Man, I cant even see straight after reading all these pages.
I dont think I missed the recipe but how do you make cream cheese mints? ANd I want to order the bookthat everyone was talking about that has good recipes and tips, but I cant remember the name of it and it is somewhere in the beginning of this topic. Can someone please give me the info?
Thanks

Whew. Just finished reading everything. Super helpful! Question: I know any water will cause chocolates to seize up. If I wanted to make chocolates with alcohol flavorings, do I have to use only the flavoring oils? I have Kahlua, Creme de Mint and Amaretto. Can the real thing be used?

Dooledoo,
Cream Cheese Mints (From Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)
3 oz cream cheese, softened
3 Cups sifted Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract ( I also sub vanilla)
Few drops food coloring ( i just use a tiny bit of Wilton or Americolor)
Sugar ( I use the Superfine granulated Sugar)

In a small mixing bowl stir together softened cream cheese, and peppermint extract. Gradually add powdered sugar, stiring till mixure is smooth. (Kneed in the last of the powdered sugar with your hands). Add food coloring. Knead till food coloring is evenly distributed .

It goes on on how to make the mints. I usually use some kind of cream cheese molds to make them --rolling the mints with the superfine granulated sugar first so they pop out easily.

I also suggest using Kansaswolf Cream Cheese fondant as well. It's a great recipe.

I've always wanted to dip the mints in chocolate to see how that would turn out. One of these days.

Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread with the Cream Cheese Mint Recipe
Aquamom

Found the answer to my own question. Check out this site. I spent hours there!
http://candy.about.com/od/workingwithchocolate/a/chocolateflavors.htm

I just went through all 55 pages of this discussion and it took me several hours but it was worth it. I am going to be teaching a candy making class at the local senior center and I was wondering if you all had some ideas for me. I am thinking of a maximum of about 15 students then dividing them up into 5 teams 3 people each or should I have 14 students and divide them up into 7 teams of 2 people each? Then I would have each team working on a project. Some of the projects would consist of: truffles, chocolate covered pretzel rods, chocolate covered caramels, cream cheese mints, chocolate covered cherries, and peppermint bark. I am looking for more ideas also so I am open to all suggestions any of you have. What do you think, will this work or does anyone have another idea on how I could run this candy class.

Lisa

Love this thread! I make plenty of chocolates and i keep trying out different fillings. Will post some different filling recipes soon

I love this thread. I like making cakes and cookies but candy is where I have a lot of fun. I can get creative with my flavors and packaging. Truffles and peppermint bark are great I think toffee would be good too. I want to try a recipe for orange bark. I did a raspberry bark once with frozen raspberries. That tasted great. I had to try a few times though. The first time I put too many raspberries in. It was a big mess.

Hi everyone. We are getting to holiday time again so lets all start thinking of some more fabulous *thigh sticking* chocolates to make! My butt has for sure increased in size since this thread first started.....I blame you all for that though.

I made fudge pecan truffles today and a pumpkin spice-pecan fudge torte in a oreo cookie crust. It was a recipe that didn't turn out so I made this instead.

Hey ladies, if anyone wants to start a google doc on all the recipes from this thread, I'll gladly add it to the recipe links thread (in my signature). I don't know how to do the google doc thing or I'd do it myself.

Here's a nice truffle recipe that I use:

Ingredients:
150g Dark cooking chocolate chopped
45g unsalted butter
1/4 Cup Cream
Cocoa for coating.

Flavor options:
1. 1 Tbsp of any liquor or alcohol of your choice.
2. A few drops of peppermint oil.
3. A few drops of orange oil.
4. A few drops of coffee oil.

Method:
1. Place chocolate in a medium mixing bowl. Combine butter and cream in a heavy based pan; stir over low heat until the butter has melted. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat.
2. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the flavoring of your choice.
3. Cool the mixture in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally. When firm enough to handle, roll heaped teaspoons of the mixture into balls.
4. Sift some cocoa onto greaseproof paper. Roll each truffle in cocoa until generously coated. Refrigerate until firm. truffles can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

NOTES:

1. Alternatively, you can also roll the truffles in chocolate vermicelli.
2. Fill this truffle mixture into chocolate shells and make truffle filled chocolates.
3. Add chopped nuts or hazelnut paste etc to this truffle mixture.

ENJOY!!
[/b][/u]

I would like to make some cream centers chocolate covered candies like See's candies. In my research for recipes it seems that the cream center is fondant ?? with different flavors. Does anyone know if that is how it's made? I was thinking of using Lorann oils for the flavors.

thanks

I asked this in another thread and got no response, so I'll ask it here: Has anyone heard of this book? It looks like it has not only chocolate but other candies as well. I'm looking for feedback on it. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615212581/?tag=cakecentral-20

Hi Bob, I have never seen that book before,did you look to see if Barnes/Noble carried it so you could look through it ?

