California grapes dipped into melted fondant, and then into melted chocolate make another variety of creams.
Chocolate Creams with Nut Centers
Almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, hickory-nuts, peanuts and Brazil nuts can all be used in making centers for chocolate cream candies. The nuts should be first blanched. Put two cupfuls of fondant in a double boiler and melt, add a teaspoonful of lemon juice, stir over the fire until melted; then take the nut meats, one by one, on a candy dipper or fork and dip into the fondant. Lay on oiled or paraffine paper until cold, then dip into melted chocolate. The fondant may be divided if preferred and flavored with different flavors, and prepared with different colors. Cherry flavored fondant is excellent with almonds. Vanilla goes well with most nuts, and many like peppermint flavor with nuts. Maple flavored fondant is always excellent with nuts.
Take equal quantities of chopped walnuts, hickory-nuts and almonds. These should be chopped fine. Take an equal amount of fondant and melt in a double boiler, and stir in the nut meats; flavor with vanilla if the fondant has not already been flavored. When the fondant mixture begins to harden mold into bonbon shape, and place on paraffine paper or a sheet of clean tin. When entirely cool coat with chocolate.
Delicious bonbons can be made by grinding up pistachio nuts until fine, and mixing with an equal quantity of pale green or white fondant flavored with pistachio or almond. When cool enough shape in bonbons, and coat with chocolate.
Chop equal quantities of almond nut meats and candied cherries, or preserved cherries. Mix with a little fondant, roll into balls and coat with chocolate, and you have a delicious cream.
Take walnut meats and dip in melted fondant, and when this has become firm dip in more fondant of a different flavor and color. Repeat this twice, then when cold coat with chocolate. Any kind of nut meats may be used in the same way.
How to Coat Chocolate Creams
Most confectioners use a bittersweet chocolate with which they coat their chocolates; this may be obtained at any good confectionery shop and will cost about fifty cents a pound, but if this is not obtainable a bittersweet chocolate can be made by combining sweetened chocolate with Baker's bitter chocolate. Use half and half of each, and blend well together before dipping the chocolates in it. Any one who likes the bitter tang in the chocolates may use the bitter chocolate by itself. A small amount of cocoa butter may be added to the melted chocolate; this will make it go further and add to the glossy effect without being harmful.
Melt your chocolate in a double boiler, and always be very careful not to get any water into it or it will not harden, but be messy and sticky. Stir while melting and it will do so more quickly, and the less heat it takes to melt the chocolate the better. After the chocolate is melted it can be placed in bowls or cups for dipping. There are two or three ways of coating chocolate creams. Most confectioners put the chocolate on with their fingers, but if one does not care to do this they can be dipped with a candy dipper or fork into the melted chocolate. They may also be coated with a thin bladed knife or spatula. If you are going to put the chocolate on with the hands it should be allowed to get nearly cool, and then knead well. Only use a small portion at once or it will get too hard, then you must work quickly in a warm room. Use your right hand for coating, and throw the centers into the chocolate with your left. Work the chocolate up around the centers quickly, and then drop on a waxed paper or on clean, smooth tin. String up a little of the chocolate on top and twirl with the fingers to give that twist that is found on most bought creams. For many dipping is much easier. Drop the centers into the melted chocolate, turn over, lift out with wire dipper or fork, with a knife scrape off any surplus chocolate and place on waxed paper or on tin. Set in a cool place immediately to harden. If a knife is used for coating, place a little of the chocolate on oiled or waxed paper, and place the centers on top of it; this forms the bottoms. Then with a knife spread chocolate over the sides, dipping the knife into the chocolate until the centers are entirely coated. If the chocolate hardens before all the creams are dipped it can be melted again.