I am getting extraordinarily excited about it.
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I shall make some of these using crystallised oranges bought from Rute - a small town in Cordoba famous for its foodstuffs, and in particular, its use of 'anis' (aniseed). It also makes the liqueur called 'Orujo' and one of the biscuit companies based there is home to the famous Christmas Nativity scene, or 'Belen' that we visited last year. I am thinking of making some orujo truffles - these will not be for the faint-hearted...
I shall also be making some of these: Christmas truffles, caramel snails and lemon and ginger truffles...
And hope to end up with some of these: more snails (I like my snails), strawberry cream truffles in white and rich rum truffles in dark chocolate..JPG)
Rocky Road is a simple recipe using melted chocolate, crushed biscuits, marshmallows, pistachios, cherries, sultanas...and anything else you fancy throwing in. Sprinkle with icing sugar - and try not to eat it all at once!
Or try something really simple like deliciously creamy Belgian milk chocolate studded with hazelnuts..JPG)
And for Christmas, I can't resist making these Christmas trees - as lollies or as tree decorations.
And maybe I'll make a few more of these taste-blasters. Chilli and coconut. Not to everyone's taste, I agree, but if they do fancy one, you'll be back for more. They are quite addictive!
Hurry up, delivery van...let me get my hands on all that lovely chocolate!!
Hello Annie:
ReplyDeleteFirst, now you have got us all excited in anticipation of the chocolate delivery.
Secondly, we cannot believe that you are capable of making all these delicious goodies. So professional and so very festive....perfect for the season.
Finally, may we lick the spoon?
Hello Jane and Lance and thank you for your very kind comments! As for spoon licking...there's a queue. My children think it's pretty cool that their mother makes chocolates but not impressed that I don't let them dip their fingers in. I most certainly don't let them do that! But spoon licking is allowed now and then...Axxx
DeleteThose look exquisite....and you have done me a good turn by showing me these and thus making me disgusted by the Christmas chocolate offerings in the shops...I shall not succomb!
ReplyDeleteThank you Fly - no, don't succumb!! There is some outrageously disgusting stuff masquerading as chocolate and I am never, ever tempted by it. It's worth paying a little more and getting the good stuff (surely there is some out there in Costa Rica!) or indeed, desisting from eating anything else.
DeleteIf only it weren't so expensive to post things from Spain, I could send you a sample or two! Maybe one day...Axxx
There is wonderful chocolate made...in tiny quantities!
DeleteWe've been thinking about going over to cocoa instead of coffee...
You do realise it's your fault I just broke out the Green and Blacks!
ReplyDeleteThey all look lovely Annie, have fun :D
Oops, so sorry Annie. They do say a little of what you fancy...
DeleteThanks - can't wait for delivery!
Axxx
I want to know when you're going to start doing mail-order, Annie! Those chocolates are both beautiful and tempting and I don't think it's fair of you to tantalise us like that if we can't sample them.:-)
ReplyDeleteGoes off to think about making Rocky Road.....
I'd offer mail order now but the cost of postage from Spain is outrageous! Not even my chocolates are worth it. However...I'll be visiting the UK just after Christmas. If I have any left, I might bring them with me. I'd love to send you some. Axxx
DeleteNow that's a kind offer, but somehow I doubt the family will leave any for you to bring, Annie. :-) In case the cost of postage in the UK is also pretty outrageous nowadays. A large (A4) envelope, not heavy - 90p first class! Ouch....
DeleteI shall have to bring some with my for my family in the UK - though that's always a bit traumatic. My sister has three children, older than mine, and they and their father wolf down my chocolates as though they were starving. I'm horrified that they don't savour them - it's a bit like being with a group of piranhas or hyenas - there doesn't seem to be much point in asking them which they liked best...! This year,I shall make big slabs of thick chocolate for them, rather than dainty or elegant individual ones that have taken an age to produce. I know they like them, but I can't bear it! Sorry, just had to share that. Axxx
DeleteObviously written with feeling, Annie. Rather like taking care over a good meal and watching it disappear down a teenage DS'a throat almost without drawing breath. :-)
DeleteThese look amazing. Good chocolate is hard to come by in Turkey, the best we can get is only 60%., but this is a big improvement on the over sweet blocks we used to get.
ReplyDeleteThanks Annie.
DeleteAndalucia isn't a big 'chocolate' area - yet! I hope to turn my little town into a chocolate-guzzling one...in the nicest possible way, of course. And then, I shall turn my attention to Turkey. Why not, I 'know' three bloggers there already!
Axxx
Ooh please do turn your attention to Turkey! The chocolate here as BtoB says, leaves a lot to be desired. I remember you doing a post before about your chocolate making (was it last year?) and I drooled for days!
