Fall from Glory

First, there was this:

Then, there was this:

And when I wasn't sure it could get any better there were these:

For vanilla-sea salt caramels in dark chocolate

So I decided to go really big and enter the California State Fair, and instead of entering two items, I figured I'd go for broke and enter three. All of which, of course, I wanted to be as fresh as possible so I waited until the day before the drop-off to make them. And so there was this:

Yep, two second places and a third place. And the most ironic part is, the third place entry won Best Of Show at the previous fair; the espresso-hazelnut truffle that placed second here placed first not once but twice at previous fairs!

The competition wasn't really that much stiffer at the state fair. The system of judging was different, but not necessarily harder. The problem was me: making three totally different products in a single day and expecting all of them to be cosmetically perfect is just plain stupid. Candy is time-consuming to make and chocolate is finicky to work with-- it can't be rushed, no matter how big a fair I enter. And sometimes I get impatient, and then I make tiny mistakes that no one else but me and the judge would notice, and then I don't win.

I would love to be able to say that I never make the same mistake twice, but I can't. Usually I have to make it a few times before I finally learn my lesson.  This isn't the first time I've made cosmetic mistakes on my candy, but I'm hoping that three non-blue ribbons, framed on the wall, will help me make sure it's the last.

Especially next summer, when I enter the state fair again, and WIN.

The Sweet Texture of Success

I've lost track of how many times I failed at this. I blogged about it. I searched endlessly for the perfect recipe. I bought a new thermometer. I asked questions of other bloggers who are clearly more skilled than I. And still, I couldn't get it right.

I was nearly ready to give up trying, but then another blogger was generous enough to give suggestions and wish me luck, and an old friend went on a hunt for a digital thermometer for me.  Back at home, she hovered over the thermometer with me while we held our breath, hoping the 27th time would be the charm. And it was.

I realize people have been making caramel for centuries without the aid of digital anything. I realize I probably didn't angle the analog thermometer into the mixture properly, or may not have read it carefully, as the lines and numbers are small and the margin for error is even smaller. But I don't really care, because I can make caramel now.


I said I CAN MAKE CARAMEL NOW! How exciting is THAT?



So what if the whole world knows I have to use a digital thermometer? To borrow a friend's explanation for anything complicated, "It's science." I've seen videos of master chocolatiers who use digital  sensors that don't get dipped into the chocolate, but instead are just aimed toward the chocolate and instantly read its  temperature. Now that, my friends, really is science.

It's not dirt! It's flecks of vanilla.

Eleven more degrees to go.

 The thermometer even beeps at me to tell me I'm almost there. Isn't she nice?

Many thanks to Shawnda of Confections of a Foodie Bride for her advice and encouragement!

Loving This #1

Here's what I'm eating too much of:

That's right. Dark chocolate outside. Silky-smooth caramel inside. Black sea salt on bottom. Utter perfection all around. It's from Trader Joe's. It's $1.99. I know.


Clearly, I'm loving this whole salted caramel craze. I haven't perfected my own yet, so until I do, this makes a fine substitute. A very fine substitute, indeed.



p.s. I'd never heard of black sea salt either. That's because it's over $5 a pound.
http://www.saltworks.us/shop/product.asp?idProduct=391