I just dipped 199 of the 200 cherries I had soaking, but instead of
the usual 57% dark chocolate I've always used, I used 65% dark
chocolate from Chocoley.com.I got all excited about this new (to me)
65% Fair Trade Organic dark chocolate (it's my new favorite chocolate)
and decided to make truffles AND dip my cherries in it. Probably a
mistake. As I was dipping the cherries I was knowing this was probably
not a good change to have made. Now I have 199 Chocolate Covered
Cherries sitting out waiting to be wrapped in 4x4 foils, and they do
NOT smell the same!! They smell good, but this 65% chocolate gives
them a completely different character.

I'm almost tempted to scrap them all and remake *my* Chocolate Covered
Cherries. Why did I mess with perfection?:-(

John Kuthe...

just send me an email and i will send you a post office box to mail them to,
Lee
"John Kuthe" > wrote in message
...
>I just dipped 199 of the 200 cherries I had soaking, but instead of
> the usual 57% dark chocolate I've always used, I used 65% dark
> chocolate from Chocoley.com.I got all excited about this new (to me)
> 65% Fair Trade Organic dark chocolate (it's my new favorite chocolate)
> and decided to make truffles AND dip my cherries in it. Probably a
> mistake. As I was dipping the cherries I was knowing this was probably
> not a good change to have made. Now I have 199 Chocolate Covered
> Cherries sitting out waiting to be wrapped in 4x4 foils, and they do
> NOT smell the same!! They smell good, but this 65% chocolate gives
> them a completely different character.
>
> I'm almost tempted to scrap them all and remake *my* Chocolate Covered
> Cherries. Why did I mess with perfection?:-(
>
> John Kuthe...

"John Kuthe" > wrote in message
...
>I just dipped 199 of the 200 cherries I had soaking, but instead of
> the usual 57% dark chocolate I've always used, I used 65% dark
> chocolate from Chocoley.com.I got all excited about this new (to me)
> 65% Fair Trade Organic dark chocolate (it's my new favorite chocolate)
> and decided to make truffles AND dip my cherries in it. Probably a
> mistake. As I was dipping the cherries I was knowing this was probably
> not a good change to have made. Now I have 199 Chocolate Covered
> Cherries sitting out waiting to be wrapped in 4x4 foils, and they do
> NOT smell the same!! They smell good, but this 65% chocolate gives
> them a completely different character.
>
> I'm almost tempted to scrap them all and remake *my* Chocolate Covered
> Cherries. Why did I mess with perfection?:-(
>
> John Kuthe...

why don't you just dip them again with the other mixture?

or, sent half to Lee and half to me.

On Dec 18, 5:34*am, "Pico Rico" > wrote:
....
>
> > I'm almost tempted to scrap them all and remake *my* Chocolate Covered
> > Cherries. *Why did I mess with perfection?:-(
>
> > John Kuthe...
>
> why don't you just dip them again with the other mixture?
>
> or, sent half to Lee and half to me.

Not EVEN practical! They are huge once dipped, one dipping results in
lots of chocolate on them. They are not something I can just dip again
like a coat of paint. Probably over 1/2 the weight of each piece is
chocolate.

I'm going to keep them, but I learned something once mo don't mess
with tradition, especially when it works SO WELL! I am really proud of
my Chocolate Covered Cherries. I invented my recipe and they *are* the
best Chocolate Covered Cherry I have ever had, and I think a few
others would say so too. One of my proudest moments was standing
around a fire at the Saint Francis takeout and someone came by and
passed out chocolate covered cherries from a store bought box of them.
My nephew Paul and I both took one as did several others around the
fire. After the giver left and as I was eating mine, my nephew Paul
tossed his in the fire and subtley said "I can't eat a substandard
chocolate covered cherry." :-) :-) :-)

They are THAT good. Ask Bryan.


John Kuthe...

