Chocolates & Confections Week 2

Chocolates & Confections Week 2

This week we made Anise sticks (contains Pernod), Dark & Stormies (white chocolate ganache flavored with ginger and vanilla bean) and Lavender Ganache (flavored with, of course, lavender flowers). For the Dark & Stormies and the Lavender Ganache, we used the "slabbing" technique, which involves spreading the ganache into a container and allowing it to set before dipping in chocolate.

Once set, we flipped the ganache onto the cutting board, and spread a thin coating of tempered chocolate all over the surface.

When the chocolate has set, we flipped it back, so the chocolate-covered side was facing down. The chocolate provides a floor/footing for the ganache to keep it in shape while being cut into squares or rectangles.

After being cut, the ganache cubes are dropped into the bowl of melted chocolate (for dipping), chocolate-foot side up...

Then pushed down with a dipping fork, turned over in the chocolate, and scooped out.

I candied some ginger and sliced them to garnish the Dark & Stormies. We put a single bud of lavender on the Lavender truffles (which turned out a little too soft and started falling apart later on...but turned into the creamiest ganache filling).

The Anise Sticks are rolled around on a cooling rack after being dipped, to make those markings.

Next week, we'll be making Madras (white chocolate-curry ganache), Rainier (has cherry and Kirsch), and Spiked eggnog (with spices and rum).