                  1/3 t

*if using vanilla bean paste use 1/2 oz. for a half recipe

MOP:

Combine sugar, milk, scraped vanilla bean and seeds (or paste), and heavy cream in a saucepan. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Add the glucose syrup and continue cooking to 110°C/230°F. Add the butter and continue cooking while stirring until mixture reaches 117°C/243°F, add the salt and remove from heat. If you used vanilla bean, remove the bean.

Pre coated caramel slab

Pour mixture into a sprayed parchment lined sheet pan, the mixture should only cover 1/3 of a quarter sheet pan. Let set up until firm at room temperature. 

Two common ways to prepare caramels is either wrapped in plastic or dipped in tempered chocolate. 

For the wrapped caramels, cut caramels down to 1" squares. Use wax paper or decorative plastic wrap and wrap caramels well, twisting both ends to secure.

For the dipper caramels pre coat the uncut slab with tempered dark chocolate, let chocolate set up. Mark and cut the caramels to 1" squares. Dip squares into tempered dark chocolate and then garnish before letting caramels set up.

Caramels, un-dipped and wrapped

Right: just dipped caramels with ridges on it as simple decoration.

Penuche

This formula sometimes makes a really surprisingly delicious white fudge that can be crumbly if you over mix the fudge when agitating. 

Formula: pg.

Yield: 60 pieces, this is a half batch and is a good amount for individual use

23%              Sugar                                                              235 g

23%              Glucose syrup                                                  235 g

15%              Invert sugar                                                     155 g

8%                Heavy cream                                                    80 g

5%                Milk                                                                 50 g

10%              Chocolate liquor, melt                                      95 g

<1%              Salt                                                                 1/2 t

<1%              Vanilla extract                                                 5 g
10%              Fondant                                                           95 g

6%                Vanilla extract                                                 60

MOP:

Combine sugar, light brown sugar, glucose syrup, invert sugar, heavy cream, and milk in a saucepan. Cook to 118°C/245°F, stirring constantly. Stir in the salt. Pour hot mixture onto a marble slab, place the chocolate liquor, fondant, and vanilla extract on top of the syrup. Allow heat from syrup to melt the ingredients slightly, cool to 50°C/120°F. 

Dipped Penuche, garnished very
simply with fine line piping and
a penuche flake as a garnish

When the mixture has cooled, use a spackle tool or scraper to agitate the mixture until it turns creams and opaque. Similar to the Penuche technique, agitate for about 8 minutes. 

Deposit opaque mixture on a sprayed parchment lined half sheet pan, evenly. Let set up until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut into 1" squares, wrap to prevent drying if you are not dipping immediately. This confection works really well un-dipped but you need to wrap it to keep the Penuche moist.

Wrapped, un-dipped Penuche

Chocolate Fudge

This chocolate confection is made in a poly carbonate mold so the procedure for most of it is the same as the Toucan confection.

This formula sometimes makes a really soft fudge that is hard to cut without dipping in tempered chocolate. Something to keep in mind when deciding on the final application of the fudge.

Formula: pg.

Yield: 60 pieces, this is a half batch and is a good amount for individual use

41%              Sugar                                                              415 g

10%              Glucose syrup                                                   95 g

6%                Invert sugar                                                     60 g

6%                Heavy cream                                                    60 g

13%              Milk                                                                 130 g

9%                Chocolate liquor, melt                                      90 g

14%              Fondant                                                           150 g

1%                Vanilla extract                                                 1 t

MOP:

Combine sugar, glucose syrup, invert sugar, heavy cream, and milk in a saucepan. Cook to 115°C/239°F, stirring constantly. Pour hot mixture onto a marble slab, place the chocolate liquor, fondant, and vanilla extract on top of the syrup. Allow heat from syrup to melt the ingredients slightly, cool to 50°C/120°F. 

When the mixture has cooled, use a spackle tool or scraper to agitate the mixture until it turns creams and opaque. Similar to the Penuche technique, agitate for about 8 minutes. 

Deposit opaque mixture on a sprayed parchment lined half sheet pan, evenly. Let set up until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut into 1" squares, wrap to prevent drying if you are not dipping immediately.