On Dec 18, 8:00*am, John Kuthe > wrote:
> On Dec 18, 5:34*am, "Pico Rico" > wrote:
> ...
>
>
>
> > > I'm almost tempted to scrap them all and remake *my* Chocolate Covered
> > > Cherries. *Why did I mess with perfection?:-(
>
> > > John Kuthe...
>
> > why don't you just dip them again with the other mixture?
>
> > or, sent half to Lee and half to me.
>
> Not EVEN practical! They are huge once dipped, one dipping results in
> lots of chocolate on them. They are not something I can just dip again
> like a coat of paint. Probably over 1/2 the weight of each piece is
> chocolate.
>
> I'm going to keep them, but I learned something once mo don't mess
> with tradition, especially when it works SO WELL! I am really proud of
> my Chocolate Covered Cherries. I invented my recipe and they *are* the
> best Chocolate Covered Cherry I have ever had, and I think a few
> others would say so too. One of my proudest moments was standing
> around a fire at the Saint Francis takeout and someone came by and
> passed out chocolate covered cherries from a store bought box of them.
> My nephew Paul and I both took one as did several others around the
> fire. After the giver left and as I was eating mine, my nephew Paul
> tossed his in the fire and subtley said "I can't eat a substandard
> chocolate covered cherry." :-) :-) :-)
>
> They are THAT good. Ask Bryan.

They are that good, but I bet that I'll find your new formula to be
better, not worse. The chocolate on them was never anything special,
but that 65% stuff IS. You brought some over several months ago.
I'll go so far as to say that the fancy chocolate is the thing that
will tip the balance as far as me getting to enjoy them. I haven't
touched anything sugary in nearly 8 weeks, but I'm going to make an
exception for the cherries..
>
> John Kuthe...

--Bryan

On Dec 18, 8:23*am, Bryan > wrote:
....
> They are that good, but I bet that I'll find your new formula to be
> better, not worse. *The chocolate on them was never anything special,
> but that 65% stuff IS.

Yes, I think the 57% dark chocolate from Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate
*is* something special Bryan. I hate how to make a very excellent
thing sound banal. That (the 57%) is some of the best dark chocolate I
have ever eaten. And yes the 65% stuff could be said to be even
better,but it's a matter of taste. You and I and other chocoholics
can enjoy up to 100% cocoa chocolate, but we are not the average
chocolate consumers. I make my Christmas Candy to have the widest
appeal to the friends and family I make it for and at the same time
pleasing to me and other chocoholics.

And it's not a question of better or worse, it's a question of
tradition, and I changed it. It's like Thanksgiving dinner. Sometimes
tradition is a very important part, especially when that tradition is
excellent! Different excellent is just not tradition.

>You brought some over several months ago.
> I'll go so far as to say that the fancy chocolate is the thing that
> will tip the balance as far as me getting to enjoy them. *I haven't
> touched anything sugary in nearly 8 weeks, but I'm going to make an
> exception for the cherries..

Good to hear! I like impressing a hard to impress person such as you
especially.

When I finished dipping all the cherries yesterday and there were a
few cherry buts left in the colander I drained them in and I hate
them, I was reminded why soaking the cherries in Majic Juice (as I
call it) is so important to the final product of my Chocolate Covered
Cherries! Mmmmmmmm! :-) Those are the small benefits of being the
candymaker, or as Coley of chocoley.com calls us "Oompas"! ;-) Eating
the scraps!! :-)

John Kuthe...

On Dec 18, 8:58*am, John Kuthe > wrote:
> On Dec 18, 8:23*am, Bryan > wrote:
>
>
> >You brought some over several months ago.
> > I'll go so far as to say that the fancy chocolate is the thing that
> > will tip the balance as far as me getting to enjoy them. *I haven't
> > touched anything sugary in nearly 8 weeks, but I'm going to make an
> > exception for the cherries..
>
> Good to hear! I like impressing a hard to impress person such as you
> especially.
>
I am expecting to experience the best piece of candy I've ever had,
and after over two months of almost no sugar at all. I might even
<gasp> have a glass of milk with it. Then I'll lift until it hurts.
>
> John Kuthe...

