INTERNATIONAL SWISS CERTIFICATE

At last.....12 of us were "graduated" with INTERNATIONAL SWISS CERTIFICATE IN BASIC CHOCOLATE MAKING"

With our chocolate flowers & special gift from Chef Amer

Master Chocolatier, Chef Amer with me....

CHOCOLATE MAKING COURSE - LAST CLASS

Last Saturday - 28 March 2009, was the last class for the chocolate making course. We were taught how to make chocolate roses & chocolate box - which is really really suitable for hantaran.

FROM THIS........

...TO THIS

White chocolate rose....hand crafted by me.....

Add a bit of color....

Sweet chocolate box

CHOCOLATE MAKING COURSE - CLASS 7

Hi there, this class will be the second last, before I "graduated".....

In this class we learnt how to make a healthy snack, suitable for the whole family...GRANOLA BAR...& of course with chocolate.....

CHOCOLATE MAKING COURSE - CLASS 6

This class was the messiest class....we played with ganache to make truffles....MOCCA TRUFFLES....goes very well with hot cappuccino or cafe latte.....

Mocca ganache

Filling ganache into piping bag

Our Master Chocolatier demonstrating on how to pipe the ganache...professional way

The piped ganache was shaped into small balls

The nicely shaped ganache was dipped in melted chocolate

CHOCOLATE MAKING COURSE - CLASS 3

It's quite late for me to update on my chocolate making class. Not really busy, it's just no appropriate time to jot everything down.

During the 3rd class, we learnt how to make truffles with filling. Don't be surprised how easy it was, the truffle shells are all ready made. Just pipe in any of your favorite filling, then dipped in your favorite chocolates, i.e. milk, dark or white...and VOILA....your chocolate truffles.

Truffle shells

Piping in the filling

Dipping the truffle shells

VALENTINE'S CHOCOLATE

As our Class No. 2 was on Valentine's Day, we took the opportunity to make a heart shape chocolate...for our loved ones.

Have fun looking at our creations.

Heart shaped chocolate - filled with nuts & dried fruits.

Master Chocolatier's creation.

Our creations....

The celebrities & me.....Chef Amer, Chef Zam & Erra with our creations

CHOCOLATE MAKING COURSE - CLASS 2

CHOCOLATES WITH FILLINGS

In Class 2 of this course, we learnt about making chocolate shells & chocolate fillings from various types of nuts, dried fruits and other creamy delicious fillings. And not to forget, we made our own heart shape chocolate on this day of Valentine, though for me, I didn't celebrate V'Day.

Overall, it's a truly awesome experience.

Parts of the ingredients used as filling....dried cranberries, roasted almonds, roasted hazelnuts, etc.

Chef Amer explaining the ingredients used for the chocolate filling.

Some of the fillings...

Bottoming process...i.e. cover up the fillings with tempered chocolates.

The end product... drizzled with white chocolate couverture.

CHOCOLATE MAKING COURSE - CLASS 1

On 7/2/2009, i.e. last Saturday, I attended a chocolate making course at KDU College in Damansara. Since I'm into this chocolate making business, I found that this course is worth attending, though the fee is quite....in fact it is conducted by Malaysia's only Master Chocolatier, Chef Amer.The 8 weeks classes will entitle me to get certification from IMI Swiss International in Basic Choccolate Making.

It's me tempering the chocolate.

Everybody with Chef Amer.

Chef Amer explaining how to melt the chocolate- Bain Marie mtd.

Differrent types of chocolates - couverture ( real chocolate) & compound / cooking chocolate (immitation chocolate - only sugar & fat, which make them really sweet).

Sweet Treats only use imported, good quality chocolate couverture. Taste it to believe it.

Tempering chocolate couverture until the temperature goes down to 28 degrees C.

It is very important to temper chocolates in air conditioning room with room temp. at 25 degrees. And according to him, it must always be in an air-cond room. And it must be tempered on a marble / granite slab, unless you are using tempering machine or seedling method.

So, if the master chocolatier said it must be done in an air-cond room, just imagine what will happen to those chocolates that are not tempered in an air-cond room? According to Chef Amer, it's hard for him to say...for me, the best is follow what the master says...he knows better.

It is important to have a chocolate thermometer, a marble / granite slab & must be in an air-cond room.

Drying the chocolate mould, so it is warm.

Pouring the tempered chocolate in chocolate mould.

Moulded chocolates - after 20 minutes in the chiller - to harden the chocolates.

Unmoulding the chocolates.

The end product...Moulded handmade chocolates.
Chef Amer creations...FIDANI durian chocolates.