A Day in the Life of a Chocolatier

Today Middle-Class Martha made Sea-Salted Carmel and Chocolate covered Oreo’s for baby shower favors.  A very sophisticated shower, so no cute bears, ducks, cute little feet or trucks.  I had a great time but would someone, living near me, PLEASE HAVE A GIRL???  

 ABOVE: A FEW PICTURES FROM A PREVIOUS SHOWER

TODAY'S PROJECT:

FAVOR BOXES

CONSISTING OF CHOCOLATE DIPPED OREO'S AND SEA-SALT CARAMELS

OREO

SEA-SALTED CARAMEL COVERED WITH FLUER DE SEL SALT

THE BOX IS NOW READY FOR THE HOSTESS TO PLACE HER FAMOUS OREO TRUFFLES INSIDE!

Sweetheart Fleur de sel Salted Caramel:

·1 1/3 cup heavy cream

·2 cups superfine granulated sugar

·1/2 cup light corn syrup

·1/3 cup honey

·6 tbsp butter, cubed

·1 tsp vanilla extract

·2 tsp sea salt, such as fleur de sel

Extra Salt for Garnish

Instructions

1. Spray an 8-inch glass baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Bring heavy cream in a large saucepan to a boil over medium-high heat.

3. Stir in the suga

4. Immediately Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of Fleur de sel salt.

5. Pour into glass baking pan and allow Caramel to cool at room temperature.  It will become firm and you may cut it.

I CUT CARAMEL INTO 1 INCH SQUARES.

TEMPER CHOCOLATE AND DIP CARAMELS THEN GARNISH WITH SEA-SALT.
REFER TO RECIPE PAGE ON BLOG FOR TEMPERING TEMPERATURES

I LOVE THE WAY THEY TURNED OUT...

BUT SERIOUSLY SOMEONE PLEASE HAVE A GIRL!

IT TRUELY IS HARD TO BELIEVE I GET PAID TO PLAY WITH CHOCOLATE ALL DAY!

ENJOY!

MIDDLE-CLASS MARTHA

WWW.TRES-SUCRECHOCOLATIERE.BLOGSPOT.COM

Recipes for when Tuesday turns into Monday’s “Do-Over”

Middle-Class Martha’s Morning began with the sound of my alarm at 5:30 AM.  I was just trying to get a head start on my very busy day.  My day would be filled with Laundry and Cleaning (you know the kind of cleaning you do when you are about to pretend your house ALWAYS looks like this).   A chocolatier during Valentine’s Day is a like being an accountant during tax season and my house is showing signs of needing a deep clean and reorganization.  

My groggy sons after much preparation are safely at school and “my day” can begin.  I am preparing my kitchen for a chocolate order I need to fill for a friend, who is hosting a baby shower.  Chocolate dipped strawberries, Oreos and sea-salted caramel top the list.   My friend Kate will be helping me prepare her chocolates.   I have picked out the cutest ribbon and boxes for packaging.

Outside I see my chocolate Labrador, named “Chocolate” eyeing my son’s homemade Fruit loop necklace, which he had accidentally left outside this morning.  A slow motion scene from Matrix meets Mom unfolds as I attempt to make it out the door in time to rescue the dog and the fruit loops from imminent danger.   My foot gets caught in the vacuum cleaner cord.  I stumble but regain my balance.  There is still time.   I grab for the door but it sticks a little.   Still time.    I rush outside just in time to grab the unharmed necklace.  Just then my feet are made aware that the mounds of melting snow had left behind a muddy bed equal to a banana peel scene in a cartoon.  I slip and fall flat in the mud.  My dog is so concerned about my injury; she is only able to choke down half of the necklace, yarn and all.  I gain my footing and begin pulling on the remaining yarn, which is half way down Chocolate’s throat.   She clenches her teeth so she may scrape off every fruit loop left on her half of the necklace, all the while opening her mouth just enough to not really be considered disobedient.

At that point, I felt like Monday had asked for “do-over’s”.   I get cleaned up and while in the shower begin thinking what the heck am I going to make for dinner.  I really don’t feel like cooking much of anything. 

 Please Enjoy My Monday "Do-Over" Dinner Plan!

