I Just Upped My Game

   
     I recently spent a week with a world renowned chef  added new techniques to my chocolate skills.  It was an enlightening chocolate experience and also so much fun.  I learned lots of new ways of doing things.  I really got a great deal from the class and feel that I really upped my game!  Here are some new pieces.
I hope you like them.

Chef Stephane Treand, MOF

Gifted Chef and Artist

Chocolate Valentine's Day Box Class at Let's Get Cookin'

     I taught a chocolate class at Let's Get Cookin' just before Valentine's Day.  All the students made heart shaped chocolate boxes with tempered chocolate and decorated them as they wished, using transfer sheets and some chocolate decoration that I had remade.   We also made assorted truffles and bon bons to fill the boxes for our special Valentine. 

     They were wonderful students and everyone of their boxes were beautiful works of delicious chocolate artistry!  They made me sooo proud.  We all had a great time.

What a great group of students.

Truffles and bon bons we made to fill the boxes

The beauty shot!

Chocolate Boxes Filled with Treats for Your Valentine!

     I have been very busy this month with special orders for Valentine's Day. Here is a short post with some preview pictures. More to come later!

This is a selection of chocolate boxes filled with turtles, cookies, truffles and chocolate hearts.

Red hearts filled with white passion fruit ganache. Yum!

Bon bons filled with vanilla cream ganache and raspberry pate de fruits.

A selection of chocolate lollipops and cookies.

Have a very sweet Valentine's Day.

Coming Soon: Online Chocolate and Pastry Classes with me at ChocolateTutorials.com

     I am really excited about my new project. I just finished filming two full classes for my new website,  www.chocolatetutorials.com.  The first class is all about tempering chocolate, the why and how to's. The second class is Chocolate Flowers and Leaves, Class 1.

     This new venture is a partnership and collaboration with Katreece Montgomery of Razor Burn Productions and thechocolateaddict.com. I had a wonderful time while filming with her and her partner, Frances.

     Teaching is my favorite part of my business. I love showing people the delicious and gorgeous things that they can make, with just a little guidance and some professional techniques.  They are always so surprised and pleased with what they have been able to create.


     The new website is online and the classes will be available shortly. They are now in the editing phase. The next lesson will be on making edible, decorative chocolate boxes that can be filled with any treats or Bon Bons that you wish.


     In addition to chocolate classes, I will be offering baking and pastry classes. French Macarons is the next one on my agenda. Please visit the website and send my your request for future class topics and techniques.  You will be able to ask my questions through the website. We will also have PDFs that you can download and print, that will have all the pertinent information that is covered in the classes.


     I hope you will visit the website and also take a class!

A Merry Chocolate Christmas to All!

     Here's wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year filled with chocolate!

Some New Events and Showpieces

   Hi to my followers:
This is just an edited version of my last post.  I was informed by one of my loyal followers that I had some typos and errors.  I am blaming it on the fact that I had a bad head cold.  Oh well.  I hope this is corrected now.
Thanks,
   Robin

     I have been very busy these last few months!  In August, I went to northern California to collaborate on a video with ChocoTransferSheets.com and The Chocolate Addict featuring their colored cocoa butter and my chocolate artistry.  I had so much fun filming with Nicole and Kurt Knobel, owners of ChocoTransferSheets.com, and Katreece Montgomery and Frances, owners of Razor Burn Productions and The Chocolate Addict.  I will be linking the videos when they are ready.  Sneak preview pictures are here.

Pictures from Video Filming Session

     I did a turtle themed 60th birthday party with a centerpiece and gift bags of chocolate pecan turtles for all the guests.  The birthday boy was surprised and thrilled!

   Then there was the tennis wrap party for the Sunset Strings at the Sunset Hills Country Club.  The team colors are purple, black and white.

     

     Here are some of the business cards I have made for sales departments of a few companies.

     In October, I was hired to build a showpiece and do a chocolate presentation for the City of Santa Clarita for the monthly Art Walk.  This one was called Chocolate Slam which featured all types of chocolate and chocolate art.  I was in three windows of the Luscious Soul Clothing Store on Main Street.   These are a few of the pieces I built.

     The Best in Show Event for Actors and Others for Animals went really well.  It was held in the ballroom of the Universal Hilton Hotel.  All the guests and celebrities loved the trophy centerpieces.  Everyone wanted to take one home.  I made 45 trophy centerpieces and 1000 chocolate paw prints, which were scattered on the tables for consumption (and they were consumed)!

The event itself, was really great.  It was a celebrity spoof of the movie, "Best in Show", featuring videos of the celebs and their pets.  The audience then voted on the Best in Show.  It was very entertaining.

     The best part of the Best in Show Event, for me, was that the Universal Hilton Catering and Party Department loved my chocolate work and asked for several pieces to display throughout the hotel!  These are the pieces that are currently there on display.

     There is more to come.