koko's corner

 

Remember when I told you about my stopping by Dallmann Confections and that she will be having a chocolate candy making class soon and that I will be going? well, she did and I did.

My friend Squeaks came down from Orange County for a few days to attend the classes also and we had the best time. Back to the classes lest I digress. 

 

We were greeted with that beautiful dimpled smile, who wouldn't want to attend one of her classes

 

 

 

Well, that and the fact that she and her sommelier boyfriend Jayson greeted us with a glass of sparkling wine. 

 

 

Then we got right to work making truffles. 

First we made our chocolate ganache. We were each encouraged to be adventurous with our ganache flavorings. Squeaks and I made a chai tea, mocha and orange flavored ganache and it was really, really good. 

In the interest of time <we still had a wine tasting to do ya' know> Isabella had some little truffle cups ready for us to fill. 

 

 

 

She watched closely as we filled the cups. If the truffle cups are not filled properly, air pockets will form and provide the perfect place for bacteria to develop, we do not want bacteria in our truffles, no...not good. 

The truffle cups went into the refrigerator for a while.

 

 

 

While the truffles were chilling, we chilled out with Jayson who gave us a crash course in wine 101.

He instructed us on what to look for on the outside of the bottle as well as what to look for on the cork. We swished, looked for clarity and slurped, drank, learned how to eat chocolate with wine, slurped and ate some more.

I loved this part. 

 

 

 

Truffles are out of the refrigerator and we are coating them with more chocolate. 

After they are coated with chocolate you can leave them as is or coat them with some cocoa powder or nuts, or what ever you like. 

 

 

 

I did a little of each. 

 

We did all this in just the first class. 

Now on to the next class. 

 

 

 

Tonight we are getting creative. First we embellished some chocolate molds with white chocolate that has been colored. The mold is then chilled.

This will be the decoration that shows up on top of the dark chocolate we will be pouring into the molds. 

 

 

 

The chocolate we learned how to temper is poured into our embellished mold. 

 

 

 

Using an offset spreader we made sure all the cups in the mold are full of chocolate. 

 

 

 

Carefully scraping off all the excess chocolate. 

 

 

 

Pouring out the excess chocolate and the mold is chilled again. 

 

 

 

After it's chilled you have a beautiful chocolate shell in which to put your favorite filling.

Isabella then taught us how to make caramel. Oh, my gosh is her caramel divine.

 

 

 

We've been working so hard we had to take a little break and have a sip of some sparkling wine.

Squeaks treated us to some Moet & Chandon Brut. Thank you so much it was wonderful.

 

 

Now back to being busy little bees. 

We filled our cooled chocolate shells, then they got chilled again. 

I love Isabella's caramel so much that was the only filling I used. 

 

 

 

We sealed in the filling with nothing but...more chocolate. Oh, how I love this class. 

 

 

 

 

After one more chill in the refrigerator, a quick upside down thwack on the counter and ta-da. 

 

 

 

We have beautiful, shiny, perfectly tempered caramel filled chocolate candy. 

If you have_ever_had the slightest thought of taking a chocolate candy making class I hope you'll give Isabella a call. Not only is she extremely knowledgeable, she's a great teacher.   

 

Isabella, thank you so much. You are not only an accomplished chocolatier but a wonderful and fun person to be around.

See you again soon.

Dallmann Confections
780 North 2nd Street
El Cajon, CA 92021

(p) 619-808-1749
(f) 619-649-2236
(e) [email protected]