Cherry Cordials, dipped

These tiny little confections are really quite delicious, and you could fill them with other kinds of liquor other then Brandy. The only thing to really know about this confection is that it takes patience to roll or dip the cherries in the melted fondant.

Formula: pg. 

Yield: 125 pieces

100%            Fondant (purchased),                                                  1000 g

                   Brandy, for thinning                                                    as needed

<1%              Invertase                                                                   1/2 t

                   Brandied cherries with/without stem                           125 cherries

                   Dark chocolate, tempered                                           as needed

MOP:

Heat the fondant over a water bath to 70°C/160°F. Thin the melted fondant with brandy until the fondant is thin enough for a cherry to be dipped into. Add the invertase, mixing thoroughly.

Hold the cherries by the stems, or if using stemless cherries I found that it was easy to put gloves on my hands and dip the cherries by hand, and dip into the hot fondant. Place the dipped cherry on a silpat, and let set until the fondant sets a little harder. If the fondant doesn't cover the cherry completely you can roll it by hand, which also heats the fondant up again bringing it to a clay like consistency.

Let the fondant set completely.

Dip the cherries in tempered chocolate by the stems, or if stemless with a dipping fork. Let set up on a silpat. Cherries can be stored at room temperature for 7-12 days. The longer the invertase sits, the more liquefied the fondant will become inside the dipped cherries. Ideally do not eat for a day or two.

Pumpkin Caramel Ganache

This chocolate confection is made in a poly carbonate mold so the procedure for most of it is the same as the Toucan confection.

Formula: pg. 145

Yield: 125 keel-shaped molds, half recipe works well for individual use.

Cocoa butter,                                                                           as needed

Fat soluble colours,                                                                  as needed

Milk chocolate, tempered, for lining molds,                               as needed

Pumpkin Caramel Ganache

<1%              Lemon juice                                                              1/4 t

10%              Sugar                                                                        100 g

6%                Glucose syrup                                                            60 g

20%              Heavy cream                                                             200 g

10%              Pumpkin purée                                                          100 g

<1%              Gingerbread spice mix**                                             1 t

49%              Milk chocolate, pre-tempered*, chopped                      500 g

5%                Brandy                                                                       50 g

Milk chocolate, melted, tempered at 30° C/86° F, for sealing          as needed

*Store bought, and most commercially purchased chocolates are pre-tempered

** Gingerbread spice mix: 31% ground Cinnamon, 47% ground Ginger, 14% ground Nutmeg, 8% ground Cloves

MOP:

Example of improper buffing

Buff the polycarbonate mold that you are going to use. This recipe makes approximately 125 keel-shaped molds but you can choose any shape mold. Buff molds with melted cocoa butter. Make sure that you really press the cocoa butter in, or your finished chocolates will have a little white blur set into the shell. Set molds upside down or covered in plastic so that dust does not stick to your molds. Buffing preps the molds and the cocoa butter increases the shine on the finished chocolates.

Next make your filling. Rub lemon juice into the sugar, caramelize the sugar in a large saucepan until sugar has fully melted and caramelized. Remove from heat and add glucose syrup. In another sauce pan, heat heavy cream to a boil and add it to the caramelized sugar mixture over low heat, add purée and spice mix bring to a boil. Pour the hot liquid mixture over chopped milk chocolate and let sit for 60 seconds to melt the chocolate. Stir in to emulsify the chocolate and liquid mixture, if all the chocolate does not melt you can heat it over a double boiler just to aide melting. Stream in brandy, stirring until the mixture is homogenous. Cover mixture to the surface, and allow mixture to set up and thicken slightly for approximately an hour.

Buffed molds

Spray molds using melted cocoa butter and fat soluble colours. You should add enough melted cocoa butter to the powder colours to gain a thin, blood like consistency. Strain colours before spraying if it is too thick. You can use an airbrush for a very thin nice even covering, or you can brush or speckle the colour on with your brush for a more organic look. Clean the top of the mold off very well, scraping it off with your spackle.

