Chocolates

Here is a sampling of what I made for the auction tomorrow. The oval shaped dark chocolate is chocolate covered raspberry marzipan, sprinkled with some freeze dried raspberry powder. Moving clockwise is an almond rocher, a very, very tasty candy. I add cinnamon to the almonds as they toast and I like the dimension that brings to the chocolate. The formula for this particular chocolate calls for the addition of two ounces of cocoa butter. This thins the chocolate, which is why you can see clear definition of the almonds. Pretty cool. I added cocoa butter to the dark chocolate as well, since I think generally without a little bit of thinning, the chocolate shell becomes too thick. Too much information, I know. The remaining chocolate is an Irish cream filled milk chocolate. I'm very pleased with this one--it's quite tasty, and my own concoction. And the music score on top is pretty cool, don't you think? That's done by placing an acetate square that's been printed with tinted cocoa butter on to the still melted chocolate. As the chocolate dries and hardens, the cocoa butter is transfered to the chocolate, leaving behind the desired design. Easy as could be too, which is all the better.

I made soe chocolate covered caramels too and though they are tasty, they don't pass muster in the aesthetic department. But these should do quite nicely. I'm going to have these three on display prior to the concert, with a sign saying that there will be samples at the intermission. I'll be cutting up the chocolates into quarters allowing as many people as I can to sample the chocolates.

I think it should be fun. And I'll be stationed right next to Torey, who's donating Pilates lessons. We're going to be bookends: my item will make you a little plump, and she'll kick it out of you. I'll report back on how the auction goes.