The condition of the weather plays an important part in candy making,
especially in the chocolate coating. Never attempt to coat on a rainy
day, as the moisture in the air, prevents the chocolate from setting
quickly, and the chocolates become grey. Dry weather is by far the most
satisfactory, as the chocolate is easier to handle, works better, and
coats with more luster.
As no doubt you will do the most of your chocolate work in the winter
time, you must pay strict attention to the conditions under which you
work. To begin with, the temperature of the room in which you work,
must be about 75. Do not attempt to coat in a room that is cold, for
your chocolate will harden on your hands and on the slab, before you
can get it worked enough. The room should at least, be comfortable
enough to sit in. Let us caution you right here, not to have your slab,
nor the centers to be dipped, too cold. Warm the slab a little, before
you pour the chocolate on it, but be careful not to get it hot, just
warm enough to take the chill off. The centers, or whatever you are
going to coat, should not be heated, but by merely leaving them set in
the same room for awhile, they will be about right. Remember, it is
just as bad to dip freshly run centers, or anything that has just been
made, while they are still warm, as it is to dip the cold ones; the
heat must have left them entirely before you coat them, or they will be
grey and streaked. If you dip in warm weather, you will have to cool
the chocolates in a refrigerator for about five or ten minutes. That
is, when you have dipped about a dozen pieces of candy, you must set
them in the refrigerator, so that the chocolate on them will harden
quickly. In cold weather you will not have to use a refrigerator,
but you must set the chocolates in a cool place as soon as you have
about a dozen pieces coated. In real cold weather they may harden very
quickly after being placed on the tray. Remember, you must have them
cool quickly after being coated, for if they do not, it is liable to
make them grey or streaked, and this is as important as working the
chocolate.
It is best to lay these chocolates in boxes, with wax paper between the
layers, and keep them in a cool place. If you lay them in the boxes
carefully, they will not get scratched, and will keep fresh for several
weeks if kept in a cool place.
The slab you use for making the other candies cannot be used for
chocolate coating, because the chocolate will absorb the butter which
has been used to grease the slab, and it will cause the chocolate to
become rancid, if the bon-bon is kept for a length of time. If you have
a piece of marble about twelve inches square, use that. If you have a
large, heavy platter, it will do just as well as a slab.
If you wish to make the chocolate bon-bons for your own use, you
can either use heavy wax paper to lay the coated chocolates on, or
buy enough white table oilcloth, to cover the under side of about
six trays. Flat kettle lids, cake and pie pans may be utilized for
this purpose. Pieces of heavy tin, cut to fit the shelves of your
refrigerator, is about the best. If you wish to make the chocolate
bon-bons for profit, we would advise you to equip yourself with
conveniences for the work.