Temper milk chocolate. Pour tempered chocolate into mold, this is going to be for creating a hollow sides and top to the finished confection. Use your spackle to bang the sides of the mold, releasing air bubbles that might be caught in each cavity. Clean off excess chocolate from the top and repeat banging if needed. When all the air bubbles have been knocked out, let the chocolate set up at room temperature for 2-3 minutes. The length of resting time will depend on how warm the room is and how cold the tempered chocolate was. If the temper ran on the colder side it will set up faster, if the temper is out of temperature it will throw the ganache-chocolate ratio off. At 75° with little humidity, it should take 3 minutes to set up. 

Flip the mold over and let the chocolate drip out of the cavities. This will leave a thin, about 1 mm, lip around each cavity. Knock the side of the mold to help the excess chocolate drip out. Clean off the top of the mold while still upside down to aide in getting all the wet chocolate out of the shells. Keep the mold turned upside down, and place it in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to let the chocolate harden. 

Finished chocolates in a larger
mold, has a good amount of
shine on the confections

Place the pumpkin caramel ganache into a piping bag. Take out the mold, you can use a hair dryer to gently heat up the edges of the cavities to aide in creating a better seal. Pipe ganache 3/4 of the way up each cavity. Try to keep the top level, you can try to tap the molds after piping to soften the tips that might have occurred during piping. Fill the top of the molds with tempered chocolate, scrape very cleanly any excess chocolate. If you get bits of ganache popping out through the chocolate, let the chocolate set up and pour another layer of chocolate over the mold. 

Let the molds set up in a refrigerator for 20 minutes. Turn the finished chocolates out on a parchment lined sheet pan. Tapping gently to release the chocolates from the molds.

Toucans

These are a fruity and light-er chocolate confection. Like the name indicates, it is works well as a brightly coloured tropical white chocolate confection.

Formula: pg. 142

Yield: 125 keel-shaped molds, half recipe works well for individual use

Cocoa butter,                                                                               as needed

Fat soluble colours,                                                                       as needed

White chocolate, tempered, for lining molds,                                 as needed

Passion Fruit Ganache

15%              Heavy cream                                                             80 g

4%                Glucose syrup                                                            20 g

15%              Passion fruit purée                                                    160 g (80g reduced)

15%              White chocolate, pre-tempered*, chopped                  300 g

4%                Butter, soft                                                               20 g

White chocolate, melted, tempered at 30° C/86° F,                       as needed

*Store bought, and most commercially purchased chocolates are pre-tempered

MOP:

Buff the polycarbonate mold that you are going to use. This recipe makes approximately 125 keel-shaped molds but you can choose any shape mold. Buff molds with melted cocoa butter. Make sure that you really press the cocoa butter in, or your finished chocolates will have a little white blur set into the shell. Set molds upside down or covered in plastic so that dust does not stick to your molds. Buffing preps the molds and the cocoa butter increases the shine on the finished chocolates.

In back is the pumpkin
caramel ganache

Next make your filling. If you have two pots to use, this will speed up the process and keep both liquids hot. In one pot reduce passion fruit purée in half, to 80 g. In a separate pot, combine heavy cream and glucose in a saucepan, bring this to a boil. Pour both hot liquids over chopped white chocolate, let sit for 60 seconds to allow the chocolate to melt. Stir the mixture in small vigorous circles from the center out until it emulsifies. You will see one unified chocolate liquid texture like a tempered state, or ganache consistency, when emulsified. If necessary you can place the chocolate over a double boiler if the chocolate is not melting. Stir in the softened butter. Cover mixture to the surface, and allow mixture to set up and thicken slightly for approximately an hour.

Spray molds using melted cocoa butter and fat soluble colours. You should add enough melted cocoa butter to the powder colours to gain a thin, blood like consistency. Strain colours before spraying if it is too thick. You can use an airbrush for a very thin nice even covering, or you can brush or speckle the colour on with your brush for a more organic look. Clean the top of the mold off very well, scraping it off with your spackle.

Temper white chocolate. Pour tempered chocolate into mold, this is going to be for creating a hollow sides and top to the finished confection. Use your spackle to bang the sides of the mold, releasing air bubbles that might be caught in each cavity. Clean off excess chocolate from the top and repeat banging if needed. When all the air bubbles have been knocked out, let the chocolate set up at room temperature for 2-3 minutes. The length of resting time will depend on how warm the room is and how cold the tempered chocolate was. If the temper ran on the colder side it will set up faster, if the temper is out of temperature it will throw the ganache-chocolate ratio off. At 75° with little humidity, it should take 3 minutes to set up. 

