Category Archives: candy. chocolate

Marzipan Truffles

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Filed under candy. chocolate, chocolate/ candy, dessert, Fleximolds, heart tray, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

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What is Valentine’s Day? A day where we are given the chance to express our love, and feelings to a person who may know, or not know about us. It is a day where people flock to stores to buy boxes of chocolates, flowers and cards. We are brought to think that we have to buy things to show our love when we should just do things to show our love. Valentine’s Day should be a day to spend with your loved ones. It is having tea with your grandparents, going to the gym with the person that cares about you.  It is cooking dinner from scratch with everyone!!! Not just you in the kitchen. It is going for a jog and then going for brunch. It is so many things…

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It does not have to be fancy as long as it is with your loved ones, as long as it is planned.

Valentine’s day at our house was not fancy … We did not dress up. We did not buy fancy things..

I spent my week-end making things for my love ones. I made Raspberry, Banana, Pistachio Macarons for my in-laws, Pralinés and Marzipan chocolates for my husband. And my husband and I, we shopped together for what we were going to cook together.

My husband most favorite thing to eat, besides POTATOES ( kidding lol), is marzipan. It is very hard to find good ones in the States. And if you do find some,they are very expensive. Do you know that it is actually very easy to make some. So I actually decided to make some heart-shaped chocolate truffles for today. I thought I would share.

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Ingredients for about 30 truffles:

  • about 4 oz. of ghiradhelli dark chocolate chips of coating
  • about 3 oz. of ghiradhelli White chocolate for decoration
  • 1½ cup blanched almond 
  • 1½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp quality pure almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp rose-water
  • 1 egg white 
  1. Warm up the chocolate into a small bowl for 90 seconds and with a pastry brush, brush the sides of each heart.IMG_3578
  2. place the tray in the fridge so that the chocolate will cure. Meanwhile prepare the marzipan.
  3. Place the almond in the chopper and chop them until you have a powder mixture.IMG_3574
  4. Add to it the powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and any lumps are broken up.IMG_3575
  5. Add the almond extract and rose-water and mix to combine.
  6. Add the egg white and process until a thick dough is formed. If the dough is still too wet and sticky, add more powdered sugar and ground almonds. It will firm up once it is refrigerated however.IMG_3579
  7. Take the marzipan dough onto the roul’pat and knead a few times.IMG_3580
  8. Form it into a log, wrap it up in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
  9. Take the log out, cut some pieces out.IMG_3582
  10. Place one piece in each opening. Press down so that the marzipan is filling completely the chocolate heart.IMG_3584
  11. Place the tray in the fridge to cool.
  12. Warm the chocolate and close up the chocolate heart.IMG_4615
  13. Place the tray back in the fridge.
  14. gently remove the heart from the tray.IMG_4617
  15. You may need to trim the edges of the heart with a knife for smoother edges.
  16. For added decoration, decorate the chocolate with colored chocolate.
  17. Place the chocolate onto the roul’pat together.
  18. Place about 3 oz. of white chocolate of Ghiradhelli into a small bowl. Place it into the microwave and melt it for 90 seconds. Add some coloring of your choice. I used a dot of burgundy Wilton.
  19. Place the chocolate into a small plastic bag and drizzle over the chocolates.
  20. Let the chocolates cures before touching them. IMG_4618
  21. Package the chocolates at your likings. Et voila!!!

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Marzipan Truffles

  • Servings: 30 people
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

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Ingredients for about 30 truffles:

  • about 4 oz. of ghiradhelli dark chocolate chips of coating
  • about 3 oz. of Ghiradhelli White Chocolate Chips for decorating
  • 1½ cup blanched almond
  • 1½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp quality pure almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp rose water
  • 1 egg white
  1. Warm up the chocolate into a small bowl for 90 seconds and with a pastry brush, brush the sides of each heart.
  2. Place the tray in the fridge so that the chocolate will cure. Meanwhile prepare the marzipan.
  3. Place the almond in the chopper and chop them until you have a powder mixture.
  4. Add to it the powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and any lumps are broken up.
  5. Add the almond extract and rose-water and mix to combine.
  6. Add the egg white and process until a thick dough is formed. If the dough is still too wet and sticky, add more powdered sugar and ground almonds. It will firm up once it is refrigerated however.
  7. Take the marzipan dough onto the roul’pat and knead a few times.
  8. Form it into a log, wrap it up in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
  9. take the log out, cut some pieces out, and place one piece in each opening. press down so that the marzipan is filling completely the chocolate heart.
  10. Place the tray in the fridge to cool.
    Warm the chocolate and close up the chocolate heart.
  11. Place the tray back in the fridge.
  12. Gentlty remove the heart from the tray.
  13. You may need to trim the edges of the heart with a knife for smoother edges.
  14. For added decoration, decorate the chocolate with colored chocolate.
  15. Place the chocolate onto the roul’pat together.
  16. Place about 3 oz. of white chocolate of Ghiradhelli into a small bowl. Place it into the microwave and melt it for 90 seconds. Add some coloring of your choice. I used a dot of burgundy Wilton.
  17. Place the chocolate into a small plastic bag and drizzle over the chocolates.
  18. Let the chocolates cures before touching them.
  19. For added decoration, melt more colored chocolate and drizzle over the chocolates.
  20. Package the chocolates at your likings. Et voila

