Making the world a little sweeter one pastry tip at at time.
I remember when cacao varietals were beginning to take foot, and then became the rage. Single origin still remains an important segment in the confectionery industry. But it appears that private labels are vying for flavor rather than origin in creating chocolate blends, Confectionery News …read more
Interesting read in ConfectioneryNews.com today about the use of botanical or herbal ingredients inside candy. Some are used to provide energy (ginseng and guarana) and others for their antioxidant properties (green tea, acerola, and super fruits). Using these ingredients will enable some manufacturers in the EU …read more
My husband wants a 3-D printer, so I’ve been scouting the Internet to learn all about it. These machines are amazing, not that we’ll get one tomorrow or anything. A 3-D printer essentially prints out in three dimensional form of whatever you tell it to print. I’ve seen videos for 3-D printers that print out ceramics and found those that can print out plastic bracelets and rings.
Digging a little deeper, I wanted to see if there was a food equivalent – specifically, sweets. And surprisingly, there are culinary and food 3-D printers. I came across an article in Design News about Sugar Lab, a Silver Lake, CA company started by an architectural design husband-and-wife team specializing in custom sugar creations made from granulated sugar. Amazing work!
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| Source: The Sugar Lab. http://the-sugar-lab.com/ |
UK-based Choc Edge also produces a 3-D machine, this time made just for chocolate. The videos for it mainly show intricate flat works, especially useful for creating chocolate portraiture. You can buy it directly from Choc Edge.
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| Source: Choc Edge. https://chocedge.com/ |
And if you are wanting to know what a 3-D printer looks like in action, the video below shows the production of an open source 3-D food printing machine, demonstrated at the French Culinary Institute. Created by the tech wizards inside Cornell Creative Machines Lab at Cornell University, the goal is to eventually create a food printer with the same price tag as an iPad.
I’m already thinking of all the fun Christmas cookies I could decorate using a machine like this if I had one in my kitchen. 🙂
Looking for an excuse to eat chocolate on a daily basis? Look to Callebaut for the answer. Their ‘Acticoa’ chocolate is processed to retain 80% of flavanols – which according to an article from Confectionery News is typically destroyed in the chocolate making process. Even …read more
Must…try…this ! Cookies and Corks pairs wine with different sweet and savory cookies. They have a flavor for every wine, and they have special selections available for different varietals. From their Pairings Page, you’ll find different flavors geared for different wines. Examples: Parmesan Thyme cookie …read more
Always looking for something new as an ingredient for desserts, I spotted this liqueur. It’s a vodka-based cream liqueur, and the makers are touting it as an adult version of the classic treat – chocolate milk.
Instead of the usual Irish cream or the heather honey cream liqueur, Sylk Cream, from Drambuie, try a ‘chocolate milk’ liqueur for flavor.
More info:
New Pepperidge Farms Goldfish Bread.Image courtesy Pepperidge Farm. When school starts this year in the fall, a new type of bread from Pepperidge Farms will be available for kids’ sandwiches, and they will be in the shape of their favorite crackers – goldfish. The bread will …read more
Luo Han Guo – Monk fruitSource: Wikimedia Commons through a creative commons license. Monk fruit, or ‘luo han guo’ is up to 100 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. It is well known and used in China, and has been used as a sugar substitute there …read more
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| Source: Barry Callebaut |
Barry Callebaut is helping food manufacturers with the demand for healthier products, which includes confectionery and chocolate items. Callebaut’s new dark chocolate is made with Stevia, which has replaced the sugar entirely. The new chocolate product contains zero calories/serving, but with the same taste and texture as traditional chocolate. Stevia is a natural product, and is safe for everyone.
This chocolate will have the same properties as all traditional chocolate, so it can be used in all chocolate applications such as enrobing, molding, and all types of fillings and mixes.
Visit Barry Callebaut for more information on the new Stevia chocolate.
Sweet Chai Latte Limited EditionSource: Haagen-Dazs Looking for something sweet and cold this summer? Try new flavors from Haagen-Dazs introduced in 2011. Some may not be available where you are, so search with their product or shop locator to find a retailer or Haagen-Dazs shop nearest you …read more