Glazed Pork Chops

4-5 frozen pork chops

¼ cup Spicy Mustard

¼ cup Brown Sugar

Mix Mustard and Brown Sugar.  Place pork chops in a glass-baking dish.  Cover Pork chops with the mixture.  Place in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Ovens are different so make sure your pork chops reach at least 160 degrees in the center.

Serve with Mashed Potatoes, a Side of Green beans and a small salad.

Dessert:  Oatmeal Ice Cream Sandwiches

Iced Oatmeal cookies:  2 per serving. 

Ice Cream

Sprinkles (Optional)

Place Ice Cream between two cookies.  Roll the edges in Sprinkles.  Place in an airtight container and refreeze for 30 mins to 1 hour. 

TIP: The extra mashed potatoes and green beans will go nicely in a quick Sheppard’s pie if …Monday was “Not ready for do-over’s and says not fair!  Re-do-over’s”

Enjoy!

www.tres-sucrechocolatiere.blogspot.com

White Chocolate Cheesecake

Middle-Class Martha is making her first Cheesecake ever.   In the oven now!
Pictures to follow soon :)    The recipe is easy enough and I hear from a close friend it is AMAZING!  


White Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe:
5 ounces White Chocolate
17 ounces cream cheese at room, temperature 
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Eggs
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons Egg White 
2 Tablesponon flour sifted
1/4 Tablespoon salt, sifted with the flour
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 cup fresh berries for topping cheesecake
10 inch graham cracker pie crust


Preheat oven 300 degrees


1. Melt white chocolate in microwave. 30 seconds and stir Repeat 
   until smooth.


2.  Place cream cheese in bowl.  cream in the sugar using your 
    paddle attachment.  Add melted chocolate.  Add Eggs and egg 
    white slowly.


3.  Add flour and salt mixture slowly to mixture in the mixing 
    bowl.


4.  Add lemon juice and vanilla.


5.  Pour mix into graham cracker crust leaving 1/4" from top.


6.  Bake 45- 55 minutes in the center of oven until set 3" from 
    edge but center will still be jiggly when cheesecake is moved.  


7.  Remove from oven and cool to room temperature


8.  Cover and Chill for atleast 4 hours.


9.  Place berries on top of cheesecake and serve.

WILD about My Cricut!

Middle-Class Martha is a tiny bit afraid of Technology.  To date myself slightly, my first computer was a TRS-80.  I had a DOS manual for goodness sake.  My first website took actual programming and HTML knowledge to launch.  I later went on to teach in a high school that was part of a cutting edge program for Palm pilots.  Every student was assigned a Palm pilot and each classroom had wireless Internet and infrared printers.   Assignments were graded and posted in portfolio's on-line for parents. 

I had my children and became an At-Home-Mom.  Life as I knew it CHANGED!  The term controlled substance now referred to markers and chocolate milk.  The world went on and published books for “Dummies.”    My Space was no longer my craft room.  People began Tweeting, Blogging and Facebooking.    Threads, no longer required buttons to reach their true potential.  

I began blogging in February 2011, so it only seemed fitting that I would dive into the world of cricut too during Valentine’s season!    I bought the Circut to create a vinyl wall phrase for my son’s wall.   My 8 year old and I watched the set up video and we were off and running.   I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE  IT!   

Looking forward to many Projects to come!  

As you know, Middle-Class Martha doesn’t do anything “Middle of the road”

www.tres-sucrechocolatiere.blogspot.com

Not So Sweet Hearts for Valentine’s Day!

Play-dough Valentines

It is a sad state in the educational system that homemade treats are no longer permitted at school holiday parties.  This is especially true for Middle-Class Martha, whom has hundreds of chocolate molds for all occasions.   Valentine’s Day being one of my favorites.  

I dislike that parents substitute the lack of homemade treats with mountains of Candy.   Enough Simple Carbohydrates to produce a Sugar Rush and then CRASH to Rival any stock market volatility in our country’s history.  

Two years ago, I decided to make the kids’ Homemade Play-dough Valentines instead of buying candy treats.   They are pretty and contain ZERO Sugar.  We cut the dough into heart shapes and stamped them with craft stamps and non-toxic ink.   We wrapped each one in a plastic bag with ribbons and the kids LOVED THEM!    I was asked to create a station for my Pre-K child’s class party and the whole class got to design and take home their own.    It was a huge hit. 

