Kwch Tasty Tuesday

Last week I was filmed for the Tasty Tuesday segment for KWCH.  Mark Larson came and I showed him how to make Earl Grey Truffles.  We forgot to take pictures of the filming until the very end, but here is the link to be able to watch it.  Enjoy!

http://www.kwch.com/videogallery/73037715/Home/Tasty-Tuesday--Earl-Grey-Truffles#pl-62804574

When thing are forgotten...

This is what happens when you forget that you have toffee on the stove! We got a shipment in that I was really excited for and well toffee slipped my mind! Note to self, don't leave the stove no matter what when making toffee!

Exposure 2012

We participated in the Wichita Chamber of Commerce's Expo-Sure for the first time this year.  I was very nervous and had to practice my table before we went.  It was a great show and we met a lot of great people.

I had to do a practice run at the shop before the big show to make sure that we fit on the table!

We were right off the main aisle

The final booth!

Of course I had to bring fire!

and cappuccino (had to help keep people going!)

Pumpkin truffles part 3

First I made the caramel, then added the pumpkin purée from part one. After that was mixed well, I added the chocolate.

Pumpkin caramel ganache ready for piping!

Almost finished

Complete!

Pumpkin truffles part 2

The second step that I have to do is paint the truffle mold with colored cocoa butter.  I went for an abstract looking pumpkin.  Then I fill the molds with chocolate.  This has to set up for a bit, so tomorrow I will post the final steps, and the finished truffles!  

Pumpkin truffles part one

The first time I see pumpkins for sale, I start drooling. It is my favorite time of the year! To make my caramel pumpkin truffles, I use fresh roasted pumpkin.  This is step one of the process for the wonderful truffles!

Pumpkins sitting in the oven right before the magic happens

The roasted pumpkin (almost ready to drool..)

Oh yeah, it is roasted perfectly!

The pumpkin de-seeded and ready for the food processor

Ahhhh... drool time, pureed pumpkin ready for the truffles

Pecans

Today, we went to Circle Pecans in McCune, KS to pick up a fresh new batch of pecans. We use these in our milk and dark turtles, the milk and dark pecan clusters and pecan logs.

Celebrity Chef June 2012

Every year we participate in the fundraiser for The Orpheum, Celebrity/Chef Cookoff.  We have a booth and hand out samples.   We thoroughly enjoy this event because of the people we meet and the food we taste!  This year we brought one of my newest creations.  The Mole Melt-A-Way: cinnamon, cayenne and white pepper.  

Front welcome table.

Where all the action took place.

Some of the auction items!

Wow, okay, I waited awhile between posts!

I have been busy in the kitchen practicing profiteroles, pot de creme and french macarons.  I also spent 2 weeks catching up after mother's day, but today I finally played.  Experimented with flavors, one of the joys of my job!  So, today was melt-a-ways.  I had made peanut butter melt-a-ways, and was thinking of another kind.  We have tried hazelnut and pistachio before.  I didn't want to use another nut, so I did a Vietnamese cinnamon, cayenne and white pepper dark chocolate melt-a-way.  Oh my goodness!  I finally remembered to write down what I was doing (I have a habit of forgetting what I did, and the next batch isn't quite the same).  I didn't have a picture of the new melt-a-way, but I have one of the PB melt-a-way.  Right now it is a limited time only, but if it is popular, it will be a staple!

Ketch: Employer of the Year

We received an award!  Employer of the Year from Ketch, a project of the Kansas Elks.

Attached is the video of the awards!  

Video of the KETCH Annual Awards

Stop and smell the roses

Sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses.  Farris Bueller said it best:  "Life moves pretty fast.  You don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it."  We have been so caught up in making truffles and the such, we had to take a moment.

Girl Scouts 100 Year Celebration 4-28-2012

Saturday, we were at the Girl Scouts 100 Year Celebration in Greensburg!  First off, the town is coming along quite nicely (we were there with Habitat for Humanity after the tornado building houses).  The scouts (girl and boy) have a wonderful building for their meetings and such.  This was the building we were in.  Outside, they had activities all over the town!  I don't think that there was time to do everything, there was just so many activities.  We sold some of our products and donated cake pops and rice krispie treats for the scouts to decorate with colored white chocolate.  They had so much fun!  We also handed out information for troops for badges (we host parts of badges for different ages).

Our set up (we were in the kitchen, which worked out great for messy hands!)

Yum, cake pops waiting to be decorated!

The scouting building.  They were selling GS 100 year merchandise!

One of the troops decorating (by the time I remembered to take another picture, we were out of cake pops and decorating rice krispie treats!)

Old Town Wine Walk-A-Bout 4-19-12

For the second year, we participated in the Old Town Wine Walk-A-Bout benefiting the Guadeloupe Clinic.   Again this year, we were with Grace Hill Winery in the City Arts Building!  We served honeycomb (sponge) and caramel both dipped in dark chocolate.  By the end of the night, we were exhausted and served 15lb of honeycomb and 12 lbs of caramel!  Thank you to all who came out to support!

Truffles, truffles and more truffles

It has been a few weeks of making truffles.  I haven't really been posting because that is all I am doing.  There are times when exciting things going on in the candy making world.  There are times when all you do is the same thing over and over.  This is one of those times.  

Truffles waiting to be dipped

Truffles getting their chocolate

Ahhhh... They have their chocolate suits on.

Mr. Cero's Big Egg

Happy Easter!  This egg is dated 1982.  We put it out every year, for next year we are going to create a case for it.   This year we had some close calls and don't want to lose this magnificent art.  Thank you Mr. Cero!

The inside

The top

In perspective.  The BIG EGG!

KSN News!

We are going to be on the 10 o'clock news again!   If you are awake, check it out!  

Making milk chocolate bunny molds!!

Easter!

With Easter only days away, we are working hard!  I thought that I would post some pictures!

Bunnies!!!!

Chocolate covered sandwich cookies!  

Little mini pots of chocolate

Death By Chocolate 3/31/12

Saturday was Death by Chocolate fundraiser for Exploration Place.  We had a blast, it was Treasure Island themed!  I created 2 truffles for the event and we took 2 truffles we already have.  Earth (Persian Jewel), Wind (a curry, passion fruit, mango, banana truffle), Fire (blood orange, bird's eye chili, cayenne, and New Mexico chili) and water (Spring Breeze).  The Fire was by far the favorite of the evening at our booth.  I think that I have to add it to the menu!

This was the chocolate sculpture I created for the event.  The interpretation of Treasure Island, lushness on the surface with a dark under belly. 

Our completed table 

Our table matched my chocolate sculpture!