Tempering Chocolate

Dark chocolate:

Chop the chocolate finely, set just under ⅓ of the chocolate aside, and add the rest into a stainless steel bowl. Set the bowl on to a saucepan with very hot water. Let the chocolate melt while stirring. When the chocolate reaches 118-120℉ (48-49℃), take the bowl off the hot water. While stirring add the remaining chocolate in the warm chocolate. This will cool the chocolate. You need the temperature to cool to 80℉ (27℃). To make this process speed up, place the bowl in a bowl with ice-cold water for a short moment.   When the chocolate reaches 80℉ (27℃) put the bowl over the hot water again, and heat the chocolate to 88℉ (31℃), and now its ready to use for coating. It is Very important that the chocolate stays under 91.3℉ (33℃), if it does not, you need to start all over again.

TIP: If you keep an extra bowl with some warm chocolate, 118-120℉ (48-49℃), you can add small amounts of this, to the tempered chocolate if the temperature is getting to low while you are working with the chocolate.

Milk chocolate:  

You need to do the same steps with milk chocolate, as for the dark chocolate.

Heat to 116-118℉ (47-48℃)

Cool to  80℉ (27℃)

Reheat to 86℉ (30℃)

White chocolate:

You need to do the same steps with white chocolate, as for the dark chocolate. White chocolate is per definition not a real chocolate, 

Heat to 116-118℉ (47-48℃)

Cool to  80℉ (27℃)

Reheat to 84℉ (29℃)

How-to videos:

How to temper chocolate? Here is a video from CHOW, on how to do it. I also like this video, that gives you the science behind tempering chocolate. This warms a food chemists heart. ❤️

Hvordan temperer man chokolade? Her er en video fra Mette Blomsterberg, der viser hvordan hun gør. Blomsterberg køler ikke chokoladen til 27℃, for igen at opvarme chokoladen, til arbejdstemperaturen 31-33℃, som jeg ellers har lært. Men man må tro på at hun ved hvad hun gør. + jeg kan lide at hun har den lune chokolade klar, til at tilsætte lidt, for at holde temperaturen konstant, mens du arbejder med den.

Nougat

Nougat

December 22th.

I have always loved the white nougat made from honey, sugar and egg whites. This white nougat originates from Italy and is called Torrone, but there are different versions from different countries.  In Danmark we call this kind of candy for French Nougat, I really don’t know why. But it’s a great sweet candy, great for gifting. 

The temperature of the syrup determines the texture of the nougat. When the syrup is cooked to130℃ you get a very soft and runny nougat. Cooked to 140°C you get a chewy nougat. And if cooked to 150°C you get a hard nougat. 

makes 30-40 pieces, depending on size.

Ingredients:

Syrup:

• 260 g sugar
• 80 g water
• 50 g light corn syrup/glucose
• 160 honey

Egg whites:

• 40 g egg whites
• 40 g sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanillapaste

Filling:

• 100 g pistachios
• 100 g almonds

Directions:

Roast the almonds in a single layer in the oven at 350℉ (175℃), until they start to turn slightly golden, set aside.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, honey and salt in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until all the sugar is melted, while stirring with a wooden spoon. Brushing down the sides of the pan occasionally with a pastry brush dipped in warm water, to prevent the sugar crystalizing on the sides of the pan. Attach the sugar thermometer to the pot and let the syrup simmer until it reaches 290°F (142℃), do not stir.

Remove saucepan from heat and place the base of the pan in the sink of cold water for 5 seconds, or until the bubbles subside, this stops the syrup temperature increasing. 

While heating the syrup, place the egg whites in a large, clean, dry heatproof bowl. Whisk the egg whites until firm peaks form. Add salt and vanilla, whisk to combine.

While whisking on medium speed, slowly pour hot syrup into the egg whites in a thin, steady stream. Turn the speed up and whisk for 10-12 minutes.  

Pour the sticky nougat onto a Silpat® Non-Stick Baking Mats, or another silicone mat, use the mat to knead nuts into the nougat.

Place the nougat in a a parchment paper lined pan sprayed with oil. I used a loaf pan.  Set aside in at room temperature for 6 hours or until set.

Cut the nougat with a sharp knife, heated in hot water, and wiped dry. Toss the nougat pieces in some sifted confectionary sugar. Store nougat in a clean, dry airtight container, separating layers with a piece of parchment paper. Will keep in a cool, dry place for 1-2 weeks, or so I'm told.  ;0)

Enjoy!

