Tempering chocolate can be a little scary but it is always wonderful. No matter what happens you get to eat chocolate.

The first thing that you need is chocolate, this is my favorite brand. Barry Callebaut

Dark Chocolate. Definitely my favorite chocolate. I love to dip milk chocolate ganache in dark chocolate that way when you bite in it has a outer crunch and a creamy center. Magical. With dark chocolate you can also do very robust flavors such as wine and cayenne. The spicy Cayenne truffle is a family favorite. I made it once and now I don’t think I will ever be allowed to stop. Which is fine because it’s awesome.

Milk Chocolate. Who doesn’t love milk chocolate? I actually know a lot of people that don’t care for it. It has so many possibilities though! Bourbon Golden Raisin would not be possible without milk chocolate. Neither would Earl Grey. Dark chocolate can just be a bit overpowering sometimes.

These are 22kg blocks. 11 pounds of chocolate. I will be in possession of at least 15 blocks this season. That is 165 pounds of chocolate!!!!

I love chocolate!!

Since we are talking about chocolate I guess I should mention the red-headed step child, white chocolate. I am a widely known white chocolate hater. White chocolate is a chocolate derivative. It commonly consists of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids and salt, and is characterized by a pale yellow or ivory appearance. The melting point of cocoa butter, its primary cacao bean component, is high enough to keep white chocolate solid at room temperature. This definition was provided by Wikipedia. I believe that white chocolate has its place in the baking world, in cookies and…well that’s about it. I am not one of those pastry chefs that doesn’t use ingredients just because they don’t like them so therefore I do put one white chocolate truffle into the candy boxes for Christmas. White Chocolate Brandied Cherry. The dried cherries soaked in brandy really mask the white chocolate flavor. Maniacal Laugh