Candy is one of my favorite things to make. Over the years, I’ve made my fair share of marshmallows, caramel, truffles and toffee. However, where I always struggle is adding chocolate to these delectable treats. It seems like that should be the easiest part- heat up some chocolate and dunk. My experience has not been that simple. Chocolate is a fickle food.

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of attending a workshop at Rachel Dunn Chocolates in Concord, CA. This class was ideal for me. The fillings were made and the whole class was about dipping. Here are my takeaways:

1. Use More Chocolate: You need more than what the recipe requires in order to avoid the scrapping the bowl to cover the final chocolate moment (my biggest downfall). Give yourself enough chocolate to have a good dip by keeping an extra two to three pounds on hand as starter chocolate. Use both the amount suggested and your starter chocolate. When you are done dipping, pour and spread the extra chocolate out on the counter. If you’ve tempered it properly, you can use it as your starter chocolate next time.
2. Dip and Flip: When dipping items in chocolate, it felt right to dip and then slide the tool out. This method results in a mess. Instead, dip the chocolate and flip it so that the your tool is on top. It helps give an even coat. Think about the truffles you see in stores with little peaks artfully on the top…yup, dip and flip.
3. Stir the Chocolate: Chocolate likes to set. To help prevent it from setting, stir the chocolate. It needs to be stirred from the outside in. However, if the outside starts to set, do not include that area in your stir.
4. Be Aware of your Surroundings: That draft in your house? It impacts the chocolate too. Be aware of the temperature changes as you dip. Some methods recommended for the home cook to keep chocolate at the right temperature includes hot pads with linen layering and keeping a warm oven open.
5. Thickness Matters: Ok, first get your mind out of the gutter! We are talking about different types of candy needing different types of shells. Consider the filling and what type of thickness would compliment it. For example, a truffle is great with a thin shell. To create the right thickness, tap on the edge of the chocolate bowl to get rid of excess chocolate (more tapping= thinner).
6. Cool the Chocolate: This one is a little more tricky. Once you are done with the chocolate, you want it to cool immediately. However, if you are somewhere it is hot, that might not happen. Pop the chocolate into the fridge for a couple of minutes. However, don’t leave it in for too long or you may get a sugar bloom.

Hope these tips help with your future chocolate endeavors. Happy chocolate making!

Yes, April is almost over and my March recipe is going up. Eeek. I promise that I did make this in March!

Passover and Easter came early this year. We celebrate both in my household which made for an interesting Easter brunch (more on that later). For Passover dinner I was assigned the task of making dessert. The tricky thing about Passover is that you are not suppose to use any leavening agent. For the record, baking powder and baking soda are two very close friends of mine in the kitchen. For that reason, it gave me the perfect opportunity to try out a new recipe from Martha Stewart- walnut dacquoises with apples and ice cream.

Here are my take aways if you decide to make it:

• Be prepared to buy a lot of walnuts and honey: These are probably the most expensive ingredients. Watch for walnuts on sale or it may be worth the trip to Costco.
• Skip the pastry bag: I did not have a tip large enough to use my pastry bag. To skip the headache of running to the store, I put the walnut mixture in a ziplock bag and cut off the corner. It makes for a beautiful clean up. This is also not a recipe where you need a fancy tip.
• Reduce the butter: I love butter. However, the ratio of honey, butter and apples seemed off. The apples were swimming in the sauce. My goal was to just infuse additional flavor into the apples. I think you could cut the butter and honey in half. It should be noted that I did double my recipe.
• The ice cream is delicious by itself: This was my first time adding things into store bought ice cream. I did two varieties: (1) Breyers Natural Vanilla and (2) vanilla almond milk (for the lactose intolerant crowd). The honey walnuts added a delicious flavor. I would consider making just the ice cream part again for an easy dessert.
• It is a rich dessert: Everyone seemed to enjoy the dessert. However, it is very rich. After a big meal it may push you into the uncomfortably full zone. This would be best served with a lighter dinner.

One last thing I did want to share was our Passover friendly Easter brunch menu. Here is what was served:

• Vegetable hash with eggs: Awesome recipe that makes you feel healthy. I cut down on the potatoes and added some butternut squash to the mix.
• Chicken apple sausage: Standard Aidells sausage.
• Fruit salad
• Champagne
• Homemade fruit juice: Apple and pear.
• Tea

Setting the table is always fun. I did geek out and fold the napkins into bunnies. Yes, my brother and I spent a fair amount of our free time as children practicing napkin folding techniques. Don’t judge 🙂