Chocolate however, is still one of my passions and I want to continue updating this blog to pass on more chocolate knowledge and document any chocolate goodies I may come across from time to time….

Because it’s done over low heat, this technique takes up a lot of time (about an hour or so). It’s time consuming, but you can do this ahead of time, and the results are worth it. Caramelization adds a deep, nutty flavour to the white chocolate. Very yummy…

The Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to about 250F or 275F – a low heat setting will help control the caramelization process. If you set it too high, you may end up scorching the chocolate.

2. Place the white chocolate evenly across a pan. Here, I’m using white chocolate chips – if you’re using chocolate from a block, you’ll need to coarsely chop up the chocolate beforehand. Make sure you’re using a high quality white chocolate.

3. Place the pan in the oven. Every 5-8 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and stir the chocolate before placing the pan back in the oven. Stirring is essential to the caramelization process and it needs to be done often. So yes, make sure you frequently stir and monitor your chocolate.

4. At some point, the chocolate will begin to get clumpy and will lose it’s smooth texture. Don’t worry, it won’t stay that way – keep stirring the chocolate and the smooth texture will come back.

5. Over time, you’ll see the chocolate take on a golden yellow colour. Remember to keep checking and stirring.

After about fifty minutes or so, the chocolate will have turned a beautiful golden yellow colour – a sign that it’s caramelized.

And now, serve the white chocolate as a complement to, or even as an alternative to dark chocolate fondue. If you want, add a pinch or two of your favorite salt to further enhance the caramel flavour. You can also add a bit of cream if you feel the chocolate is too thick.

Fruit is always a good option for dipping – apples, strawberries, mangoes. Mmm….

Derrick Tu-Tan Pho and Laurent Pages were the pastry chefs du jour.

Samples of Callebaut’s chocolate were placed outside of the auditorium for everyone to try.

An awesome chocolate showpiece is displayed here as well as some of the desserts Derrick and Laurent prepared during the demonstration. Samples were also given out to the attendees (and let me tell you, they were yummy!)

(Pardon the resolution of the images – I took these pics with my phone…didn’t know that they were going to let us take pictures until I came to the event)

The 12 pc box:

Meltaways:

Chocolate eggs are a common Easter treat , and there are lots of varieties to choose from. Last week, I was walking down the aisles of my nearby supermarket and was a bit overwhelmed by the number of bunnies and eggs lining the shelves. I guess it’s like this every year but, this year, I take more notice of them because I make chocolate confections.

With all of the goods made to celebrate Easter, it can be easy to overlook the meaning of the holiday and the traditions that go with them. Up until a few days ago, I really didn’t know why and how eggs became a part of the Easter tradition. Wikipedia however, provided me with an interesting summary of the history here).

In short, the Easter egg is a symbol for rebirth, a life renewed. Inside a protective shell lies a new life. Dormant at the moment, but at the right time, it will awaken, cracking and shedding the old shell.

The shedding of the old, the coming of the new, rebirth…hmm…the more I think about it, the more beautiful and profound the egg’s symbolism becomes for this Easter holiday.