I have come across so many yummy blogs, but in my old age, I often forget the name of the sites I have visited. It's definitely time for me to update my Blog Roll...and I need your help.
If you have a blog that you want to share, either your own or a favorite that you visit, please tell the rest of us.
Leave the blog address in the comments section, along with a brief description of the type of blog, so that everyone can enjoy them.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Spring Cake
It's official, Spring has arrived!
My friend, MJ, created a delightful cake using a floral transfer sheet, and I want to share it with you.
MJ used the curl technique, shown here. You may have noticed, that MJ did it correctly, making nice long curls (unlike mine that were cut too short.)
While I have seen the curls used to accent the tops and sides of desserts, this display of creating a flower is just darling.
Thank you MJ for showing us an easy way to fancy up our desserts this Spring!
My friend, MJ, created a delightful cake using a floral transfer sheet, and I want to share it with you.
MJ used the curl technique, shown here. You may have noticed, that MJ did it correctly, making nice long curls (unlike mine that were cut too short.)
While I have seen the curls used to accent the tops and sides of desserts, this display of creating a flower is just darling.
Thank you MJ for showing us an easy way to fancy up our desserts this Spring!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
And the winner is.......
Geisme
Geisme, you have won the Tempering Unit, New Spring Transfer Sheets, 1 pound of Dove White Chocolate, and 1.5 pounds of Dove Dark Chocolate OR Dove Milk Chocolate.
Congratulations!!
Please email me with your shipping address (must be in continental US, and no PO Box) and SELECT YOUR PREFERENCE for Milk or Dark chocolate.
For the rest of the entrants....thanks for playing! Come back soon to learn more about chocolate, including giveaways.
If you had your heart set on this fun machine...the winning package is available for $154 Just email me thechocolatelady@cox.net and let me know....this sale is for March ONLY. And...if you purchase it by Sunday, March 21, it will arrive in time for Easter.
Thanks again for playing :) Please follow my blog, and follow me on twitter; chocladykim
xoxo
Geisme, you have won the Tempering Unit, New Spring Transfer Sheets, 1 pound of Dove White Chocolate, and 1.5 pounds of Dove Dark Chocolate OR Dove Milk Chocolate.
Congratulations!!
Please email me with your shipping address (must be in continental US, and no PO Box) and SELECT YOUR PREFERENCE for Milk or Dark chocolate.
For the rest of the entrants....thanks for playing! Come back soon to learn more about chocolate, including giveaways.
If you had your heart set on this fun machine...the winning package is available for $154 Just email me thechocolatelady@cox.net and let me know....this sale is for March ONLY. And...if you purchase it by Sunday, March 21, it will arrive in time for Easter.
Thanks again for playing :) Please follow my blog, and follow me on twitter; chocladykim
xoxo
Monday, March 15, 2010
It's a Give Away!
I love showing you all the fun things you can do with a tempering unit....and Ive decided that I want to know what YOU would do with a tempering unit.
Before I give the details of this sweet prize...let me explain a few things....
When you see chocolate that has been molded into candies, or covering yummy treats (chocolate covered strawberries, cookies, etc.) ...it's either real chocolate that has been tempered, or a confectionary coating (think fats and wax). So, when you make candies out of little colored wafers...it's cool and all, but it's not real chocolate.
In order for REAL chocolate to be shaped and harden up with a nice shine, with a snap (not a bend)..it must be tempered.
Tempering is the process of heating AND cooling, to very precise temperatures, so that the chocolate will stabilize into it's original molecular state.
That might sound very geeky and weird...when actually, its super cool!
The Revolution 1 Tempering Unit is made by Chocovision, the leader in commercial tempering units. It retails for $429 when purchased at Chocovision, and I have seen prices as high as $700....Dove, typically sells this machine for $300, which is a steal!
