Comments on: S’Mores Candy Bars http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html In LA, but Still Exploring Desserts Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:35:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Nina http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-21023 Nina Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:51:05 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-21023 Bakerwise - Thank you so much for your ideas! I already have a good scale (and am quite the weight evangelist!), and I'll try out your other tips. I considered trying out a recipe for pfeffernuesse before, but I think I was a little unsure about the egg factor in them. I'll give them a shot now, though. The shortbread works well enough now, but is a bit troublesome -- so much fat!  And if you can point me towards any resources about how organic tapioca syrup works, I'd appreciate it.  I can find some info about it online, but I can't quite find info about how to substitute for it or how it reacts to heat/other ingredients. Bakerwise - Thank you so much for your ideas! I already have a good scale (and am quite the weight evangelist!), and I’ll try out your other tips. I considered trying out a recipe for pfeffernuesse before, but I think I was a little unsure about the egg factor in them. I’ll give them a shot now, though. The shortbread works well enough now, but is a bit troublesome — so much fat!  And if you can point me towards any resources about how organic tapioca syrup works, I’d appreciate it.  I can find some info about it online, but I can’t quite find info about how to substitute for it or how it reacts to heat/other ingredients.

]]> By: BakerWise http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-20972 BakerWise Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:38:00 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-20972 Nina, First congratulations to you, my wife just pointed you out to me, These look great but it looks like you ar looking for some ideas. 1. Buy a good quality scale you'll make a better consistancy product and European tradition points you to use scales not cups and TBS. 2. Organic Tapioca syrup works great and has no off notes like agave, honey, or brown rice. It is available at Malt Products - www.maltproducts.com - Your products are beautiful and I totally agree that well made gelatin marshmellow is far superior to egg white - but poorly made gelatin marshmellow is a white gummy bear - your's are like velvet. 3. If you want smokey campfire flavor look for South American vanilla and chocolate - they dry the cocoa bean over fire in the rain forests of South America - It would be a "cheaper" chocolate that the Coco Barry that you're using but you can fine the specific flavor you want with most chocolate companies, including Barry. 4. For your biscuit look at an old German Pfeffernuesse recipe and remove the spices it's the right texture for a Twix. Keep your dream alive. BakerWise Nina,
First congratulations to you, my wife just pointed you out to me,

These look great but it looks like you ar looking for some ideas.
1. Buy a good quality scale you’ll make a better consistancy product and European tradition points you to use scales not cups and TBS.

2. Organic Tapioca syrup works great and has no off notes like agave, honey, or brown rice. It is available at Malt Products - http://www.maltproducts.com -
Your products are beautiful and I totally agree that well made gelatin marshmellow is far superior to egg white - but poorly made gelatin marshmellow is a white gummy bear - your’s are like velvet.
3. If you want smokey campfire flavor look for South American vanilla and chocolate - they dry the cocoa bean over fire in the rain forests of South America - It would be a “cheaper” chocolate that the Coco Barry that you’re using but you can fine the specific flavor you want with most chocolate companies, including Barry.
4. For your biscuit look at an old German Pfeffernuesse recipe and remove the spices it’s the right texture for a Twix.
Keep your dream alive.

BakerWise

]]> By: Sweet Napa » Blog Archive » The S’More Bar - Revamping in Progress http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-7667 Sweet Napa » Blog Archive » The S’More Bar - Revamping in Progress Mon, 02 Apr 2007 08:48:06 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-7667 [...] Raft-style no more for the S’more Bar. Instead, I’ve decided to go for for another variation on the s’more look: square. I’m favoring a 2 inch square for this. Taste-wise, I didn’t want to stray too much from the traditional flavors found in s’mores for this version, but I also wanted it to actually have flavor — beyond sugar and chocolate. So, I amped up its vanilla and caramel notes. The ganache is infused with vanilla bean, and the caramel top echoes the toasted crust of campfire s’mores while deepening the overall flavor of the bar. I’ve always liked how the graham cracker rounds out the flavors and textures of s’mores, and it does so here, too. [...] [...] Raft-style no more for the S’more Bar. Instead, I’ve decided to go for for another variation on the s’more look: square. I’m favoring a 2 inch square for this. Taste-wise, I didn’t want to stray too much from the traditional flavors found in s’mores for this version, but I also wanted it to actually have flavor — beyond sugar and chocolate. So, I amped up its vanilla and caramel notes. The ganache is infused with vanilla bean, and the caramel top echoes the toasted crust of campfire s’mores while deepening the overall flavor of the bar. I’ve always liked how the graham cracker rounds out the flavors and textures of s’mores, and it does so here, too. [...]