--Bryan

On Dec 18, 9:14*am, LONGJON > wrote:
>
> 57% shouldn't even qualify as DARK chocolate. It's too sweet then you
> have in on sweet cherries. Nothing but a large dose of (sugar) diabetes!
> Get something at least 70% are higher. *You are a beginner and seem to
> be only good at LARGE batches --- *of sugar KANDY craps. You make candy
> cause you can't cook real food.
>
> LONg

Some things don't even bear response. And I almost didn't!

John Kuthe...

"LONGJON" > ha scritto nel messaggio

Get something at least 70% are higher. You are a beginner and seem to
> be only good at LARGE batches --- of sugar KANDY craps. You make candy
> cause you can't cook real food.

I can see you asre practising up to become as foul and nasty as some of the
old jerks here, but so far you've only gotten to waspish. It will take a
couple of more steps to get to the killfiles.

"John Kuthe" > wrote in message
...
On Dec 18, 5:34 am, "Pico Rico" > wrote:
....
>
> > I'm almost tempted to scrap them all and remake *my* Chocolate Covered
> > Cherries. Why did I mess with perfection?:-(
>
> > John Kuthe...
>
> why don't you just dip them again with the other mixture?
>
> or, sent half to Lee and half to me.

Not EVEN practical! They are huge once dipped, one dipping results in
lots of chocolate on them. They are not something I can just dip again
like a coat of paint. Probably over 1/2 the weight of each piece is
chocolate.


I didn't imagine they had that much chocolate on them, thanks for the info.

And I disagree: sending half to Lee and half to me IS SO practical!!!

On Dec 17, 10:50*pm, John Kuthe > wrote:
> I just dipped 199 of the 200 cherries I had soaking, but instead of
> the usual 57% dark chocolate I've always used, I used 65% dark
> chocolate from Chocoley.com.I got all excited about this new (to me)
> 65% Fair Trade Organic dark chocolate (it's my new favorite chocolate)
> and decided to make truffles AND dip my cherries in it. Probably a
> mistake. As I was dipping the cherries I was knowing this was probably
> not a good change to have made. Now I have 199 Chocolate Covered
> Cherries sitting out waiting to be wrapped in 4x4 foils, and they do
> NOT smell the same!! They smell good, but this 65% chocolate gives
> them a completely different character.
>
> I'm almost tempted to scrap them all and remake *my* Chocolate Covered
> Cherries. *Why did I mess with perfection?:-(

Before you "scrap them," I think we could work out an arrangement that
you would find quite lucrative.
>
> John Kuthe...

--Bryan

"John Kuthe" > wrote in message
...
>I just dipped 199 of the 200 cherries I had soaking, but instead of
> the usual 57% dark chocolate I've always used, I used 65% dark
> chocolate from Chocoley.com.I got all excited about this new (to me)
> 65% Fair Trade Organic dark chocolate (it's my new favorite chocolate)
> and decided to make truffles AND dip my cherries in it. Probably a
> mistake. As I was dipping the cherries I was knowing this was probably
> not a good change to have made. Now I have 199 Chocolate Covered
> Cherries sitting out waiting to be wrapped in 4x4 foils, and they do
> NOT smell the same!! They smell good, but this 65% chocolate gives
> them a completely different character.
>
> I'm almost tempted to scrap them all and remake *my* Chocolate Covered
> Cherries. Why did I mess with perfection?:-(
>
> John Kuthe...

I'm the opposite.

Instead of dark chocolate I used semi-sweet for dipping once.

I re-dipped them in dark.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

On Dec 18, 9:25*am, "Christopher M." > wrote:
....
>
> I'm the opposite.
>
> Instead of dark chocolate I used semi-sweet for dipping once.
>
> I re-dipped them in dark.
>
> W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

Chocolate bombs, eh? What was in the center?

