Coating peppermint creams in chocolate

[WhatNoUsername]

Hello me again!

I have now made a load of peppermint (and rose and orange creams) and I would like to coat them in chocolate all over.

What's the best and least messy way to do this!?!

Also do I need to put in fridge to set. I have loads and if they have to go in the fridge I'll have to coat them in stages 😩 So am hoping they'll be fine just on the side.

And bonus question - how do you store your peppermint creams. Do I need to store them flat or can I just bung in an airtight container once finished?

I am loving this board btw. I am getting to grips with lots of new baking/cooking and the MNetters on this board have been so friendly and helpful. You are a wealth of information!

Anyone?

From memory many moons ago. You lay out grease proof paper on a flat surface. Dip your sweets, lay carefully down on the grease proof paper and allow to set. Then put in an airtight container. If you've a spare table somewhere, dining room conservatory that would tuck them away whilst setting. Other wise make room in the kitchen

I'd skewer them on a fork and then dip them. Put them in the fridge to set and then keep in an airtight container.

Disclaimer. I haven't made peppermint creams since I was a brownie.

I used to make peppermint creams as a kid but we just used to only cost one half so you could dip them, 'drain' a bit (so they're not too overloaded) then just lay on grease proof or a cooling rack. I have made petit fours before now and coated in chocolate - to do this you drop into melted choc then use a two pronged fork or such like to fish it out, drain off the excess choc again and set on cooling rack.

Hope this makes sense!

I sit them on a fork and lower into a bowl of melted chocolate then lay out on a sheet of grease proof paper to set. You will inevitably drop a few in and have to fish them out! To store I layer them in a Tupperware with the grease proof paper between layers to stop them sticking to each others.

I have problems every bloody Christmas with coating things in chocolate. If I get the chocolate liquid enough to dip things smoothly, it blooms when it sets. If I temper it by adding more cold chocolate when it's liquid, it's too thick and gloopy to dip things neatly and looks awful/sets half way through dipping. Have never managed to find a solution.

I made these at WI the other week. I felt like an 8 year old again! I also made them at brownies.

Oh no that sounds tricky! Hopefully I get it right! I did read something the other day when I was researching best ways to cost in choc about tempering by heating, cooling then reheating but ignored it thought that sounds like too much of a faff (the explanation was that it meant the choc would dry shiny but not too worried about that) maybe I here to try to temper if it stops blooming! Umm will have a think.

Thanks everyone, sounds like a fork is the way forward. I might try some tonight and see how they dry. Thanks so much for your advice. I'll pop back and let you all know how it goes!!!

Layering sounds like a great idea. I'll do that. Many thanks!!

You can buy a dipping fork. You then need to bend it using pliers. They cost about £6. A table fork isn't suitable really.

The dipping fork with the correct action will allow you to entirely coat the sweet without it spreading to create a foot.

You can then imprint the dipping fork on the top of the dipped sweet to create soft ridges.

You have to temper the chocolate or this is all a huge waste of effort.

Hi everyone! Promised an update! I have managed to coat all my creams using a pair of forks (fork handles lol!). I did not bother tempering (as frankly I like my cooking to be as simple as possible!) and they have come out very well. Obviously not shiny but they taste lovely (which is the main thing) and no bloom 😀My DH is very happy with them! The two forks method was very effective and I didn't lose too much chocolate.

I left them to dry on greaseproof paper, and layered them on greaseproof in a container as suggested above, which worked v well also.

I've just now done my chocolate brazils, and will do more orange creams (because they are lush!) and chocolate gingers tomorrow.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

Well done!!!!

I made candied orange this year and dipped half in chocolate - I found not melting to much chocolate at once made the process easier, also did dates stuffed with ginger dipped in chocolate - they were delicious. Be interested in your mint recipe and chocolate basils