Chocolates from Richardson's 5.2.14

The most noticeable thing for me was that the chocolate shell was much thicker than the chocolate coatings on the candies at EH.  I prefer a thinner shell since it feels more elegant in my mouth.
The crispy rice bark did not have enough crispy rice in it.

Extra chocolate bites 5.2.14

My favorites are the rosemary caramels and the peanut butter crunch bar.  Other selections include lemongrass bon bon, beernut bar, and salted caramel bon bon.

Minty chocolate meltaways 5.1.14

This was an experiment on how much mint to put in them.  A stronger mint flavor from my last try.

Easter Candy from Richardsons’s 4.29.14

Richardson's Candy Kitchen, 500 Greenfield Rd, Deerfield, MA

The chocolate peanut butter bunnies were my favorite.

Lizzy’s Ice Cream 4.25.14

Lizzy’s Ice Cream, 367 Moody St, Waltham, MA

Baily’s ice cream and strawberry sorbet.  The sorbet had a sticky, thick texture.  The Baily’s had an unbalanced flavor.  I prefere the Baily’s ice cream at Christina’s.

Lakota Bakery 4.22.14

Lakota Bakery, 1375 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA

I wanted to try their ginger cookie.  It was a good basic ginger cookie.  I prefer the ginger molasses cookie at Clear Flour though.  The caramel bar was also good.  The florentines were excellent as usual.  

Chocolate tidbits 4.19.14

Chocolate coated marshmallows.  There’s nothings like fresh marshmallows.

Easter at EHChocolatier 4.18.14

EHChocolatier, 561 Windsor St. B-206, Somerville, MA

Bunny lollipops made with my favorite Vahlrona chocolate, Caramelia.

Wally's ice cream 4.11.14

Wally's Wicked Good Ice Cream and Treats, 419 Lexington St, Auburndale, MA

A very charming ice cream shop in Auburndale which is supplied by Bliss Brothers in Attleboro, MA
The mint chocolate chip was good, but not creamy enough and I wanted the chocolate pieces to taste a little more chocolaty.

Lychee ganaches 4.6.14

From top left, clockwise: dark chocolate butter ganache with raspberries, dark chocolate cream ganache, white chocolate cream ganache, white chocolate butter ganache with strawberries.
The winner was the white chocolate lychee cream ganache.  The dark chocolates overwhelmed the lychee and became too alcoholic when adding more lychee flavor.  The strawberry ganache was nice, but did not taste was well balanced as the white chocolate cream ganache.

lychee ganache (white)

heavy cream 140 g
corn syrup 60g
butter 90g
white chocolate 940g
lychee liquor/lychee vodka 120g
total 1350g

Maybe add more cream since the cream to chocolate ratio is low.

Yi Soon Bakery 4.3.14

Yi Soon Bakery, 112 Brighton Ave, Allston, MA

These sesame cookies tasted like coconut to me.  The sponge cake had okay flavor, but seemed very dry.

Mixx 4.3.14

Mixx, 66 Brighton Ave, Boston, MA

Lychee and original yogurt with graham cracker pieces.  Yum.

Shortbread cookies for the masses 3.30.14

I was happy with this recipe from cook’s illustrated as the recipe came out consistent through 5 batches.  I’d say it’s a pretty robust recipe. This is my favorite shortbread cookie recipe.

8.75 oz AP flour
1 1/3 oz rice flour
5 oz superfine sugar
¼ t salt
2 sticks butter