Enthusiasms, as I mentioned earlier, tend to come and go.
The nice thing is that they don’t go very far and they usually come back with renewed vigour! I hadn’t tempered for a couple of months, but last weekend was the perfect weather for playing with chocolate. And once I got started, it was (as usual) hard to stop!
I made peanut butter squares for our friend Stephen, who had contemplated but ultimately resisted buying a huge bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups at Costco. He was pretty happy with these…
I’ve finally tracked down some excellent locally made candied orange slices (at Johnny’s cheese shop), so I dipped a stack of them into a dark chocolate blend. I know, I know – I could make my own candied rind, but I don’t…
Remember the big box of Buderim Naked Ginger we bought? A large handful of these were dipped as well…
The leftover dark chocolate (a Callebaut 811 and Sao Thome Origin blend) was poured into ma’moul moulds to make chocolate coins…
I made two large batches of dark chocolate almond rochers for upcoming birthdays…
Finally, Small Man has exams looming, so I made a batch of study chocolates for him – dark/milk feulletine cane toads…
All these photos were taken on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic camera app (yet another enthusiasm). The quality produced by the tiny iPhone lens never ceases to amaze me!
PS. If you’d like to give tempering chocolate a go, our tutorial is here. It’s a great skill to master, and once you’ve got it figured out, you’ll never be caught short for a gift again!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
What I wouldn’t give to live in your house! Although if you’re more of a milk chocolate girl to a dark chocolate girl, then I take that back,
We love both here! :)
It all looks wonderful Celia, I wish I was visiting soon.
I wish you were too! You and Maus could give me a lesson on how to take care of the new copper pot we’ve just bought! :)
You need to speak to Maus, she is the copper polisher, I just make them dirty :)
Wow Celia. You are so talented. I am drooling over this post. I can see your chocolates in the widow of a chocolate shop in Paris. I bet the people you made them for were thrilled. Emma xx
Emma, thank you! We have a string of birthdays at the end of August, so it was good to have a supply of chocs on hand ready for packing! :)
I can imagine that your friend Stephen was more than “pretty happy” with such delights. And I think that “Study Chocolates” should be a thing worldwide. It would make homework a sweeter experience. Just saying, Maz. :-)
Hahaha…Small Man is eating them slowly, along with his birthday cake! It’s chocolate overload here at the moment!
Just caught up with your other enthusiasm post – severe lack of time here at the moment. The problem with your enthusiasms Celia is that they tend to be contagious and I blame you entirely for the fact that I spent a very messy morning at a chocolate making workshop the other day and consequently carried on at home. My kitchen isn’t quite as chocolaty as yours though and mine don’t look as professional as yours. Yet. I too have enthusiasms though my family describe them as phases (currently jelly printing).
I think the jelly printing is just wonderful! You do blame me for lots of things Anne, and I’m not sure they’re all my fault… :D
I knew I shouldn’t have read this before going to yoga! What would yoga chocs look like? It all looks fabulous Celia.
Jo, Lorraine wrote a review a while back of a shop that made Karma Sutra chocolates – I reckon yoga chocs would look a bit like that. Here’s a link to the very risque pic (you have been warned)… :)
http://www.notquitenigella.com/2013/09/18/rino-saffioti-haberfield/
My eye is twitching Ms Celia…
Hahaha…sorry Fran… :)
Twitch…twitch…(yum…) ;)
Oh yum! You had me at Peanut butter squares!
Clare, they’re great fun to make, but they do make the kitchen very sticky!
Oh yum! They all look so delicious and beautiful. I love dark chocolate, just poured some on top of coconut biscuits the other day.
Sounds delicious, Gretchen! :)
I could pretend to have exams?
Oh you wouldn’t need to pretend! I’d make a batch for you anytime! :)
Yay, dark chocolate! I’ll have a triple batch of choc ginger please Celia :) I’ll just have to make some this weekend, and if I put chunks of it in my seed and nut trail mix it will all be healthy, right? Xox
Yes, they’re sure to be healthy, particularly if you use really dark chocolate! :)
Oh my word. I want to sample one of each thing! Yummy :)
Thanks Lisa! :)
Yum yum yum… must try that with my naked ginger too, Celia… everything looks so delicious. Working with chocolate is such good therapy I feel xox
Isn’t naked ginger the nicest thing? I’m so glad we found the big boxes at Costco!
Trying to reach through the screen, right now, with a drooling mouth!!!
Hahaha…thank you! :)
Just this week l have started making hand made chocolates and other chocky goodies. I used to make all these years ago but then lost interest. For some reason last Saturday l thought I’m going to make chocolates again. You’re so right Celia. Enthusiasms may wane but they often come back with renewed interest. Jody;-)
Jody, isn’t it just the most delicious enthusiasm to go back to? :)
Oh my. That chocolate would NOT be safe in my house. It looks amazing. I want to eat it all.
We’re lucky here – everyone has a favourite, so there’s heaps to go around! :)
I’m going to play with chocolate this year. I’ve put it off long enough. This all looks fantastic!
Come for a visit and I’ll give you a lesson! :)
you know I tried really hard last year and they all went funny afterwards, the chocolates didn’t mix properly and streaky and it is very hit and miss in this house, but always lovely to see yours! They look so smart xx
Thanks darling! I’m sorry they didn’t work – sometimes the weather doesn’t allow for it!
Yum!!
Chocolate overload!!! Love the orange slices dipped in choc. Yummo!
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Those ones are my favourites, Jules!
I was wondering what was going on in your kitchen! I thought it was a new business venture or something ;) I love that you make Small Man study chocolates. I need some ‘life’ chocolates to get me through the day. Sigh… Happy weekend love xx
Just the usual madness, love! You know how it is here..hahaha
WOW… I’m glad your giving some away as gifts :) They look fabulous… I might try some today as it is perfect weather here on the Gold Coast for Tempering today! (doesn’t happen very often! Thanks for sharing!
Liz x
Liz, I always give some away – the joy in tempering is in sharing, but we also just couldn’t eat all the chocs I like to make once I’m on a roll! :)
What a thoughtful mum to be making chocolates for exam studies. I love how you covered the ginger in dark chocolate and the candied oranges look very pretty – great for a dinner party xx
Charlie, the candied orange is the bomb – I can’t stop eating them! They were fun to make too! Hope you’re well.. xxx
I always love your chocolate posts Celia, and these are as beautiful as ever!
Thanks Kari! xx
They look pretty darn yummy! My chocs never turn out looking as good, although it’s probably reflective of the effort I put in…cacao, coconut oil, rice malt syrup and maybe berries! — Mrs Bok xoxo
Mrs Bok! How’ve you been? How are the chooks? So nice to find you again! :)
My chooks are on holidays until we finish the renos! I had to move to wordpress so I’m at littlekarstar.wordpress.com now. Have missed you! What happened to hazel and phoebe and lots of the old bloggers!
chocolate peanut butter is the bees knees…followed closely by chocolate ginger. Celia lucky we don’t live close by otherwise I’d have my face permanently squashed up against your kitchen window.
No you wouldn’t, you’d be sitting at my dining table with a mouth smeared with chocolate! :)
My word Celia, when you start chocolating, you really chocolate! I can’t tell you how much I enjoy looking at these photos & just imagining what they must taste like. Anyone who gets to share those is a very lucky person.
(I usually hide a bag of mini Reese’s peanut butter cups beside the bed).
Diane, you’re always so kind, thank you! Between presents and dinner parties, we’re almost through them all now!
Beautiful! Just beautiful.
Thanks Fran! xx