That's my next step!

Hey Bob find your book?
Time to start thinking about those chocolates for the Holiday's!!
I did make some choc ganache trufles already Yum!

Nope, never did find that book. Oh well. Until I hear a lot more about it I'm not spending the $$ to get it. I have a lot of candy books anyway, so it's not like a necessity or anything.

Sweettreasures, I am going to try to make chocolates with centers too. I am going to try ganache. Maybe you should try that. Let me know how it goes. Good luck. [/b]

Hello chocolate lovers!

I crashed this thread last year and here I am again.

I wanted to see if I could get some feedback on the Chocolate Pro Melting Pot by Wilton. Anyone have it? Like it? Hate it? (I searched this site and found nothing on it.)

I have made a double broiler for the last 4 years to dip my truffles. I learned about this gadget last year and am seriously considering purchasing it for this holiday season in hopes of it making the process a little more easier. I would LOVE to eliminate leaning over the hot stove!

Any thought would be appreciated.

Thanks so much!

I have the Chocolate Pro Melting Pot by Wilton.It works great ,takes a little longer for the choc to get all melted but once it does and you turn it to keep warm its great! I only use it when I have a lot to dip.It doesnt seem to hold a lot at once but you can just throw in more choc as you go along.I keep it in its original container in my pantry so unless I have a lot of choc's to dip I dont bother getting it out.I either use the stove or microwave.But yes if your going to dip a lot for the Holidays you might consider buying it ! I know some people dont care for it but I like it when I use it .

Thank you fiddlesticks!

If you dont mind Im gotta pick your brain a little more. How does the white chocolate melt in this pot? I was having issues with my white chocolate last year which is the reason I ended up in this thread.

Mine does fine but I only use the Sams blocks of Ghirardelli choc these days !Im hooked on that stuff it melts easy anywhere and tastes delicious.I have melted reg choc chips and waffers/discs of milk, semi sweet choc in it also . and it was fine ! I know sometimes some white choc can be a pain to get melted even if you add wax/shortening to it !

I use Bakers white chocolate. I have never added anything to my chocolates and never had a problem melting them until last year. I was melting them at a high heat level. Learned to use the mid-heat level.

Thanks for your input. I just visited the Wilton.com and I can't find a single thread/post or customer review anywhere on that site.

Your welcome ! I can only tell you how it is for me,But maybe if you buy it at Micheals with a forty off coupon it wont hurt so much LOL!
They have that and also a 50% off going on right now through the 11th!
Thats how and where I got mine !

Great minds think alike!


Right now Joann's has a 50% off coupon in the holiday mag they sent out and I have a gift card....so it's sorta free

To be quite honest, I'm far too lazy to go back through 56 pages, but on the outside chance someone remembers -- is there any info about doing chocolate shoes? I'm ready to pour and now I have questions...

Hey Bob Sorry im not sure theres info on choc shoes in this thread!But if you look up posts my Jen Dontz she has talked about them several times ! Of sourse that can be some work to LOL!!

I have, me and Jen are buddies and we've already talked about the chocolate shoes. I was just hoping someone else had tried them. I poured them last night, they're quite easy to do actually but I let them set too long and the first coat cracked. But never fear, I'm melting them down and repouring today!

Okay this has probably already been covered but I'm going to ask it anyway: If you look in my pix, I recently did a cake for Bella's sixth birthday. She wanted a purse cake with fabulous shoes, and the fab shoes I did were chocolate. I had so much fun doing them that I'm wondering if anyone knows where I can get more high heel shoe molds in different styles? (See Gayles website for examples.) Thanks all!!

Edited to say I have no idea why this link isn't coming up so I removed it (it was turning up questionable content... .) If you go to Google and type in Gayles chocolates, this is the web address that comes up but for some reason this link isn't going through...

i have made toffee before but it's been a while, but if i remember right, it would be too hot to but directly in the chocolate molds. i would probably make the toffee, let it cool, break it into pieces, and then coat it in chocolate.

As for chocolate truffles one of my favorites is Habanero truffles. Just steep a habanero pepper in the cream of your ganache, you'll probably want to cut it in half but make sure you get the seeds and the pepper out before you pour it over the chocolate. i know it sounds strange but the spicy aftertaste with the chocolate is very good. i like to use dark chocolate but milk chocolate is good too.