Christmas-ing at the Weidman House!

Reader Contribution by Andrew Weidman
Published on November 29, 2016
article image

Christmas carols are playing courtesy of Bing, Elvis, Louis Armstrong, and Julie Andrews. Outside the dining room window, candy-colored lights glitter on the house a street over. Inside, Sophie and Scamp lounge at my feet, dreaming of squirrels and rabbits, no doubt. The aroma of melted chocolate fills the kitchen thanks to Jessie and Isaak — our last teenager.

Isaak is receiving a lesson in Christmas candy economics and “chocolatiering” while Jessie wears multiple hats: instructor, sous chef, and taste tester. She explains the workings of a double boiler, the importance of temperature control, and which spoon to use for stirring the chocolate. “Use a metal spoon — wooden or plastic spoons can add moisture and ruin the temper of the chocolate.”

They start with a mix of melting milk chocolate and special dark chips — “Chips don’t coat as well as block chocolate, but I think they have better cocoa flavor.” The bottom pot reaches a boil, and Jessie turns the heat back to medium. Izzie stirs the coating until no lumps remain.

Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-803-7096