For March only, the machine is part of a package deal....$154, and it INCLUDES;
Revolution 1 tempering unit
1.5 pounds of Dove milk or Dove dark chocolate
1 pound of Dove white chocolate
New Spring transfer sheets (cocoa butter designs for your chocolate)
This is a savings of $213 off the regular Dove price....and truly an amazing deal.
And this generous deal has put ME in the giving spirit....so.....
Im going to be giving away (free) the Tempering Unit & Candy Making Bundle
Here are the rules.....
1. You MUST post to the comments, what YOU would make with your new tempering machine.
2. One post per person, per household
3. Dove chocolatiers or Dove/Mars, Inc. employees are not allowed to play
4. Posts must be submitted by 11:59pm, PST, Saturday, March 20, 2010.
5. Winner will be randomly selected and posted on Sunday, March 21, 2011.
6. Winner must send me their mailing address (no PO Boxes) by Monday, March 22, 2011, 5pm PST, or a new winner will be selected.
7. Winner must live in the continental USA
So, tell me, if you win, what will you make with your Tempering Unit and Dove Chocolate Candy Making Bundle??? (if you need some ideas, scroll through my old posts on this blog)
Before I give the details of this sweet prize...let me explain a few things....
When you see chocolate that has been molded into candies, or covering yummy treats (chocolate covered strawberries, cookies, etc.) ...it's either real chocolate that has been tempered, or a confectionary coating (think fats and wax). So, when you make candies out of little colored wafers...it's cool and all, but it's not real chocolate.
In order for REAL chocolate to be shaped and harden up with a nice shine, with a snap (not a bend)..it must be tempered.
Tempering is the process of heating AND cooling, to very precise temperatures, so that the chocolate will stabilize into it's original molecular state.
That might sound very geeky and weird...when actually, its super cool!
The Revolution 1 Tempering Unit is made by Chocovision, the leader in commercial tempering units. It retails for $429 when purchased at Chocovision, and I have seen prices as high as $700....Dove, typically sells this machine for $300, which is a steal!
For March only, the machine is part of a package deal....$154, and it INCLUDES;
Revolution 1 tempering unit
1.5 pounds of Dove milk or Dove dark chocolate
1 pound of Dove white chocolate
New Spring transfer sheets (cocoa butter designs for your chocolate)
This is a savings of $213 off the regular Dove price....and truly an amazing deal.
And this generous deal has put ME in the giving spirit....so.....
Im going to be giving away (free) the Tempering Unit & Candy Making Bundle
Here are the rules.....
1. You MUST post to the comments, what YOU would make with your new tempering machine.
2. One post per person, per household
3. Dove chocolatiers or Dove/Mars, Inc. employees are not allowed to play
4. Posts must be submitted by 11:59pm, PST, Saturday, March 20, 2010.
5. Winner will be randomly selected and posted on Sunday, March 21, 2011.
6. Winner must send me their mailing address (no PO Boxes) by Monday, March 22, 2011, 5pm PST, or a new winner will be selected.
7. Winner must live in the continental USA
So, tell me, if you win, what will you make with your Tempering Unit and Dove Chocolate Candy Making Bundle??? (if you need some ideas, scroll through my old posts on this blog)
Saturday, March 13, 2010
beautiful chocolate creations
At my baking class tonight, we focused on making beautiful designs in tempered chocolate. Tempered chocolate is different than melted chocolate, as it will set up and harden nicely, with a shine and a crisp snap. It is perfect for making candies, or dipping strawberries or other treats, making bark and more. For this class, I wanted to focus on some creative accent items that could be made.
Now, as a disclaimer....I tried to cram 3 different items into one, 1.5 hr. class. It did impact quality, a bit, but I felt it was more important to show off a variety of techniques...so here we go....
DECORATIVE CURLS
The first item, is some decorative chocolate curls. These are perfect for topping desserts...a cake, cupcake, ice cream sundae.
We used the blue flower transfer sheet, but there are many options (several floral designs, pink polka dots, squiggly lines, checkers, hearts, pumpkins, firecrackers and more!). They are printed on the sheet in cocoa butter..they are simple to use, and edible.
