My latest
chocolate experiments: January 2015
“Mouth watering RASA chocolates in
lemon and vanilla”
I
procured some chocolate [freeze-stable] compound paste from my vendor as a Christmas
gift and was eagerly waiting to try that – incorporate into my products. Once I
got the opportunity to, it was a hushed-hushed thing. I had to prepare a few
trays in a short time. [There were guests coming next day and I had to visit
someone; pack few boxes for them]. I also had with me as an ingredient, a few
essences in oil base which when infused into the paste, gave amazing
ready-fillings. And then flavours like lemon, mint and orange go extremely well
with dark chocolate for whatever reason. But yes, it is a challenge to even
make the filling with some of these essences, due to disparity in their
chemical compositions [no matter how user-friendly or compatible they may be],
temperatures of the ingredients when mixing, weather conditions and speed of
working with these fat based products – which depends largely on the expertise
of the chocolatier. Well, here, this definitely was a challenge for me,
especially because I was in a bit of hurry that day and also had to pack
several pieces of moulded chocolates, once done.
Once
I added the fillings [the cavity-cone method of course], I decided to add some
berries also. The red berries, since my blueberries were on their way still J. When I did that, they turned out
awesome [like really mouth-watering]….ohhhhh yummm!! The next thing to
experiment was: I had a tin of ‘milk-maid’ or condensed, sweetened milk; to
which I added two of the oil essences I had and infused in the cavities…There I
was- made my own fillings combining the ingredients! Wow! That was a wonder!
Now I feel like I am the creator for all my ingredients for chocolates!
Now
whilst wrapping those, it so happened that one of the poor chocolates
collapsed, spilling out all the inside RASA [juices in Telugu]. In instantly
picked it up and dolled it inside my eager mouth! Lo! I was lost in its
flavour! So it is! This was my best RASAs. Last month, when I was at Hyderabad,
doing a chocolate demo, my audience said that they are familiar with the method
of moulded chocolates. But when they watched me roasting, spicing and
fat-coating my dry fruits, that’s when they were amazed and said, ‘now this is
something new for us’…that’s what gives me the satisfaction. Of having taught
them something different, of adding to their knowledge. The glow on their faces
when they learn something new from me!
Not
only this, I also tried different styles of wrapping and came up with what
looked most royal. Even if it means I have to spend an extra minute on each
piece; but if it looks royal and decent, why not. Then the effort is worth it.
It gives the look of an internationally procured or a branded chocolate to the
finishing.
Coming up: RCD [keep guessing….!]
fromthechokl8diaries.blogspot.in
No comments:
Post a Comment