Chocolate Apprentice

A Harvest of Raspberry

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I have been immersed in my “other life” for the past four weeks, and have neglected everything else except learning lines, blocking and finding characters for the multiple roles I (and my acting partner) play in Harvest, a sweet play for two “mature” actors, by Canadian playwright, Ken Cameron.

Although all kinds of misadventures happen to Allan and Charlotte (our two main characters) in the story, including moving to the city, retirement downsizing, having their home being turned into a marijuana grow-op by renters, [Read more…]

Long Love and Commitment…and Chocolate

This weekend, I am heading off to a celebration of long-lasting love and commitment.  Two dear friends are celebrating their recent marriage after having been together for many years, and this to me makes it all the sweeter.  They are dear, caring, private people who have raised a beautiful child, and worked together through many health issues, and it is an honour to be part of their special day of celebration. [Read more…]

Infused with Happiness

Maybe it is because I love a really good cup of tea or maybe because I have been enjoying the zen-like satisfaction of ganache making, but I have been spending this week immersed in infusions.

An infusion, according to Wikipedia is:

A very simple chemical process used with herbs that dissolve readily in water, or release their active ingredients easily in oil. Boiling water (or water of the appropriate temperature) is poured over the herb and allowed to steep for a time. The amount of time the herbs are left in the water depends on what purpose the liquid is being prepared for. [Read more…]

Layering

This week has many layers.

I’ve been looking at some gorgeous chocolates, on the websites of Ecole Chocolat graduates, and they have inspired me to try.

All I have to do is create two compatible layers, which will look sharp, taste good together, and be resilient enough to hold their shape, and not melt into each other.

There is nothing like the challenge of a new tool.

This one looks like a white plastic window frame, and indeed it will frame a layer of caramel, on top of which I will put another ever so slightly deeper frame, which in turn will hold a layer of dark chocolate ganache.
[Read more…]

Finding Your Centre

I’ve been trying to get to the centre of things this week.  Now that I have had such a good time making molded chocolate hearts, I am itching to fill them with fantastic flavours.

Feeling very French, I launch myself into the Ecole Chocolate reading and technique for ganache.  I am delighted to find one explanation for the derivation of this word is, in slang French:  Idiot! This term was supposedly coined when a hapless kitchen apprentice dropped hot cream into a bowl of chocolate.  [Read more…]