chocolate melting wafers

What are your thoughts?

I make about 400 truffles every December for school Christmas gifts and social gatherings (I also made a pink version for my wedding). In the past, I've used Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chips and I've been very happy with the price and quality. I'm wanting to do something a little different with the color this year and was considering colored (white) chocolate wafers to save me the time of painting on luster dust or ruining my chocolate with too much coloring. Does it taste chocolatey? Can you taste the difference?

I absolutely can taste the difference between white and regular chocolates.

No nibs or something in white chocolate so its not technically chocolate but I am sure you could flavor it to taste like the real thing

Experiment with a small amount first. Leah may have more to say, but I find "real" white chocolate pistoles have a distinctly yellow-ish cast. And like Matt said, white chocolate is kind of an anti-chocolate.

I think it's good for highlighting things here or there, but not for a major element. Also, it's finicky and super easy to burn.

I just realized an error from my original post. I've been using Nestle Tollhouse White Chocolate Chips. I realize that white chocolate isn't really chocolate. With that being said, would you say that the colored melting wafers have the same taste as white chocolate chips?

Marsha and Leah have a great deal more experience than myself in dealing with chocolate than I. I will say that I have found, when making bourbon balls or chocolate enrobed cookies that chocolate chips make for a different taste than when I melt baking chocolate. I think it's the additional paraffin used in making the bits. I prefer bar chocolate even though working with the bits is soooo much easier. I'm going to guess that the same holds true with white chocolate.

Okay, so, I looked at the wafers today. I was thinking the colors were bolder, but these looked a little chalky. Not to mention, they're "vanilla" flavored instead of white chocolate. I decided to stick with white chocolate chips and I'll be coloring it with Americolor Soft Gel Paste. The company assured me that this was appropriate for white chocolate and will not seize it.

I'll be coloring it with Americolor Soft Gel Paste. The company assured me that this was appropriate for white chocolate and will not seize it.

I never would have thought to use gels for coloring. What a great idea. Let me know how that works out.

I might be too late, but I always use wafers that are meant for this purpose. I find them for about $5 a pound at The Sweet Shoppe on Plantside Drive.

http://sweetshoppeonline.com/ They are very friendly there and can help with any chocolate need. I drop a bit of money there every year about this time!

I'll be coloring it with Americolor Soft Gel Paste. The company assured me that this was appropriate for white chocolate and will not seize it.

I never would have thought to use gels for coloring. What a great idea. Let me know how that works out.

So, I spent about 17 hours over the course of two days on my truffles this year. I made about 250 truffles and successfully figured out a way not to have flat bottoms on them.

Onto the gel coloring...

I melted my first batch of white chocolate chips adding the purple coloring about a 1/2 tsp. at a time. Once I got to the desired shade, I gave it one more stir and it SEIZED! I thought I had seized chocolate before, but apparently not. This became almost crunchy so I just tossed it. Instead, I did my normal white chocolate truffles with a colored drizzle. I figured that my white chocolate didn't need to be so bold for the drizzle. Oh well...

Here's my question. About three years ago, my family ate at Jeff Ruby's and I ordered a Maker's Mark chocolate dessert. The pastry chef had melted chocolate that was the same color red as the wax on the bottle. How did they make that happen?

Here's my question. About three years ago, my family ate at Jeff Ruby's and I ordered a Maker's Mark chocolate dessert. The pastry chef had melted chocolate that was the same color red as the wax on the bottle. How did they make that happen?

I can probably answer that, but first you're gonna have to tell me how you made them not be flat on the bottom without any specialty equipment!!

I can probably answer that, but first you're gonna have to tell me how you made them not be flat on the bottom without any specialty equipment!!

My husband came up with this idea. Let's just say that this took a little extra time.

Well now that IS clever! I, however, like my truffles to have flat bottoms so they can't roll away from me!

I use tall shot glasses and seafood picks.