Chocolate, Chocolate, and More Chocolate

I know I’m a little late.   For some reason, I thought it was suppose to be due on the 30th.  I think I need more sleep because it was actually due on the 27th.  It might be worth the wait since I actually made 4 different chocolates and a sponge candy.  My house, myself, and The Daughter smelled like chocolate.  There was chocolate everywhere including The Daughter’s face and my legs.  How does one find chocolate behind her calf?  Who knows but I did.  I used to always battle with chocolate and candy in general.  It would works at some occasions and sometimes total failure.  It is so frustrating.  When Lisa of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives and Mandy of What the Fruitcake?! picked candy I was so excited.  I  was going to conquer my fear and frustration.  Frustration is an understatement.  I ruined 3 batches of chocolate including a bark and my Pate de Fruit didn’t set but I am trying it again.  I was able to get some them to work just lovely.  I was so excited when I heard the crack of the chocolate because I knew I finally got something right.  My chocolate tends to crumble.  I finally was able to divide and conquer to a point.  I still need a but more practice.  Here are some of my results (*pat on the back)….



Milk and Honey Truffles
1 ¾ Cup of Dark Chocolate
⅔ Cup of Heavy Cream
1 Tea Bag (I used Tazo Spiced Black Tea)
2 Tbs of Honey Butter
Cocoa Powder
Directions

1. Place the chocolate in a heat safe bowl.
   
2. Heat the cream in a medium size sauce pan and place the tea bag to brew the tea in the cream.
   
3. Once it reaches a light boil, remove it from the heat and pour it into the chocolate.
   
4. Stir until the chocolate completely melts.
   
5. Add the honey butter.
   
6. Let it cool until it hardens.This may take a couple of hours, I generally put it in the fridge for a proper chill.
   
7. Roll out into small balls and coat it in cocoa powder.
   
8. Serve

 

Lavender Sponge Candy 
2 ½ Cup of Sugar
⅔ Cup of Light Corn Syrup
6 Tbs of Water
2 Tbs of Baking Soda
1 Tsp of Ground Lavender
Directions

1. The most important step is to prepare the pan.  Make sure it is large enough or it might expand over the pan.  Mine kinda exploded.  Coat it with vegetable oil and put parchment paper or else it will stick and you will be fighting tooth and nail to get it out.  I did. 
2. Mix together the water, sugar, corn syrup, and lavender into a large sauce pan.
3. Bring to a hard crack stage about 285F.
4. Removed form the heat and add the baking soda (this is where you have to be quick and careful).  The mixture will start to bubble and you need to pour that into the prepared pan.
5. Let let it bubble until it starts to set.
6. Once it is cooled, break apart and serve.

I thought you it exploded

Coconut Covered Chocolate 4 ½ Cups of Shredded Chocolate (Sweeten but it is your preference) ¾ Cup of Condense Milk Melted Milk Chocolate
Directions

1. Mix together the coconut and milk to create a mushy but not too damp filling.  You might need less or more depending on the kind of coconut.
2. Let it sit out for an hour to harden.  I even put the filling into small molds and placed it in the freezer to harden.  It was easier to handle.
3. Coat the filling in the milk chocolate.
4. Let it set for an ½ an hour.  More if the area is warm.
5. Serve.

The Daughter helped with the filling

Mango butter filled Dark Chocolate ½ Lb of Dark Chocolate Mango Butter Equipment Theometer (instant read ones are better) Chocolate Mold Flat Edge Spatula
Directions

1. Temper the chocolate using the seeding method or your preferred method. Make sure you initially heat up the 32C or 89.6F.
   I used the seeding method: Set aside a small portion of the chocolate to be used later. I heated up the rest of the chocolate to 89.6F in the microwave (it took about 1.20 minutes no more)
2. Add the set aside chocolate to cool down the melted chocolate.
3. Coat the chocolate molds with the chocolate. Remember to shake off any access chocolate. It should be a light coating.
4. Let it set for a couple of minutes.
5. Fill the cavity with the mango butter.Pour the reminder of the chocolate to seal the filling. Smooth off any access chocolate by using the spatula.
6. Let it set, depending on how warm your home it, it took me about an hour. My house was a bit hot. I actually had to put mine in the fridge due to the warmth.
7. Remove from the molds but turning it over and hitting it against a table. The candies should pop out.
   

* I also did a walnut honey version by replacing the mango filling with a piece of walnut and a tab of honey butter.

That is how I filled them

The Failed one   It was suppose to be a fresh Strawberry bark.

Any suggestion to improve my candy making skills?  I would love any tips and pointers.