I am not anti-sugar.   I just don’t like to see an entire hawaiian sugar-cane plantation’s worth of treats on my son’s plate at a holiday party.  My kids still attach a little candy with their Valentines sometimes but I don’t buy 30 cupcakes for the classroom parties anymore.  With all the Chocolate, Cookies and Sweetheart conversation candy, people forget… You don’t need Sugar to celebrate Love 

 Middle-Class Martha doesn't do anything middle of the road.

Kayden dressed like a Rock Star for Valentines Day with his Valentines Stage Box! 

We got the foam pieces at Michael's Craft Store.

Kayden's Valentines were Guitars attached to Pop Rocks!

Play-dough Treats for the class party instead of Cupcakes.

Homemade Play-Dough Valentine Recipe:

6 cups Flour

3 cups Salt

2 Tablespoons Cream of Tartar

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

6 cups Water

10 drops food coloring

2 packets of Kool-aid

Combine Dry ingredients in a large pan

Add Vegetable oil and stir

Color the water before adding to the pan (this makes sure your play-dough is evenly colored)

I like to heat the water in the microwave to decrease dissolving time.

Add food coloring (I like the darker pink color food coloring makes)

Add Kool-aid (I like the smell of Cherry Kool-aid)

We used sugar-free Kool-Aid sticks.

Add Kool-Aid mixture to the dry ingredients in the Pot.

Stir constantly and heat over medium heat until a ball of dough forms

COOL the play-dough then knead on a floured surface

The kids will not be able to keep there hands out of the warm play-dough.

Roll out play-dough.

Cut into heart shapes with a cookie cutter.

Stamp with craft stamps and non-toxic ink.

Wrap in Plastic bags (play-dough will dry out otherwise.)

Store the rest of your play-dough in an air-tight container.

Enjoy!

Middle-Class Martha

www-tres-sucrechocolatiere.blogspot.com

   

Snow Day SNOW-Rita

Snow Day.  School is out for the third day in a row.    Cabin Fever has set in.

Middle-Class Martha was joking with a friend that MY kids were driving me CRAZY!

The constant I’m bored, He threw a snowbaaaalll at me on purpose, Moooom, where are my gloves, Moooom my gloves are wet, Mooom, I want hot chocolate, Mom, the hot chocolate is HOT….. or I want to watch Star Wars Clone Wars but He is Watching Nitro Circus, NOT FAIR!

A friend called to check on us.  We laughed about the fact that I told my kids I was changing my name from Mom but I wasn’t going to tell them what it was!

I also joked that I was going to post a martini recipe for every snow day increasing the alcohol content by 2X for each additional day.

It is only a joke.  Please use responsibly.     

Snow Day Number 3: SNOW-Rita’s

8 oz Tequilla

1 can frozen limeade

2 oz triple sec

1 juice from fresh squeezed lime

10 Cups of Packed Snow

***Salt for Martini glass rim

1 Willing Father(Willingness Optional)to watch the kiddos.

1 group of Moms enjoying ADULT TALK!    

Garnish with Chocolate Cake and a few FUN stories

Snow Martini Anyone, Sounds like Fun (Must be 21)

Snow Godiva Chocolate Martini Ice Cream

Tres Sucre Chocolatiere Orignial Recipe 

4 ounces Godiva Milk Chocolate Liquor

2 ounces Vanilla Vodka

2 ounces Heavy Cream

2 ounces French Vanilla Liquid Coffee Creamer

5 cups of packed Snow

Place 5 cups of Snow in a Bowl and set aside.

Shake Godiva Liquor, Vodka, Heavy cream and French Vanilla Creamer over ice (or Snow) in a Martini shaker.   

Pour over Snow in the bowl and Stir

Serve in Martini Glasses and Garnish with Godiva infused Cherries on a glass stir stick.

Godiva Infused Cherries

Tres-Sucre Chocolatiere Original Recipe

1 jar Maraschino Cherries

Godiva Milk Chocolate Liquor

Pour half of the cherry liquid out of the jar.  Replace with Godiva Liquor.  Let Sit in the Refridgerator overnight.   Serve as Garnish.

Godiva Infused Chocolate Dipped Cherries

Follow Recipe above 

Dry Cherries with Stem

Dip in High Quality Chocolate 

Place on Wax Paper unil set

ENJOY!

Middle-Class Martha

www.tres-sucrechocolatiere.blogspot.com