Flip the mold over and let the chocolate drip out of the cavities. This will leave a thin, about 1 mm, lip around each cavity. Knock the side of the mold to help the excess chocolate drip out. Clean off the top of the mold while still upside down to aide in getting all the wet chocolate out of the shells. Keep the mold turned upside down, and place it in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to let the chocolate harden. 

Place the passion fruit ganache into a piping bag. Take out the mold, you can use a hair dryer to gently heat up the edges of the cavities to aide in creating a better seal. Pipe ganache 3/4 of the way up each cavity. Try to keep the top level, you can try to tap the molds after piping to soften the tips that might have occurred during piping. Fill the top of the molds with tempered chocolate, scrape very cleanly any excess chocolate. If you get bits of ganache popping out through the chocolate, let the chocolate set up and pour another layer of chocolate over the mold. 

Let the molds set up in a refrigerator for 20 minutes. Turn the finished chocolates out on a parchment lined sheet pan. Tapping gently to release the chocolates from the molds.

Hazelnut Latte

This formula is not very strong in the coffee taste, you can remedy that by steeping the coffee beans longer or using more beens for a stronger flavour.

Formula: pg. 131

Yield: Half batch, 90 pieces

Coffee Ganache

23%              Heavy cream                                                             90 g

2%                Dark roast coffee/espresso beans, coarsely ground   5 g

As needed,   Milk

8%                Glucose syrup                                                           30 g

6%                Coffee liqueur                                                           20 g

6%               Butter, very soft                                                         20 g

55%             Dark chocolate, melted, tempered at 32 C/90 F         200 g

Praline Ganache

20%              Heavy cream                                                              75 g

7%                Glucose syrup                                                            25 g

4%                Hazelnut liqueur                                                         15 g

3%                Cocoa butter, melted                                                  10 g

9%                Praline paste                                                               30 g

57%              White chocolate, melted, tempered at 30 C/86 F        210 g

MOP:

Start with praline ganache.

Mix glucose and heavy cream in a sauce pot, bring to a boil. When the mixture reaches a boil remove from heat and add in liqueur. Stir to incorporate and let cool to 105 F (slightly warm, above body temperature) on marble counter.

Mix, tempered white chocolate with melted cocoa butter and praline paste.

Stir in cream mixture to the white chocolate ganache. If the ganache breaks fix it with water to a homogeneous state, adding water will help the bind.

Pour ganache into a parchment lined 1/8th sheet pan, approximately 12"x 12"x 1/4" frame. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the ganache layer. Let set up until firm, it should be soft to your touch but your finger should not break the film. When this layer is set up, approximately 30 min-1 hour, you can start the coffee ganache.

Not enough cream to cover coffee
and bring out enough flavour

Mix the coffee ganache layer.

Ground coffee coarsely, using the bottom of the saucepan to break open the shells works perfectly, tie beans in a satchel of cheese cloth and steep with heavy cream in a small saucepan so that the liquid covers as much of the satchel as possible. Bring heavy cream to a simmer, remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain coffee out of cheese cloth. Return the cream to its original weight by adding milk. Add glucose syrup to the mixture and bring to a boil. Remove cream from heat, add the coffee liqueur, and allow to cool to 40 C/105 F by setting aside on the cool marble work bench.

Temper chocolate, and add softened butter to the tempered chocolate. Mix in cream to form an emulsion by stirring the chocolate and cream mixture. Spread the mixture on top of the praline ganache, use an offset spatula to smooth out this layer, you want it to be as smooth as possible. Let the ganache to set, uncovered, at room temperature until firm, about an hour.

Precoat the layer with tempered dark chocolate. If the layer of praline is soft, then softly precoat this layer as well. Let the tempered dark chocolate set up at room temperature before cutting the ganache down to 1.5 cm x 3 cm. 

Temper chocolate for final coat with 5% cocoa butter. So for 1# of chocolate add 0.8 oz melted cocoa butter into the temper.

