FamilyChristmas Christmas Family
LangleyAdvance | Tuesday, December 6, 2011
RECIPE
Christmas chocolates by Anne Marrison Special to the Langley Advance
M
y Aunt Vi was wonderfully inspiring always. She was the only person in my whole family who ever told me to go out and have fun. Christmas at my aunt Vi’s always included her wonderful home-made chocolates. She couldn’t eat any herself because she was diabetic. She died years ago, but her memory is still very much alive, especially when I make chocolates. This is a very simple, basic recipe for chocolates made with uncooked fondant – no marble slab, no cream, no paraffin wax, no tempering. These chocolates are best refrigerated. At room temperature, they soften.
Basic fondant You’ll need one pound of softened butter Icing sugar – mix in sufficient quantity to make a stiff mixture that can be rolled into balls. I usually split the mixed fondant into three separate bowls. They can be refrigerated to be worked on another day, if necessary. Refrigerated fondant takes a couple of hours at room temperature to be easily workable. Meanwhile, dipping chocolate (available in supermarket bulk bins) should be starting to melt under low heat in the top of a double boiler. For dipping, it should be liquid and gently warm (not hot). Place wax or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Additions to the plain fondant can be: peanut butter, finely shredded coconut, ground almonds, crushed walnuts, lemon or orange peel, a little dipping chocolate, minced candied cherries, raisins, dates, crushed toffee bits or liquid coffee essence. Quit adding when it tastes right to you. Flavourings could be peppermint, almond essence, maple, lemon, orange, coconut – or whatever your imagination suggests.
Anne Marrison is a long-time garden columnist for the Langley Advance. Peel, raisins, cherries or dates could be soaked in the alcoholic beverage of your choice. All must be well-drained before adding to fondant, or you’ll get leaky chocolates that have to be double-dipped. Dates become very alcoholic. Roll fondant into balls, squares, whatever. Insert a toothpick into each one and refrigerate or freeze until the fondant is very solid. Toothpicks should be the round, wooden, pointed kind, because they are less likely to break. They can be washed and re-used if you’re careful. I have had bad experiences with the cheap ones. Check that toothpicks are intact when you remove them. Any chocolate harbouring a broken toothpick should be garbaged. When dipping chocolate is ready, dip fondant pieces one by one, laying finished ones back on paper-covered cookie sheet. Add fancy toppings individually, right after dipping, while they can stick to the chocolate. Toppings can be: various nuts, coloured sugar, crystallized violets, etc. Leave the fondant at room temperature till toothpicks can be removed. Then mend any toothpick holes with dipping chocolate. Refrigerate and pack while still cool. Store in refrigerator.