This Woman In Business

This week in the South Whidbey Record they highlighted Women in Business. I was a little sad that I wasn't in there but it was my decision not to participate this year. You see I cut back on advertising so that I could keep my staff through the winter. Some would say that I was cutting off my own nose to spite my face (whatever the heck that really means) but it's the choice I made and people are much more important that advertising.

So since I did not participate in the South Whidbey Women in Business Section this year I'm writing my own article. And it's about this woman in business. Island Angel Chocolates started almost seven years ago in my kitchen. Never in my wildest dreams did I plan on it. I really don't think it could have been planned it but this is exactly how it happened.....

My son Phillip was working at The Langley Village Bakery back when it was owned by Tom and Maria. And Tony, my hubby and I were just having a casual conversation about chocolate. I grew up in Dayton, Ohio and the chocolate that I grew up on is called Esther Price. Each holiday my mom and dad got me a special treat from Esther Price. I loved chocolate then and still do today. And somehow from this casual conversation Phillip thought I wanted to make truffles for the bakery. Jeez! How did he come up with that idea? He was so excited and I just stood there like a deer in headlights. And then I told him that I didn't even know how to spell truffle and I certainly didn't know how to make one. However....

When opportunity knocks for goodness sake OPEN THE DOOR! And so I did....

Tony started surfing the Internet and he found a chocolate supplier in Seattle. And on one quiet afternoon we drove to meet our supplier and pick up our very first chocolate order. I still didn't really know anything about making truffles but the supplier assured me. "It's simple" he said. "It's just one part cream and one part chocolate". Well, it sure sounded simple.

So one weekend while Tony was away at a conference I spent three whole days making truffles for the bakery. There were dark truffles, and almond truffles, and orange truffles. Did I say it took me three whole days? And did I say that I only make 149 truffles? Well, it doesn't take a math whiz to figure out that it would be nearly impossible to make any money on these truffles. However, I proudly delivered them to the bakery. They were excited to have them and I was excited to deliver them. And so Island Angel Chocolates was born.

There's alot more to this story of course but I'll leave it for another time. The moral is when opportunity knocks, open the door and walk into the room. If you like it, stay awhile. If you don't, don't the let the door kick you on the way out.

This woman is in business because she likes making people happy and she likes encouraging people and helping people to realize their own dreams. What is life anyway if it's not to create the dreams that God has placed in our hearts even if it comes to us as a surprise?

Raspberry Dessert Truffle

Ingredients:

16 oz - 74% Dark Chocolate
12 oz - Heavy Whipping Cream
3 oz - Raspberry Dessert Paste
(or Raspberry Jam)

Cook heavy whipping cream to boiling.

Pour boiling cream over top of the 74% dark chocolate and the Raspberry Dessert Paste.

Allow mixture to sit for 30 seconds and then hand whip to emulsify.

Pour into bowl and cover and allow to set overnight.

After the ganache has hardened, use a scoop to make ganache balls.

Dip in chocolate or roll in cocoa powder to finish.

The truffles above were create using a half sphere flexipan mold. When using a flexipan mold, the mold must be sprayed with cocoa butter prior to pouring the ganache in it so that the truffle is easily removed after setting up. Once the truffle is set up and removed it is dipped into chocolate and decorated by piping chocolate on the top.

The shelf life of this truffle is five to seven days. For a longer shelf life, add inverted sugar in the amount of 2 oz.. It can be corn syrup, honey or other liquid sugar. The corn syrup will smooth out the truffle without changing the truffle flavor. Whereas the honey will sweeten the truffle.

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups butter softened
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten
5 cups flour sifted
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract


Put the butter and the sugar in a large bowl and cream them together with a hand mixer. In a small bowl beat the eggs with a wire whisk then pour them in with the sugar and the butter. Mix in the eggs. Sift the flour into the bowl and mix it all together with the hand mixer. Then with your hands make the mix into a big ball and place covered in the refrigerator.

After at least three hours remove from refrigerator and soften with your hands and roll out on a floured table using a rolling pin. Roll to about 1/4" thick.

Use a cookie cutter to cut out your cookies and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. Let them cook and then decorate with your favorite icing.

It's Time For Fudge

Fudge is made like fondant. It's some really great sweet ingredients cooked to a soft ball and then cooled to about 110 degrees and then whipped like crazy! This can be a real stress reliever. So when you're life is playing an F# instead of that beautiful C you're used to, make a batch of fudge. It's really easy.

Chocolate Fudge

6 cups sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup corn syrup
3 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 lb butter salted

In a 4 quart sauce pan, place the sugar, corn syrup, and heavy cream all together. Cooking on medium heat, and stirring continuously cook the mixture until soft ball stage otherwise known as 240 degrees. Once it's 240 degrees remove from the heat, and add the chocolate and the butter. Wait fifteen minutes. DO NOT STIR. Once the fifteen minutes are up, whip that batch like crazy until it's has a dull sheen to it. At this point, you can add nuts if you like and then pour into a square baking pan to set.

You should feel lots better after expending all that energy whipping the heck out of that fudge and then you should feel even better once you get to eat it after it's set.