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Strawberries Balls for The Super Bowl

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Filed under candy. chocolate, chocolate/ candy, deep flexipan, dessert, silpat, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

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What type of food are you offering your guests for Super bowl??? Well, if I were hosting, I would be making all kinds of food… But I am not. We will be joining some friends of ours. So Guess what??? I will only be making a few things. Mini Pretzels, Mustard, Ham and Cheese Pretzels Bites and Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

I will be posting those recipes very soon. But today I am just going to share with you the easiest of all desserts: Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

All you need is good quality Chocolate, and fresh strawberries.

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Ingredients for 1 box of chocolate or about 30 strawberries:

  • 1 box of strawberries
  • 6 oz. of bittersweet chocolate from Ghiradhelli
  • 1 0z of white chocolate

I love the Ghiradhelli Chocolate because it is the ONLY chocolate that will melt perfectly to a liquid form in the microwave so Do not use Hershey, or Nestlé. The chocolate will not melt unless you add butter.

  1. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Place the chocolate chips in the microwave for 90 seconds. Stir and place it back into the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds if needed.
  2. Take one strawberry at a time, and dip it in the chocolate. Place the chocolate onto a large silpat that you would have previously placed on a perforated sheet for support. Repeat until it is done.IMG_4471
  3. Place the strawberries into the fridge to cool. When the chocolate has settled.
  4. Place the white chocolate into a small container and melt it the microwave for a few seconds ( 30 seconds). It should soft to the fingers. IMG_4532
  5. Pour the melted chocolate into a small plastic bag. Push the chocolate to the end of the plastic bag.IMG_4533
  6. Cut the tip and draw lines on the strawberries to make it look like the football.IMG_4473
  7. Place the strawberries back into the fridge to cool. Et voila!!!IMG_4519

 

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Football Strawberries for Super Bowl

  • Servings: 10
  • Difficulty: Super Easy
  • Print

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Ingredients for 1 box of chocolate or about 30 strawberries:

  • 1 box of strawberries
  • 6 oz. of bittersweet chocolate from Ghiradhelli
  • 1-0z of white chocolate
  • 1 plastic bag

I love the Ghiradhelli Chocolate because it is the ONLY chocolate that will melt perfectly to a liquid form in the microwave so Do not use hershey, or Nestlé.

  1. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Place the chocolate chips in the microwave for 90 seconds. Stir and place it back into the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds if needed.
  2. Take one strawberry at a time and dip it in the chocolate. Place the chocolate onto a large silpat that you would have previously placed on a perforated sheet. Repeat until it is done.
  3. Place the strawberries into the fridge to cool. When the chocolate has settled.
  4. Place the white chocolate into a small container and melt it it the microwave for a few seconds ( 30 seconds).
  5. Pour the melted chocolate into a small plastic bag. Push the chocolate to the end of the plastic bag.
  6. Cut the tip and draw lines on the strawberries to make it look like the football.
  7. Place the strawberries back into the fridge to cool. Et voila!!!

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Guimauve a la Banane or Banana Flavored Marshmallow

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Filed under candy. chocolate, chocolate/ candy, dessert, Recipe with Demarle Cookware, roulpat, What's Up in Cecile's Kitchen

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It is funny how life changes you. Ten years ago my house needed to be impeccable for me to be happy. The house needed to be clean, and in order everywhere. Every bibelot, every paper needed to be in its place. Not a spec of dust were to be seen. Even my children toys needed to be put away after being played. And then we moved. We moved to a bigger house, not a fancy house like the previous one, but a good home. The home we chose, is one that we really live in. It is spacious and roomy and it has plenty of doors for me to shut if I don’t want to see the mess behind it. It is a home I don’t feel stressed if it is not straightened all the time. It is a house I feel comfortable getting in and out with wet feet if I want to. It is a house I can cook in without reservation. It is my home;-)

When my children were smaller, I never really let them cook with me because I was concerned about the mess they were going to make. Today  i love to have people over to cook with. It does not matter if we are going to make a mess, and if the floor is going to be covered with flour. We will have fun.. we will make memories… and then I will clean it up and it will look all good again;-)

I hope that you will too.

Today I hosted a cooking class for several beautiful young ladies and we had much fun. Yes there was a gigantic mess all around when we were done. Yes, there were tons of dishes to be done and lots of sugar and flour on the floor, but we made some great recipes and  they enjoyed learning and tasting. We made Baked Brie with Pepper Jelly, Teriyaki Chicken, Boursin Potato Cupcakes, Broccoli Souffle, Strawberry Tart and Marshmallows;-) Yum.

