Time to be a little Goofy

I made it back from Dublin (pictures coming soon) for a week filled with chocolate. Monday morning we had a technical class on tasting chocolate. We tasted between 10 to 15 different kinds of chocolates. In the afternoon we had a demo for truffles, molded chocolates, malakoff, and caramel chocolates. Yesterday's demo was for a chocolate centerpiece and the chef made Simba and Donald Duck.

I had both practicals today and they went pretty well. For the first practical we worked in pairs and each pair did two out of the four and we all got to take a little of each home. I made molded chocolates and caramel chocolates.  The molded chocolates are filled with Bailey's and chocolate ganache.  The caramel chocolates have a creamy caramel with Bailey's on the bottom and a whipped ganache on top.  The malakoff (made by another pair) are made with milk chocolate, praline paste, almonds, and pistachios.  The truffles (made by another pair) were filled with a white chocolate and raspberry ganache.  They are all really good.  My favorites were the molded chocolates with Bailey's and the malakoff.

Molded Chocolates

Caramel Chocolates

Malakoff made by another pair

Truffles made by another pair

I chose to make Goofy for my centerpiece.  And here he is. . . all in chocolate. . .