Final dip the confections, picking up the bottom tempered side with your dipping fork. Dip throughly in tempered chocolate and then tap the fork allowing the chocolate to fall off the truffle and getting rid of all air bubbles. Place confection on a silpat and move to make sure a foot is not created. 

Let set up, and then handle only with cool gloved hands when moving the finished truffle make sure the praline side remains on top when dipping.

Finish confections with appropriate sized and type toppings; hazelnuts, coffee beans, chocolate flakes, tempered chocolate piped lines, coated sheets, etc.

Apricot Butter Ganache and Piping and Dipping Truffles

This formula, and most of our formulas are from a book called "Chocolates and Confections: formula, theory, and technique for the artisan confectioner" by Peter Greweling. And although the batch sizes are large in this book, they do tell you approximately how many confections are made from each batch so you can always adjust according to your wants.

Formula: pg. 163

Yield: 150 pieces

22%   Butter, soft (30 C/86 F)                                  160 g

11%   Apricot jam **                                                80 g

61%   Milk chocolate, melted, tempered at 86 F       430 g

6%    Apricot brandy                                                 40 g

         Chocolate, tempered, for precoating

         Chocolate, tempered and thinned with cocoa butter, for dipping

         Apricot jam or dried apricots for finishing*

*Can use different variations for finishings, but a good idea to finish chocolates with is to finish the confection giving a little clue as to what is inside.

** Apricot jam can be substituted for another seedless and smooth jam.

Softened butter

MOP:

Melt the butter to a mayonnaise consistency. Do not over melt! And jam and mix until well combined.

Butter with apricot jam and brandy

Stream, tempered milk chocolate into the butter mixture, taking care not to allow chunks of chocolate. Stream in the brandy, stirring until the mixture is homogeneous.

Let the ganache set up, should be about the consistency of peanut butter. Pipe the ganache onto parchment paper in desired forms. Allow to crystallize until firm enough to handle it, should have a firm shell and be able to be handled by bare or gloved hands.

Piping can be done in a variety of forms common shapes are rounds, rafts, logs, and pyramids.

Rounds: use a 806 round tip, hold tip 1" from the paper and pipe an approximate 1" thick ball. When the rounds set, re-round the balls by hand. Let the rounds set again before pre dipping the rounds in tempered chocolate; place a little bit of tempered chocolate onto one palm and roll the round generously.

Logs: use a 806 tip, pipe a thick log/line the size of the tip down a sheet of parchment. When the chocolate has set, use a knife to cut the strip down to 3 cm (1 1/8") logs. It should resemble the size of a bit sized Tottsie Roll. Let the logs set again before pre dipping the rounds in tempered chocolate; place a little bit of tempered chocolate onto one palm and roll the round generously like with the rounds.

Piped rounds, before shaping

Rafts: Use a 802 tip (#10 mini tip), pipe three side by side logs/lines down the sheet pan. When the chocolate has set, use a knife to cut the strip down to 3 cm (1 1/8") logs. Let the logs set again before pre dipping the rounds in tempered chocolate only the bottoms need to be dipped; place a little bit of tempered chocolate onto one palm and coat the bottom of the raft to strengthen the logs. Let tempered chocolate set before final dipping.

Pyramids: Use a 802 tip (#10 mini tip), pipe three side by side logs/lines down the sheet pan, pipe two lines on top, and then one to top off the pyramid form. When the chocolate has set, use a knife to cut the strip down to 2.5 cm logs. Let the logs set again before pre dipping the rounds in tempered chocolate, this shape does not need to be pre dipped because the structure is sound but it might help in final dipping.

Rafts

Temper chocolate for final coat with 5% cocoa butter. So for 1# of chocolate add 0.8 oz melted cocoa butter into the temper.

Final dip the confections, picking up the bottom tempered side with your dipping fork. Dip throughly in tempered chocolate and then tap the fork allowing the chocolate to fall off the truffle and getting rid of all air bubbles. Place confection on a silpat and move to make sure a foot is not created. 

Let set up, and then handle only with cool gloved hands when moving the finished truffle.

Top: Finished Pyramids
Center: Finished Logs
Bottom: Rounds rolled in cocoa powder

Assorted finished rounds, center