John Kuthe...

John Kuthe wrote:
> On Dec 18, 9:25 am, "Christopher M." > wrote:
> ...
>>
>> I'm the opposite.
>>
>> Instead of dark chocolate I used semi-sweet for dipping once.
>>
>> I re-dipped them in dark.
>>
>> W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)
>
> Chocolate bombs, eh? What was in the center?
>
> John Kuthe...

I think it was oreo truffles. I'll never make those again.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

On Dec 18, 1:02*pm, "Christopher M." > wrote:
....
> I think it was oreo truffles. I'll never make those again.
>
> W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

No offense, but I would have never made them in the first place! Oreos
are too sweet all by themselves. Unfortunately that's what most people
in the U.S. like. I can tell you how to make Oreo filling, if you
want. Take one can of Crisco, one large bag of powdered sugar and mix!
Ugh! ;-)

John Kuthe...

John Kuthe wrote:
> On Dec 18, 1:02 pm, "Christopher M." > wrote:
> ...
>> I think it was oreo truffles. I'll never make those again.
>>
>> W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)
>
> No offense, but I would have never made them in the first place! Oreos
> are too sweet all by themselves. Unfortunately that's what most people
> in the U.S. like. I can tell you how to make Oreo filling, if you
> want. Take one can of Crisco, one large bag of powdered sugar and mix!
> Ugh! ;-)
>
> John Kuthe...

Oreo makes very good chocolate wafers. The Oreo snack packs tend to be
fresh.

I bought some Christmas Oreos recently. The filling is dyed red. I didn't
like it. I ended up throwing away the filling. I remember the Halloween
Oreos being much tastier.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

On Dec 17, 8:50*pm, John Kuthe > wrote:
> I just dipped 199 of the 200 cherries I had soaking, but instead of
> the usual 57% dark chocolate I've always used, I used 65% dark
> chocolate from Chocoley.com.I got all excited about this new (to me)
> 65% Fair Trade Organic dark chocolate (it's my new favorite chocolate)
> and decided to make truffles AND dip my cherries in it. Probably a
> mistake. As I was dipping the cherries I was knowing this was probably
> not a good change to have made. Now I have 199 Chocolate Covered
> Cherries sitting out waiting to be wrapped in 4x4 foils, and they do
> NOT smell the same!! They smell good, but this 65% chocolate gives
> them a completely different character.
>
> I'm almost tempted to scrap them all and remake *my* Chocolate Covered
> Cherries. *Why did I mess with perfection?:-(
>
> John Kuthe...

So, just because they don't have quite the same smell, doesn't mean
they arent delicious????

Have you tried one?

I'll get in line to have you send them to me !!!!!!

On Dec 18, 9:25*am, ImStillMags > wrote:
....
>
> So, just because they don't have quite the same smell, doesn't mean
> they arent delicious????
>
> Have you tried one?
>
> I'll get in line to have you send them to me !!!!!!

Not yet, they are not "done" for several days, as the invertase acts
on the invert sugar to liquify the uncooked fondant (powdered sugar/
marshmallow creme/butter) coating on each cherry.

And I'm sure they will be excellent, just not the same. I have always
been consistent with my recipe for these, and have consistently been
amazed at how good they are. I invented these specifically because I
have always loved the idea of a chocolate covered cherry, but the
problem was that every chocolate covered cherry I ever had was lacking
in one dramatic way, which is the thing inside was only called a
cherry because at one time, it used to be! Marachinos!! Ugh!!! So I
invented my own using real Bing cherries.

And they came out perfect the first time! No fiddling with the recipe,
ever. Until now. :-(

John Kuthe...

On 12/18/2011 6:19 AM, John Kuthe wrote:
>
> Not yet, they are not "done" for several days, as the invertase acts
> on the invert sugar to liquify the uncooked fondant (powdered sugar/
> marshmallow creme/butter) coating on each cherry.