We then took tempered, dark chocolate, and spread it onto the sheet.
Once it starts to dry (you can tell by the matte finish that replaces the wet shine)
You can then take a knife and make strips
Then you will take and roll up the sheet, and place it in the refrigerator (seam down), for approx. 15 minutes.
Now...I made the mistake of making strips in both directions, and making them too close...so the outcome was not exactly curls, but smaller pieces of chocolate...but you get the idea, and all of them were dark chocolate, with blue flowers on one side. They would be a beautiful accent for any dessert.
Texture designs
Our next decorative treat, was a white chocolate bark with a dark chocolate design. We used a textured transfer sheet. Instead of having a cocoa butter design, it has a raised imprint, that leaves a 3 day effect. You can use it with one type of chocolate, or use two different colors, like we have done here.
We laid out the sheet, and added some tempered dark chocolate;
When you spread the chocolate, it will fill in the indents of the design.....beautiful!
We placed it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, to make sure the chocolate had solidified, we dont want it to run with the white chocolate.
We then added tempered white chocolate, and spread it across the sheet.
It was the refrigerated for about 10 minutes, so the chocolate would set up.
This could be kept as a solid piece of chocolate, but we decided to use a cookie cutter to make a round medalion..it would make the perfect accent for a dessert.
We then placed it back into the refrigerator to harden up completely.
I dont have a picture of the medallion itself, but here is the chocolate that was cut around it. You could cut out any shape of accent, or you could break it into pieces. While we have made this as a white bark with brown design, you could use it as a dark bark with a white design....or get creative, and use a colored (white + candy coloring) design on a white or brown chocolate. Whatever your color combination, it is an elegant accent.
Chocolate tulip cups
This final project is SO easy, and has an incredible WOW factor. We made chocolate cups, using tempered chocolate and a balloon. There are many variations on this....but with Easter around the corner, I thought a beautiful tulip design would be perfect.
Make sure to clean off the balloon before using. Do not submerge it into water, as liquid will ruin the tempered chocolate...rather wipe off the exterior, and make sure it is completely dry.
We had some white tempered chocolate left over from our previous textured medallion. If I had more time, I would have tempered more chocolate, because these tulip cups would have been much better with more, thicker chocolate. However, you still get the idea...
Place the balloon in the chocolate. You can dip straight in, but for the tulip look, you will rock the balloon back and forth, and side to side.
Set the balloon on parchment paper, so that it can set up. Place it in the refrigerator to completely solidify (15 minutes)
Imagine how beautiful this cup would look, filled with mousse, fresh fruit, or even jelly beans. Your guests will be impressed with the gourmet look, they dont need to know it was so quick and simple!
If you want to add color or a design, you could add a second color of tempered chocolate...just add to the bowl, before dipping the balloon.
If you have any questions about how to make these items, feel free to contact me at thechocolatelady@cox.net
Remember, the tempering unit is 67% off for the month of March only. Now is the time to get this fun tool, which will allow you to make gifts and fun entertaining treats for all occasions.
Now, as a disclaimer....I tried to cram 3 different items into one, 1.5 hr. class. It did impact quality, a bit, but I felt it was more important to show off a variety of techniques...so here we go....
DECORATIVE CURLS
The first item, is some decorative chocolate curls. These are perfect for topping desserts...a cake, cupcake, ice cream sundae.
We used the blue flower transfer sheet, but there are many options (several floral designs, pink polka dots, squiggly lines, checkers, hearts, pumpkins, firecrackers and more!). They are printed on the sheet in cocoa butter..they are simple to use, and edible.
We then took tempered, dark chocolate, and spread it onto the sheet.
Once it starts to dry (you can tell by the matte finish that replaces the wet shine)
You can then take a knife and make strips
Then you will take and roll up the sheet, and place it in the refrigerator (seam down), for approx. 15 minutes.
