Who,s started their Christmas shopping?

@DiscordTiger Said

Well, I've thought a little about what kinda molds I need. And I know a better source to get the chocolate. But yeah that is about it, I usually start thinking about Christmas after Halloween.
When Death was around we would go all out for Halloween, so it was spending a lot more money. Famine and Pestilence never got as excited for Halloween.

@GSnap Said

It's all about the green, and I don't mean the christmas tree. ]

Can't be too mad at 'em though, they are in it to make money!

@LuckyCharms Said

Oooh! You do candy for Christmas too? What kind?

@DiscordTiger Said

Chocolate. If it can be covered, molded, shaped, or barked in chocolate I can do it.
Oh and rumballs, I can do some cookies, but the chocolate is usually a big hit. I mostly do "painted" Lollipops and bark as they are the easiest for me, and they mail and store well.
Nuts and pretzels are easy too, but a little more fragile. I learned a cute little chocolate cherry mouse that is adorable, but fragile.
I used to go in with Famine and War for holiday baskets, so I was doing about 200 suckers for that, so I had to start a week in advance. Things like strawberries and kiss roses don't hold up as well, and they are a little more Valentines Day. Last year, I think I made over 500 suckers and bark total, which was about 20 lbs of chocolate.

@LuckyCharms Said

Very cool. I love working with chocolate but it's terribly messy. How do you handle the tempering?

Also, "Famine and War"? What's that?

I do different candies. Mine have to be ship-stable as they get shipped off about 3000 miles. I do home made marshmallows, nougat, caramel, peanut brittle and fudge. Each of the family members and friends have their favorite so I have to make all of them.

@DiscordTiger Said

I start with a white almond bark base, then add more chocolate of any brand, though Hershey is really hard to work with. If its in white or brown its pretty easy. Its the colors that gets really tough, candy melts sometimes help, but they just don't taste as good. I have a little electric chocolate melter, I tried to get a second one, but it is not on the market anymore. I also have a ceramic one with a candle, but this last year I whipped out a mini crock pot. it took a lot longer to come to temperature without getting too hot, but it was worth it in the end. I have a friend that adds in a small amount Crisco, but its never worked out for me, it just tastes like chocolate flavored Crisco, which is just wrong on many levels.



Famine and War are two of my friends. Its a whole themed set of nicknames from college, (Pestilence, Famine, War, Death, Conquer, Discord, and the former member known as Strife.) Note to remember: name someone Strife and they probably will cause some.

@LuckyCharms Said

That sentence about Famine and War makes so much more sense now.

Have you ever worked with Hershey's Special Dark? The darker chocolates behave better for me. Granted when I do chocolate now I just do it for me and my boyfriend. I'm lazy, I nuke it slowly and then just put nuts in it or something to scoop out for clusters.

I have a stash of specialty dipping chocolate I keep in my freezer for special occasions but it's that whole tempering thing that pisses me off. I just don't have the patience.

@DiscordTiger Said

I have never had good luck in the microwave, I know people other than me can do it, but it always "breaks" for me, even when they are watching me do it. But yeah nut clusters are awesome and fast and easy.

I should try the special dark. I have a few people that really prefer the dark, so it would be totally worth it.

@GSnap Said

Can you guys hand out samples to TFS around christmastime!?

Just a picture will do, we'll drool and imagine.

@LuckyCharms Said

Low and slow. With frequent stirring. It takes a bit more time and granted, I do have a wimpy a** microwave, but it's worth it for me. It seems to be the cleanest way for me to work with chocolate.

I also like to mix half and half - half dark with half milk. The dark makes the milk easier to work with and the milk sweetens up the dark a hair.

@DiscordTiger Said

Yes mixing does do wonders. especially with the lolipops, if the chocolate is too brittle, one bite and it breaks apart and is mostly on the floor, which is not good eats, and too soft and will not hold its shape.