]]> By: Gary http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4433 Gary Mon, 29 Jan 2007 21:25:56 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4433 Frankly I think that the graham cracker as a base extending beyond the footprint of the bar above is a rather postmodern idea. And we're now in the postpostmodern or metamodern period. ;*) (Metamodern? Yeah, I just made it up based on the fourth definition below. You heard it here first, folks... Ok, maybe the third definition is a better match.) From m-w.com: Main Entry: meta- Variant(s): or met- Function: prefix Etymology: New Latin & Medieval Latin, from Latin or Greek; Latin, from Greek, among, with, after, from meta among, with, after; akin to Old English mid, mith with, Old High German mit 1 a : occurring later than or in succession to : after b : situated behind or beyond c : later or more highly organized or specialized form of 2 : change : transformation 3 [metaphysics] : more comprehensive : transcending -- usually used with the name of a discipline to designate a new but related discipline designed to deal critically with the original one 4 a : involving substitution at or characterized by two positions in the benzene ring that are separated by one carbon atom b : derived from by loss of water Frankly I think that the graham cracker as a base extending beyond the footprint of the bar above is a rather postmodern idea. And we’re now in the postpostmodern or metamodern period. ;*)

(Metamodern? Yeah, I just made it up based on the fourth definition below. You heard it here first, folks… Ok, maybe the third definition is a better match.)

From m-w.com:

Main Entry: meta-
Variant(s): or met-
Function: prefix

Etymology: New Latin & Medieval Latin, from Latin or Greek; Latin, from Greek, among, with, after, from meta among, with, after; akin to Old English mid, mith with, Old High German mit

1 a : occurring later than or in succession to : after b : situated behind or beyond c : later or more highly organized or specialized form of

2 : change : transformation

3 [metaphysics] : more comprehensive : transcending — usually used with the name of a discipline to designate a new but related discipline designed to deal critically with the original one

4 a : involving substitution at or characterized by two positions in the benzene ring that are separated by one carbon atom b : derived from by loss of water

]]> By: Nina http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4380 Nina Sun, 28 Jan 2007 01:21:49 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4380 Helen - Thank, Helen! Hopefully, one day, it'll make your taste buds dance. :) Tommy - Thank you, Tommy! I blush. :) The Pastry Pirate sounded awesome! I was hoping that Google's caching would let me read at least some of her blog, but I could only find some bits on Quod She. Anyone whose culinary uniform makes her think of Mongol horsemen deserves to exercise her power of free speech to the fullest extent... I'm bummed... http://www.inblogs.net/quodshe/2006/06/all-hail-pastry-pirate.html Shuna - Ah well, different tastes -- I've made a couple different egg white marshmallows in the past, but I didn't like the texture or flavor as much... and they dried out sooner (my creamy, butter-y ganaches last longer, on the other hand). I like the egg-less version a lot, so I'm just going to stick with that kind. And of course, I'm using egg whites for my nougats, but that's a different story since they have so much more sugar and keep well. And there will be samples... but I still need to develop more. And then I'll be crazy for feedback. And thanks for the agave syrup tip! Helen - Thank, Helen! Hopefully, one day, it’ll make your taste buds dance. :)

Tommy - Thank you, Tommy! I blush. :)

The Pastry Pirate sounded awesome! I was hoping that Google’s caching would let me read at least some of her blog, but I could only find some bits on Quod She. Anyone whose culinary uniform makes her think of Mongol horsemen deserves to exercise her power of free speech to the fullest extent… I’m bummed…
http://www.inblogs.net/quodshe/2006/06/all-hail-pastry-pirate.html

Shuna - Ah well, different tastes — I’ve made a couple different egg white marshmallows in the past, but I didn’t like the texture or flavor as much… and they dried out sooner (my creamy, butter-y ganaches last longer, on the other hand). I like the egg-less version a lot, so I’m just going to stick with that kind. And of course, I’m using egg whites for my nougats, but that’s a different story since they have so much more sugar and keep well.

