The chocolate shop is the busiest it's ever been. I've been making special assortments as customers pick and choose their favorites. A lot of big orders and shipments. It is such a treat to receive orders from southern customers who I assume were summering in Maine when they discovered my shop.
Today I received my Dagoba shipment and though they said it was out of stock I did receive my organic cocoa mix with chile and cinnamon which was a nice suprize. I quickly placed it on the shelves and made a gift basket full of organic chocolate.
I have spent a lot of time in the kitchen this week. My newest truffle is a hazelnut creation. Freshly roasted hazelnuts ground, mixed with milk chocolate and butter and enrobed in 54% dark chocolate and a roasted hazelnut on top. This afternoon during a quiet moment I ate one and really enjoyed it, and then a little later ate another!
I was asked if I create my own recipes or give classes. I do not give classes but we did have a free chocolate tasting event last winter and I expect will do another one in the future. We would advertise this on our website. My distributor of my Callebaut Coverture was nice enough to lead the presentation on the origins of chocolate. Many people have no idea how chocolate grows or how it is processed. Quite fastening! Some of my truffles are a simple base of cream and chocolate (ratios vary depending on the flavors and type of chocolate) with added liquors, and I do use recipe books for inspiration. Any time I find a new book on chocolate with a certain amount of intellect in their presentation I buy it. One recipe book: "Truffles" by Dede Wilson has been very nice. That is where I found the Pumpkin Spice Truffle recipe, though I do not follow published recipes exactly. The pumpkin spice truffle is like biting into the holidays! Milk Chocolate, pumpkin, cream,cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg!
"Belgian Chocolate", by Roger Geerts has also been inspiring.
I enjoy using my european molds. They have a very neat appearance, and since all my chocolates are made by hand, meaning I do not have a conveyor belt that will enrobe the chocolate onto centers, the molds work well, but I also hand enrobe some truffles. This week I also made my milk amaretto truffle with marzipan.
I've run out of pumpkin spice truffles and buttercrunch so I will be back in the kitchen as soon as possible.
Time for a break this evening to a Christmas party and of course I'm bringing along a box of chocolates which will be fun to watch disappear very quickly!
Regards,
Sandra
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