Daring Bakers' Challenge: Candylicious!

Hello! 
This challenge was my second.
I was very glad, when I saw this challenge, because my best friend celebrate birthday at august. I made for her white chocolate truffles with rose water and rose water caramel. For my family i made watermelon and srtrwberry pate de fruit beause we have season of watermelons in Russia now. It`s was really great! I never made candy, so it was very exciting for me.

I wanted that my gift for Dasha was girly and looks beautiful, and i hope I was able to.

The August 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge was hosted by Lisa of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drive and Mandy of What the Fruitcake?!. These two sugar mavens challenged us to make sinfully delicious candies! This was a special challenge for the Daring Bakers because the good folks at http://www.chocoley.com offered an amazing prize for the winner of the most creative and delicious candy! 

 

White chocolate rosewater Truffles with rosewater caramel

Servings: Makes +- 30 truffles, recipe easily doubled or halved

Ingredients

1 ¾ cup (9 oz/250 gm) White Chocolate, finely chopped

¼ cup (2 oz / 60 ml) Double/Heavy Cream (36% - 48% butterfat)

2 teaspoon rosewater

For caramel: 

1/2 cup sugar

3 teaspoon rosewater

2 tablespoon water

 1. Finely chop or grate the chocolate

2. Place in a heatproof bowl
3. In a saucepan, heat cream until just about to boil (it will start bubbling around the edges of the pot)
4. Pour the cream over the chocolate
5. Gently stir the mixture until all the chocolate has melted and it is smooth
Tip: If you end up with pieces of chocolate that won’t melt, put the bowl over simmering water (but not touching the water) and stir gently until it’s all melted
Tip: Be careful if you do need to heat it over simmering water, if the mixture gets too hot it will split and you’ll end up with gooey chocolate swimming in oil, so don’t overheat the ganache, steam from a gentle simmer is all you need.
6. Stir in your desired flavorings

For rolled truffles

1. Allow the ganache to firm up in a container of choice, preferably deep rather than shallow
2. Using a teaspoon or melon baller, scoop up room temperature ganache
3. With gloved hands, roll the balls between your palms to round them off
 4. Dip in destroued rosewater caramel

For the caramel:

Place sugar in  a heatproof bowl  with water and rosewater. melt over medium heat, then reduce the heat and hold 20 seconds, then pour onto the surface, the laid parchment.  Wait until hardens.

  

Strawberry and watermelon Paté de Fruits
Makes about 40-64 squares depending on size cut, recipe easily doubled or halved

Ingredients:
 1.5 cups (8 oz) Strawberries, fresh or defrosted from frozen

1.5 cups (8 oz) watermelon
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Lemon juice, fresh
2 cups (16 oz/ 450 gm) Granulated White Sugar
2½ tablespoons (38 ml) Liquid Pectin

Directions:

1. Prepare an 8”x8” (20cmx20xm) pan by lining it with aluminium foil or parchment paper and spraying it with non-stick cooking spray.
 2. Place the strawberries and watermelon in a blender or food processor and process until very well pureed.
3. Pour them through a mesh strainer into a medium saucepan, discarding any remaining fruit chunks. Stir in the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the sugar, place the pan over medium-high heat, and insert a candy thermometer.
4. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it is hot, around 140°F/60°C. Add the remaining 1.5 cups of sugar and the liquid pectin, and lower the heat to medium.
5. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture registers 200°F/93°C. At this point, turn the heat to low and hold it at 200°F/93°C for 2-3 minutes. After this, return the heat to medium and bring it up to 225°F/107°C. This process will take some time, especially with the heat on medium, so have patience and be diligent in stirring frequently so the bottom doesn't scorch.
6. Once the fruit paste reaches 225°F/107°C, turn the heat to low and keep it at that temperature for an additional 2-minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and scrape (Note from Lisa: I poured it in, it should still be quite liquid) the strawberry pate de fruit mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing it into an even layer.
8. Allow the pate de fruit mixture to set at room temperature for several hours, until completely cool and firm. Use a sharp knife to cut it into very small squares, and roll the individual pieces in granulated sugar.
9. The strawberry pate de fruits can be served immediately, or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week. If refrigerated, the pieces may need to be re-rolled in granulated sugar before serving.