Now...I made the mistake of making strips in both directions, and making them too close...so the outcome was not exactly curls, but smaller pieces of chocolate...but you get the idea, and all of them were dark chocolate, with blue flowers on one side. They would be a beautiful accent for any dessert.
Texture designs
Our next decorative treat, was a white chocolate bark with a dark chocolate design. We used a textured transfer sheet. Instead of having a cocoa butter design, it has a raised imprint, that leaves a 3 day effect. You can use it with one type of chocolate, or use two different colors, like we have done here.
We laid out the sheet, and added some tempered dark chocolate;
When you spread the chocolate, it will fill in the indents of the design.....beautiful!
We placed it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, to make sure the chocolate had solidified, we dont want it to run with the white chocolate.
We then added tempered white chocolate, and spread it across the sheet.
It was the refrigerated for about 10 minutes, so the chocolate would set up.
This could be kept as a solid piece of chocolate, but we decided to use a cookie cutter to make a round medalion..it would make the perfect accent for a dessert.
We then placed it back into the refrigerator to harden up completely.
I dont have a picture of the medallion itself, but here is the chocolate that was cut around it. You could cut out any shape of accent, or you could break it into pieces. While we have made this as a white bark with brown design, you could use it as a dark bark with a white design....or get creative, and use a colored (white + candy coloring) design on a white or brown chocolate. Whatever your color combination, it is an elegant accent.
Chocolate tulip cups
This final project is SO easy, and has an incredible WOW factor. We made chocolate cups, using tempered chocolate and a balloon. There are many variations on this....but with Easter around the corner, I thought a beautiful tulip design would be perfect.
Make sure to clean off the balloon before using. Do not submerge it into water, as liquid will ruin the tempered chocolate...rather wipe off the exterior, and make sure it is completely dry.
We had some white tempered chocolate left over from our previous textured medallion. If I had more time, I would have tempered more chocolate, because these tulip cups would have been much better with more, thicker chocolate. However, you still get the idea...
Place the balloon in the chocolate. You can dip straight in, but for the tulip look, you will rock the balloon back and forth, and side to side.
Set the balloon on parchment paper, so that it can set up. Place it in the refrigerator to completely solidify (15 minutes)
Imagine how beautiful this cup would look, filled with mousse, fresh fruit, or even jelly beans. Your guests will be impressed with the gourmet look, they dont need to know it was so quick and simple!
If you want to add color or a design, you could add a second color of tempered chocolate...just add to the bowl, before dipping the balloon.
If you have any questions about how to make these items, feel free to contact me at thechocolatelady@cox.net
Remember, the tempering unit is 67% off for the month of March only. Now is the time to get this fun tool, which will allow you to make gifts and fun entertaining treats for all occasions.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Candy Making Class TONIGHT
My class tonight will be focused on making fun chocolate goodies that are perfect for Spring entertaining.
My house....we start promptly at 7:30pm and will be done before 9pm. $10 per person and you will take treats home.
contact me if you need more info 949-584-7577
xo
kim
My house....we start promptly at 7:30pm and will be done before 9pm. $10 per person and you will take treats home.
contact me if you need more info 949-584-7577
xo
kim
Friday, March 5, 2010
Tempering Chocolate
Would you love to temper chocolate?
Our tempering unit makes it SO EASY!
March only, we are having a sale....
$154...for the machine AND $68 worth of chocolate and candy making supplies....WOW!
The machine is a Revolution 1 by Chocovision.....google this to see just what a deal Dove is offering.
Id love to see what YOU would create....hmmm...maybe a photo contest is in order!! :)
Our tempering unit makes it SO EASY!
March only, we are having a sale....
$154...for the machine AND $68 worth of chocolate and candy making supplies....WOW!
The machine is a Revolution 1 by Chocovision.....google this to see just what a deal Dove is offering.
Id love to see what YOU would create....hmmm...maybe a photo contest is in order!! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
