Dipping Chocolates

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As a kid my mom always dipped her own chocolates at Christmas time.  Sometime after Thanksgiving she would bring home a big brick of chocolate wrapped in brown paper.  She would put it in the den to “hide” until it was actually time to make the chocolates.  She would also tell us kids that we were not to get a knife and widdle away at the chocolate and eat it when she wasn’t looking — it was for making candy.  As long as the masking tape seal on the big chocolate bar that was wrapped like a present was unbroken — we did not sneak in and partake.  Once the seal was broken, however, and someone had nibbled, we would all sneak in from time to time with a butter knife and break off a piece so small that we were sure my mom wouldn’t notice.  And it was always the same person who broke the sacred chocolate bar seal — mom.  Yup everytime!  Then it would come time to dip chocolates and she would say “where did all the chocolate go?”  We’d all stand there with innocent looks on our faces.

It was fun to watch mom prepare the chocolate.  It was broken into smaller pieces and put in the top of a double boiler and slowly melted.  After it was melted it was poured out on to the table (yes — a very very clean table) and then “tempered” so that it wasn’t too hot to dip.  Tempering  involved using your hands to smooth the chocolate on the table and mix with your hands until it was cool enough.  Then she would dip the carmel-covered pecans in the chocolate and end with a little swirl on the top that she did with her finger.

This was a fun yearly ritual that stopped sometime when I was a teenager.   Oh every once in awhile she’d still dip chocolates.  But not like she used to.  It’s been several years since I stood by my mom and dipped chocolate with her.  Last night I actually left work at a decent time.  I was going to dip my cake balls (these are the most yummy thing you’ve ever tasted by the way. and mom had gotten a recipe for some coconut almond truffle thingies.  Once again we dipped chocolates.  It was the best night I have had all Christmas season.  Thanks mom!!

Dipping Chocolates

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