I will share the recipe of Marshmallow. It is fairly easy to make, very inexpensive, quite fast I think.. and it is really yummy. I adapted the recipe from Mercotte.

Ingredients for about 4 dozens of marshmallows or guimauves:

  • 250 gr. of sugar
  • 80 ml of water or 80 gr. of water
  • 12 gr. or two packs of gelatin in powder
  • 3 tbsp of water to mix with the gelatin.
  • 90 gr. of egg whites at room temperature
  • 2 drops of lemon juice
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1/8 tsp of banana extract or more if you want a stronger taste
  • a few drops of yellow coloring ( optional)
  • 50 gr. of powdered sugar
  • 40 gr. of corn starch
    1. In a large bowl, mix the corn starch and the powdered sugar.
    2. Lay a large roul’pat on your kitchen counter and dust the roul’pat with this mixture of sugar and corn starch. Place the rectangular frame on top of the roul’pat. Set aside for later usage.
    3. In a small container, mix the gelatin with 3 p of water. Let it rest.
    4. In a small saucepan, cook the water and the sugar and bring it to boil. Cook the syrup until you have large bubbles and the sugar is starting to turn a bit yellow. ( On the thermometer, it should come up to 130 c. )
    5. While the syrup is coming to temperature, place the egg whites, lemon drops and salt in a large bowl and beat it until you are getting  beaten egg whites with soft peaks.
    6. When the syrup has come to 130 c in temperature, start pouring it slowly in the egg whites, on the side of the mixer while still beating the egg whites. Add the coloring and the banana extract and beat it in.
    7. Place the gelatin in the microwave and cook it for 15 sec. Pour the melted gelatin into the egg mixture and beat well.
    8. Turn the mixer to high, and beat the egg whites until they are completely cold.photo 2
    9. With a spatula, put a bit of the marshmallow mixture into a pastry bag and make fun shapes with the paste on the roul’pat. We made some zigzag, some bows, some hearts, some knots. photo 3
    10. With the rest of the paste, pour it inside the frame making a rectangle of about 8×5 and about 1 inch width.photo 4
    11. Dust more corn/flour mixture on the marshmallows and let them rest for about 2 hours.photo 1
    12. When the marshmallows have rested, you can take a large knife and cut square of marshmallows.photo 5
    13. Keep them in a sealed container for a week. Miam, Miam…photo 3

 

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!

Guimauve a la banane, or Banana Flavored marshmallows

  • Difficulty: moderate
  • Print

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Ingredients for about 4 dozens of marshmallows or guimauves:

  • 250 gr. of sugar
  • 80 ml of water or 80 gr. of water
  • 12 gr. or two packs of gelatin in powder
  • 3 tbsp of water to mix with the gelatin.
  • 90 gr. of egg whites at room temperature
  • 2 drops of lemon juice
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1/8 tsp of banana extract or more if you want a stronger taste
  • a few drops of yellow coloring ( optional)
  • 50 gr. of powdered sugar
  • 40 gr. of corn starch
  1. In a large bowl, mix the corn starch and the powdered sugar.
  2. Lay a large roul’pat on your kitchen counter and dust the roul’pat with this mixture of sugar and corn starch. Place the rectangular frame on top of the roul’pat. Set aside for later usage.
  3. In a small container, mix the gelatin with 3 tbsp of water. Let it rest.
    In a small saucepan, cook the water and the sugar and bring it to boil.
  4. Cook the syrup until you have large bubbles and the sugar is starting to turn a bit yellow. ( On the thermometer, it should come up to 130 c. )
  5. While the syrup is coming to temperature, place the egg whites, lemon drops and salt in a large bowl and beat it until you are getting beaten egg whites with soft peaks.
  6. When the syrup has come to 130 c in temperature, start pouring it slowly in the egg whites, on the side of the mixer while still beating the egg whites.
  7. Add the coloring and the banana extract and beat it in.
  8. Place the gelatin in the microwave and cook it for 15 sec. Pour the melted gelatin into the egg mixture and beat well.
  9. Turn the mixer to high, and beat the egg whites until they are completely cold.
  10. With a spatula, put a bit of the marshmallow mixture into a pastry bag and make fun shapes with the paste on the roul’pat. We made some zigzag, some bows, some hearts, some knots.
  11. With the rest of the paste, pour it inside the frame making a rectangle of about 8×5 and about 1 inch width.
  12. Dust more corn/flour mixture on the marshmallows and let them rest for about 2 hours.
  13. When the marshmallows have rested, you can take a large knife and cut square of marshmallows.
  14. Keep them in a sealed container for a week. Miam, Miam…

Bon Appetit and Happy Cooking!!!