DeleteI couldn't help myself, I had to have a look at your old posts. It was December 2011 that you posted that pic of the christmas trees that had stuck in my mind. Now I'm drooling again xx
DeleteWatch out for lots more once I get my chocolate going, Ayak. I can't believe how many I've made in the past and how few photos I have. Life before blogging! Be sure that I'll be taking lots of photos from now on. I can live with the idea of you drooling...:-) Axxx
DeleteThey all look amazing. For my inner child I would choose the Christmas trees but for my sophisticated side the chilli ones sound just perfect. Quite frankly anything with chilli as an ingredient gets my vote.
ReplyDeleteDear OldTat - I'm delighted to hear that your inner child would chose a Christmas tree (or two)as it was my inner child that urged me to make them :-)
DeleteAs for the chilli chocolates, I suspect they were addictive - once I tried one, I couldn't resist another...and another...all in the name of quality control, of course!
Axxx
Wishing I could reach into my screen and take a snail!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea that is, MPM!! The snails are very satisfying to make as I coat the moulds with edible gold chocolate first and each one is slightly different. I fancy doing some that look more realistic - green and bluey shades, maybe the locals here would quite like that. Or maybe put a jelly sweet inside and make them chewy!! Ha!
DeleteAxxx
Oh YES! Definitely chewy!
DeleteGood God, Annie, what are you trying to do to us? I got so hungry and jealous of the people that were going to eat your chocolates that I am now going to go down to the latest local food festival (whose twin themes are 'Pyrotechnics' and 'Chocolate' - I know, I'm looking for the connection too) and treat myself to a lot of stuff I'm then going to have to run off in the next few days!! I like the look of all your chocolates, but the snails are my favourites : )
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you Hita. Gosh, I'm obviously living in the wrong place! I do envy you living where they have such great sounding local festivals. What do you think about my idea shared above - putting something a bit chewy inside a chocolate snail - too much realism?? Perhaps stick with caramel...Hope you enjoy your local fodder - do share in words and pictures, won't you!
DeleteAxxx
I think the sweet jelly might make some people a bit too thoughtful when they bit into it... Caramel sounds great, or nougat, or marshmallow. Although that might be because I just discovered original french marshmallows and have become a fan.
DeleteI actually just visited the Pyrotechnic and Chocolate Festival and it was one of the craziest things I've seen for a while, and this is France, remember. Almost completely free from health and safety considerations, the 'Zone of Temporary Art' sprawled under the stars, it's lights blazing and twinkling, occasionally emitting large sulphurous flares to the screams and applause of the furiously enthusiastic crowd. (I might have to use that sentence in my own blog, which, as you know, is about 6 months late...) Everywhere I looked, children and adults alike were playing games with fire; shooting lighted crossbow bolts, fishing for burning fish (not actual fish of course), and my personal favourite, the game requiring a child to bring down a metal mallet on a matchbox sized piece of some unstable metallic substance with enough force to make it explode... Yes, they were wearing safety masks and ear muffs, but even so, every little face was shining with savage delight. It was like a party from another plane of existence, but that's France for you, really.
Sounds fantastic, Hira - and I love your delicately put opening sentence...perfect. Axxx
DeleteThey look fabulous Annie. Actually, it was you that got me into blogging just over a year ago, and it was you that made me ask Santa ( Jess) for chocolate making stuff last Christmas. I turned out some pretty good things, although I suspect they tasted better than they looked. Getting that lovely shine on perfectly tempered chocolate seemed to happen just some of the time, and I didn't have control over when. I look forward to seeing photos and hearing mouthwatering descriptions of your beautiful creations soon. I know you will enjoy yourself making them, and everyone will love eating them. Jx
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear from you Janice! Is it really only a year since you began blogging? A lot has happened in that year, hasn't it? And I remember you saying you were going to make chocolates. It is the tempering process that gives the shine and it's that process that comes through experience (and having a grandpa who could give me some great tips all those years ago when I first began making chocolates.) I will take photos - and drop you a few tips too. I'd love to drop you a few samples in when we make our flying visit between Christmas and New Year...Axxx
DeleteI love the dark chocolate with orange slices - I'm by no means a chocoholic, but my mouth is actually watering at the sight & thought of them.
ReplyDeleteThey are some of my favourites; the orange slices from Rute are really powerful; bitter sweet - the chocolate really combines well with them. I also have some pears, which will be different but rather nice too! Thanks for your comments - I need to improve my photography too, so I shall be taking lots of photos!
DeleteAxxx
Oh My Goodness! Yes, I totally get your excitement. Such beauty and, yes please, I would love to try a coconut and chili extravaganza.
ReplyDeleteStephanie
Ohh, thank you for your lovely comment, Stephanie. I shall have to make some coconut and chili chocs - I shall endeavour to save you one. Axxx
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