What is your source of invertase? What proportions of the enzyme to
sugar do you use and does the fondant completely liquify? Thanks.

I don't care for bitter chocolate myself but my guess is that the
cherries will turn out just fine.

> And I'm sure they will be excellent, just not the same. I have always
> been consistent with my recipe for these, and have consistently been
> amazed at how good they are. I invented these specifically because I
> have always loved the idea of a chocolate covered cherry, but the
> problem was that every chocolate covered cherry I ever had was lacking
> in one dramatic way, which is the thing inside was only called a
> cherry because at one time, it used to be! Marachinos!! Ugh!!! So I
> invented my own using real Bing cherries.
>
> And they came out perfect the first time! No fiddling with the recipe,
> ever. Until now. :-(
>
> John Kuthe...
>

On Dec 17, 11:50*pm, John Kuthe > wrote:
> I just dipped 199 of the 200 cherries I had soaking, but instead of
> the usual 57% dark chocolate I've always used, I used 65% dark
> chocolate from Chocoley.com.I got all excited about this new (to me)
> 65% Fair Trade Organic dark chocolate (it's my new favorite chocolate)
> and decided to make truffles AND dip my cherries in it. Probably a
> mistake. As I was dipping the cherries I was knowing this was probably
> not a good change to have made. Now I have 199 Chocolate Covered
> Cherries sitting out waiting to be wrapped in 4x4 foils, and they do
> NOT smell the same!! They smell good, but this 65% chocolate gives
> them a completely different character.
>
> I'm almost tempted to scrap them all and remake *my* Chocolate Covered
> Cherries. *Why did I mess with perfection?:-(
>
> John Kuthe...

Why in the world didn't you test drive just a few of 'em? If they
taste passable, I'd just wrap em and gift em. Kinda late to re-do, no?

On Dec 18, 4:26*pm, Kalmia > wrote:
....
> Why in the world didn't you test drive just a few of 'em? *If they
> taste passable, I'd just wrap em and gift em. *Kinda late to re-do, no?

They will be fine. They are just different because the chocolate is
different. I was having "cherry anxiety". I just love it when they
come out so perfect year after year now. The first few years were
kinda touch and go, some definite lessons learned over the years
(little chocolate platforms were a biggie!). I'm very sensitive to any
differences from the perfection I finally achieved. And this new
chocolate does not quite work like my old chocolate too. But by the
3rd or 4th refilling of the melt bowl I learned to work with it.

After wrapping in foils and tasting some of the leaker juice and a
little of the chocolate, I now *know* they will be fine! And Bryan's
all excited! I'm gonna get him to eat CARBS!!! ;-)

John Kuthe...

*pout* this means you won't send them to me,

Lee


"John Kuthe" > wrote in message
...
On Dec 18, 4:26 pm, Kalmia > wrote:
....
> Why in the world didn't you test drive just a few of 'em? If they
> taste passable, I'd just wrap em and gift em. Kinda late to re-do, no?

They will be fine. They are just different because the chocolate is
different. I was having "cherry anxiety". I just love it when they
come out so perfect year after year now. The first few years were
kinda touch and go, some definite lessons learned over the years
(little chocolate platforms were a biggie!). I'm very sensitive to any
differences from the perfection I finally achieved. And this new
chocolate does not quite work like my old chocolate too. But by the
3rd or 4th refilling of the melt bowl I learned to work with it.

After wrapping in foils and tasting some of the leaker juice and a
little of the chocolate, I now *know* they will be fine! And Bryan's
all excited! I'm gonna get him to eat CARBS!!! ;-)

John Kuthe...