And there will be samples… but I still need to develop more. And then I’ll be crazy for feedback.

And thanks for the agave syrup tip!

]]> By: shuna fish lydon http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4252 shuna fish lydon Tue, 23 Jan 2007 07:43:28 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4252 Nina! These look fabulous. But I am thinking about your marshmallow. You say you're omitting egg whites because you don't want it to be perishable. But you are putting cream and buuer into your ganache, right? You will get a more tender, more flavorful marshmallow with whites. (I was there when that SD recipe was created.) also temperature of hot sugar is as important as gelatin ration. do some playing with agave syrup and or honey to omit the corn syrup-- just a thought. and I seem to remember being promised some experiments... let me know if I have to come to Napa because I will! Nina! These look fabulous.
But I am thinking about your marshmallow. You say you’re omitting egg whites because you don’t want it to be perishable. But you are putting cream and buuer into your ganache, right?

You will get a more tender, more flavorful marshmallow with whites. (I was there when that SD recipe was created.) also temperature of hot sugar is as important as gelatin ration. do some playing with agave syrup and or honey to omit the corn syrup– just a thought.

and I seem to remember being promised some experiments… let me know if I have to come to Napa because I will!

]]> By: Tommy http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4197 Tommy Sun, 21 Jan 2007 11:17:22 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4197 Sweet Napa, you rock! My (previous) favorite food blog, The Pastry Pirate, met an unfortunate end due to the fact that the author's instructors at the CIA (Hyde Park campus) were starting to get hip to it. The Pirate is irreplaceable, of course, as all the characters always are, but your bacon baklava madness is easing the pain a bit. Keep up the good work! Sweet Napa, you rock!

My (previous) favorite food blog, The Pastry Pirate, met an unfortunate end due to the fact that the author’s instructors at the CIA (Hyde Park campus) were starting to get hip to it. The Pirate is irreplaceable, of course, as all the characters always are, but your bacon baklava madness is easing the pain a bit.

Keep up the good work!

]]> By: Helen http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4190 Helen Sun, 21 Jan 2007 05:09:11 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4190 I have been readin your blog for a while now and I am truly enjoying your adventure in candy bar making. This is make my mouth water, my gums hurt and my eyes pop out! Well done! I have been readin your blog for a while now and I am truly enjoying your adventure in candy bar making. This is make my mouth water, my gums hurt and my eyes pop out! Well done!

]]> By: Nina http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4177 Nina Sat, 20 Jan 2007 20:08:39 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4177 Thanks, Jen! I'm going to try out both suggestions next time I make the marshmallows. I'm curious to see how the torched marshmallow will hold up to the chocolate, dipping-wise, taste-wise, and spoilage-wise. That's such a good suggestion that I hadn't thought of... {slaps forehead}  <em>Get the smoky flavor by actually toasting it</em>... makes me grateful for the perks of blogging. :) Thanks, Jen! I’m going to try out both suggestions next time I make the marshmallows. I’m curious to see how the torched marshmallow will hold up to the chocolate, dipping-wise, taste-wise, and spoilage-wise. That’s such a good suggestion that I hadn’t thought of… {slaps forehead}  Get the smoky flavor by actually toasting it… makes me grateful for the perks of blogging. :)

]]> By: JenR http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4097 JenR Thu, 18 Jan 2007 06:23:33 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/01/12/smores-candy-bars.html#comment-4097 Nina - I recently found your website and am enjoying digging thru the archives... Just wanted to let you know that I made marshmallows for the holidays and due to a bit of well... inattentiveness on my part, I used only 3/4 of the gelatin called for in my recipe. The marshmallows were a touch more sticky than usual, but held their shape while being very tender. It might be just what you want for the next evolution of your candy bar. Random thought - have you considered hitting the marshmallow tops with a torch and then letting them cool before dipping and assembly? It might give you that touch of smokiness... Nina -
I recently found your website and am enjoying digging thru the archives… Just wanted to let you know that I made marshmallows for the holidays and due to a bit of well… inattentiveness on my part, I used only 3/4 of the gelatin called for in my recipe. The marshmallows were a touch more sticky than usual, but held their shape while being very tender. It might be just what you want for the next evolution of your candy bar. Random thought - have you considered hitting the marshmallow tops with a torch and then letting them cool before dipping and assembly? It might give you that touch of smokiness…

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