Homemade Liquorice Fudge

Homemade Liquorice Fudge

December 21th.

Making the last few treats for the holiday celebration. 

Makes about 60.

Ingredients:

• 397 g (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
• 150 ml milk
• 115 g (1 stick) butter (I used salted butter)
• 450 g sugar
• 4-5 teaspoons fine liquorice powder
• 1-2 teaspoons raw liquorice powder

Directions:

Line a square baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large saucepan on a medium heat, heat the condensed milk, milk, butter and sugar, stirring regularly, until the sugar has melted. Let the fudge simmer until it reaches 240℉ (115℃) or until soft ball stage. You have to stir constantly, otherwise the fudge will burn and you end up with bitter fudge.

Transfer the fudge to the stand mixer bowl, add the liquorice powder, and beat for about 10 minutes, until it loses the glossy caramel sheen and you have a thick but soft fudge. 

Scoop the fudge into the prepared baking pan and press it into the corners and even out the top. Let the fudge cool completely. Cut it into squares.

The fudge will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for several weeks. I have never tested this, because the fudge always seems to disappear in the first few days, in my house.

Enjoy!

Homemade Marzipan

Homemade Marzipan

Marzipan is a big part of all the sweets and confectionary made in Danish homes in the weeks up to christmas. Living abroad it is very hard to find marzipan not to mention good marzipan. 

Ingredients:

Mazipan:

• 200 g almond flour

• 3 small bitter almonds, the skin scraped of

• 35 g agave nectar (I used organic blue agave nectar)

• 50 g (2 tablespoons) syrup*

• 2-3 drops almond extract (optional)

*Syrup (makes more than needed in the recipe):

• 50 ml water

• 90 g sugar

• 70 g light corn syrup (glucose syrup)

Directions:

Syrup:

Heat water, sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan until the sugar is melted into a clear syrup. Let the syrup cool completely before using.

Marzipan:

Scrape the brown skin of the bitter almonds. Ground the almonds to a flour. I chopped it finely and grounded it in a pestle and mortar with a ¼ teaspoon sugar.

Mix almond flour, bitter almond, syrup, agave nectar and extract in a bowl and use your hands to knead it into a uniform paste. Form the paste into a log, and roll it up in plastic wrap. and let it rest in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours for the flavors to blend.

Use the marzipan for baking, snacking, to make confectionery or as base for cream puffs.

Enjoy!

I used some almond extract because the bitter almonds didn't give me enough flavor in all my test batches. I will stay in the marzipan-test-kitchen until next christmas.🎄

Peppermint Marshmallows

Peppermint Marshmallows

December 9th.

These peppermint marshmallows are a great little treat or dessert. But I think they would be perfect on a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day. You can also make them as gifts for the hostess at the next holiday party, you're going to. The marshmallows  look really festive and who would not like to get a homemade gift made with love?

Ingredients:

• 120 ml water

• 21 g (3 envelopes) gelatin

• 120 ml water

• 400 g sugar

• 240 g light corn syrup

• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

• pink food coloring

Decorating:

• Melted dark chocolate

• 1-3 candy canes, crushed

Directions:

Grease bottom and sides of 11x7-inch glass baking dish with coconut oil. Dust it with sifted confectionary sugar, and set aside. 

In the bowl for the stand mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 120 ml cold water and let it sit to bloom/soften.

In a saucepan heat granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and 120 ml water over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Heat to boiling, and cook without stirring until the temperature reaches  240°F (115℃) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

Start whisking the softened gelatin on low, and slowly pour in the syrup. Increase speed to high, and keep whisking for about 10 minutes until white and almost tripled in volume. Add peppermint extract and food coloring and keep whisking on high for another minute. 

Pour the sticky mixture into the prepared baking dish, patting lightly with wet hands. Sprinkle a thick layer of sifted confectionary sugar on top, and let stand uncovered for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Dust a cutting board with about 1 tablespoon sifted confectionary sugar. Place remaining powdered sugar in small bowl. Place the big marshmallow on the cutting board and using a pizza slicer cut the marshmallow into the desired size, or use small cookie cutters to cut marshmallows into fun shapes. Dust the freshly cut sides of each marshmallow by dipping them into bowl of confectionary sugar. 

Store marshmallows in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 weeks.

I dipped the marshmallows in melted chocolate an sprinkled with crushed candy cane.