Hand Dipped Chocolates

I've just finished an exhausting week of Chocolate making with my Mom, two sisters and sister in law. We get together every year the week after thanksgiving and make around 350 pounds of hand dipped chocolates. We're always saying we can't do it again the next year, but we always do, it's tradition.

My mom has been dipping for over twenty years. She is basically self taught and amazing. I have a lot of practice to do before I dip on her level.

What we make:

caramels

caramels with nuts

mint truffles

orange truffles

rum truffles

peanut butter truffles

peanut clusters

cherries covered in fondant

and Rum balls -my favorite (it's rum fondant covered in chocolate and cashews)

We spend the first two days making centers, the next three dipping and the last day is spent boxing and cleaning up.

This is a small portion of what we do.

What do we do with all our chocolates?

I eat way to many

I try and box them up and give them out as fast as possible. We use them for office gifts, neighbor gifts, basically it's the only gift we give people.

Here some are all boxed up, I just need to make my labels, hopefully tomorrow.

This is how my cute little sister boxed hers.

Some Recipes:

Caramels:

4 cups sugar

2 cups Karo syrup

1 large can evaporated milk

1 quart whipping cream

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix everything except vanilla. Cook to firm ball stage. Add vanilla. Pour into 9 x 13 pan.

Truffles:

Scald 1/2 pint of whipping cream, let sit 5 minutes, then using a hand mixer, mix with 1 1/2 pounds chocolate. Flavor to taste.

*You can multiply this recipe for higher quantities of chocolate. We buy ours in ten pound bars. We use flavoring oils found at baking supply stores.