Chocolate-Covered Marzipan Christmas Stars (with home-made marzipan)

Last post before Christmas….. But I just had to share these!

When I made my Christmas cakes recently, I made extra extra marzipan because it was totally delicious, and so that I could make these yummy chocolates to nibble on over the holidays. It’s not too late to make some to give away as beautiful presents. I think they look so lovely piled into a pretty cup!

I will also declare at the outset that this is my first ever attempt at tempering chocolate. It certainly won’t be my last, but I feel very much a novice and have discovered that although relatively straight forward a process, the given wisdom on the finer details of how to execute the perfect temper seems to vary from one author to another.

I have perused articles and posts that say melt the chocolate and heat to a given temperature (anywhere between 45 and 49 Centigrade) and then cool to somewhere between 30 and 32 Centigrade before using straight away. Others have told me to heat the chocolate and then cool to about 27 Centigrade before gently warming back up to about 31/32 Centigrade.  Some say just stir the melted chocolate to cool it. And others instruct to ‘seed’ it with tempered (unmelted) chocolate (which also helps to cool it)…….. Having done further research, I have now linked three articles below (in the recipe) which I found most helpful and will be following in the future.

I have no idea which method is best, but I have jumped in and given tempering a go (more or less successfully) and now feel much more confident that it will be something I will try again……

I say ‘more or less’, because the method I followed actually told me to cool the chocolate to about 28 degrees and then use straight away…. It was very gloopy and I think maybe had cooled a tad too far, which made it really tricky to coat the marzipan evenly.

I also confess that when I was about two-thirds of the way through, Mr GF was twitching around the kitchen because he needed wanted to get the dinner sorted. Whilst I should be eternally grateful that I have a husband who competently feeds me, the act of agitating behind my back when I was already flustered by sticky, gloopy chocolate, lead me to make the silly decision to quickly reheat the last of the dark chocolate in the microwave to make it easier to use. Now untempered, the last few chocolates ‘bloomed’ and ended up a little speckled in appearance.

Whichever method you use, you will need a good, reliable cooking thermometer if you are going to temper to perfection. My new Thermapen 4 which I recently reviewed is fantastic and (if I am honest) having it probably gave me the confidence to give tempering a go. I am so impressed with this technological gadget-angel that I can’t recommend it enough. If you need a food thermometer, buy this one. It’s fab!

And the chocolates? Well….. apart from a little non-floral ‘blooming’ (which was hardly noticeable once I had tarted them up with drizzled white chocolate and seasonal sparkly edible glitter), they are divine….. The marzipan is soft and sweet and packed with the flavour and aroma of almond, all of which marries beautifully against the slight bitterness of the dark chocolate…… Sublime!

Merry Christmas! Be back soon…… xx

I am sharing my lovely chocolates with the following Christmas linkies :

We Should Cocoa this month with Munchies & Munchkins on behalf of Choclette at Tin & Thyme.

Simply Eggcellent with Dom over at Belleau Kitchen who has, for December said ‘anything goes’ as long as there is egg in it.

The Food Year Link-Up with Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen.

Alphabakes with Caroline Makes (and The More Than Occasional Baker), who have picked the letter N for December. Marzipan is full of ground nuts…. almonds to be precise, so it seems a fitting entry.

Recipe of the Week with the lovely Emily at A Mummy Too.

Free From Fridays with the Emma at the Free From Farmhouse.

Chocolate-Covered Marzipan Christmas Stars