On Dec 18, 12:46*pm, John Kuthe > wrote:
> On Dec 18, 4:26*pm, Kalmia > wrote:
> ...
>
> > Why in the world didn't you test drive just a few of 'em? *If they
> > taste passable, I'd just wrap em and gift em. *Kinda late to re-do, no?
>
> They will be fine. They are just different because the chocolate is
> different. I was having "cherry anxiety". I just love it when they
> come out so perfect year after year now. The first few years were
> kinda touch and go, some definite lessons learned over the years
> (little chocolate platforms were a biggie!). I'm very sensitive to any
> differences from the perfection I finally achieved. And this new
> chocolate does not quite work like my old chocolate too. But by the
> 3rd or 4th refilling of the melt bowl I learned to work with it.
>
> After wrapping in foils and tasting some of the leaker juice and a
> little of the chocolate, I now *know* they will be fine! And Bryan's
> all excited! I'm gonna get him to eat CARBS!!! ;-)
>
> John Kuthe...

As it goes, I never make the same dish twice. All my life, I've
focused on different dishes like cheesecake, biscuits, shortcake,
angel food cake, baklava, fried chicken and most recently, roast
pork. Once I learn how to make a dish, I'm not interested in making
it any more. My suggestion is that you keep on experimenting.

Heck, I might try making chocolate cherries. I've never tried working
with chocolate but this cherry candy is a favorite of mine.

The way I'd do it is to dip the fondant balls part way in the
chocolate and cool it on parchment and then pour the chocolate over
the prepared cherries on a wire rack. Do you think this would work?

On Dec 18, 6:45*pm, dsi1 > wrote:
....
>
> Heck, I might try making chocolate cherries. I've never tried working
> with chocolate but this cherry candy is a favorite of mine.
>
> The way I'd do it is to dip the fondant balls part way in the
> chocolate and cool it on parchment and then pour the chocolate over
> the prepared cherries on a wire rack. Do you think this would work?

Anything will work, depending on the results you seek. I'm trying to
visualize the process you are describing. Dip fondant balls 1/2 way,
you mean cherries surrounded my fondant? What kind of fondant? Is it
it liquify or not? And if so how? My fondant is a soft dough I form
into a small disc and then work around each cherry to surround it then
I dip each fondant coated cherry. My aim is to completely seal the
fondant-covered cherry in chocolate so that when my fondant liquefies,
the cherry floating in liquified fondant is sealed in the chocolate
shell. Hence my chagrin at what I call leakers.


John Kuthe...

On Dec 18, 2:56*pm, John Kuthe > wrote:
> On Dec 18, 6:45*pm, dsi1 > wrote:
> ...
>
>
>
> > Heck, I might try making chocolate cherries. I've never tried working
> > with chocolate but this cherry candy is a favorite of mine.
>
> > The way I'd do it is to dip the fondant balls part way in the
> > chocolate and cool it on parchment and then pour the chocolate over
> > the prepared cherries on a wire rack. Do you think this would work?
>
> Anything will work, depending on the results you seek. I'm trying to
> visualize the process you are describing. Dip fondant balls 1/2 way,
> you mean cherries surrounded my fondant? What kind of fondant? Is it
> it liquify or not? And if so how? My fondant is a soft dough I form
> into a small disc and then work around each cherry to surround it then
> I dip each fondant coated cherry. My aim is to completely seal the
> fondant-covered cherry in chocolate so that when my fondant liquefies,
> the cherry floating in liquified fondant is sealed in the chocolate
> shell. Hence my chagrin at what I call leakers.
>
> John Kuthe...

It's just a different way to enrobe the cherries. The fondant would be
dissolve to a liquid center same as yours. As it goes it might just be
easier your way. I hate leakers. The last box I bought was all
leakers. You win some, you lose some.

In article >,
John Kuthe > wrote:

and here I was expecting you to say you had actually dropped GG

Chocolate is interesting. Growing up chocolate was Hershey bars and
Hershey Kisses. I never liked those. When I started a lowcarb diet
before Christmas one year I tried dark chocolate when making fudge and
discovered I really like it-the darker I made the fudge the better it
was. Yet still not all chocolate is equal. I bought Ghirardelli dark
chocolate once and thought the taste was awful.