(no subject)

[fenchurch]

Ooo... You know, I think I actually like the new Update Journal layout (if for no other reason than that I no longer need to open another tab to view my icons separately).

We managed to finish taking around our first batch of baked goods tonight... this year I did small loaves of gingerbread and containers of lemon curd again (since it was a big hit last year), but added bags of spiced pecans (really easy to do and can be done on the stovetop) and ran with an idea I got from queenofattolia to dip Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe-Joe's cookies in chocolate. This is the first time I've ever tried chocolate dipping and it's not nearly as tough as I thought it would be... I used Ghirardelli milk chocolate and melted it in a pyrex liquid measuring cup submersed in a bowl of water heated nearly to boiling. I also picked up some of those tinted meltaway white chocolate thingies and melted them in some squeeze bottles, then spattered the chocolate coated cookies. The original cookie was sinful to begin with... coating it with really good chocolate? Well, let's just say that I'm in a VERY big hurry to get those things out of the house. NOW.

Some questions for anyone on my flist with experience in chocolate dipping: When I was researching it, I found several places that recommended melting a little bit of shortening in with the chocolate... is this a good idea? What effect does it have on the chocolate? Does it make it shinier?

I finally had some time to swing by the post office this morning, so I was able to get my last two international packages sent today, and they should both reach their destinations by Christmas. Yay! I've found, even with sending things domestically, that it's often worthwhile to just send stuff Priority. For example, the packages I sent today cost me about $2 extra a piece to send Global Priority... and they should be there within 7 days... as opposed to 6-7 weeks the other way. Sheesh. And domestic packages are often only around $1 more. Plus, in both cases, the post office provides the packaging!

I still have a huge batch of cards to get in the mail, which I'm hoping to get done by this weekend. I can't believe I haven't gotten them out yet, since I've been gearing up for this since Thanksgiving!

Comments

[queenofattolia.livejournal.com]

Shortening is usually added to keep the chocolate liquid enough for dipping. Depending upon the brand and level of cacao and sugar, some chocolates are still sort of stiff and/or gummy when melted, so adding fat of some sort makes them more viscous. The only thing that makes chocolate shiny when it sets is tempering it before dipping, which is fiddly in the extreme (it's all about varying temperatures and re-crystalization, blah blah). Only chocolatiers do this (or have machines to do it -- we had one in a wholesale bakery I worked for once) because most people don't care if they can't see themselves in the surfaces of their chocolates.

Sigh. My nephew has decided that he hates the peppermint JoJos and doesn't want to dip them to give to his teachers. Rats. Also we had a shortage of them in all the TJ's around here, which drove me insane. They came in a couple of days ago, thank God.

[wildrider.livejournal.com]

By the time I got to Trader Joe's, the Candy Cane Joe Joe's were sold out. The guy at the checkout told me they hadn't expected them to be so popular, and just didn't make enough!

I ought to do more chocolate dipping myself. We always seem to do everything in a great hurry at the last minute...

Shortening & Chocolate

[(Anonymous)]

Anybody remember the chocolate topping for ice cream called "magic shell"? Adding shortening to chocolate and melting the comination also makes a really good "magic shell" when poured on ice cream. It also hardens and makes really good "drizzle" on chocolate cheesecake.

[jerusha]

LOL! Chocolate is one of the reasons for the season. :)

I'd like to make another batch of cookies. I've got a recipe for raspberry crumble bars, and with the fruit, they've got to be good for you, right? ;)

[zotel.livejournal.com]

My mom bought melting chocolate from the cake supply shop, and never added shortening to my knowledge. Maybe it had something added in already...

[nmissi.livejournal.com]

Fen, the best thing to do if you're melting chocolate is to buy a machine. :) But since I doubt you can afford one any more than I can (dear GOD they are spensive!) here's my tip:

After you melt the chocy on the stovetop, pour it out onto the counter or a marble slab if you have one, and use a scraper to work it back and forth til it starts to set up. Work in small batches. That gives the best gloss and most sturdy finish when it hardens. And if you hafta work fast and can't temper it, make sure you harden the chocolates in the freezer, not the fridge. Fridge increases chance of bloom, because of the humidity. I have found this out the hard way after too many batches of waxy looking chocys.

Sigh. Some day? They'll invent a temper machine that is easy to use and not hundreds of dollars. When they do? Nobody will ever buy candy again.