Chocolates?

I decided to name this recipe Chocolates? with a question mark because that is what people will say when they hear I made them?  It's been a very, very long time since I have had chocolates!  I remember helping my Mom make them once or twice when I was a kid but I have never made them before until today!  Wow they are sweet! ;)  My first try didn't turn out perfect but I know exactly what I will do next time so I have the changes posted here in the final recipe.  I wanted to be sure and get them posted since Valentines Day is right around the corner and I feel these are a much better option then the typical chocolates we see all over this time of year and I don't think ANYONE will notice the difference!

After the recipe I have posted a sort of picture tutorial to help you see my mistakes and easily fix them!
ENJOY!

Chocolates?

Fondant Filling:
1 small potato, peeled, boiled and mashed
4 Tablespoons coconut oil
2 cups dehydrated cane juice crystals, blended to a powder in blender
pinch of Real salt

Mix together well, it will seem really runny but will harden as it cools.  Divide into 4-6 equal portions to mix in different flavors.  Some different flavor options are listed below.  Roll into small balls then put in freeze while mixing up the chocolate to dip them in.

Peanut Butter:  Add 1-2 heaping Tablespoons of natural peanut butter
Coconut:  Add 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla or Peppermint (this is good like a peppermint patty) flavoring and 1-3 Tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
Maple Pecan:  Add 1/2 teaspoon Maple Flavoring and 1-2 Tablespoons chopped Pecans
Orange:  Add 1/2-1 teaspoon Orange Flavoring
Chocolate Mint:  Add 2-4 Tablespoons Carob Powder and 1/2-1 teaspoon peppermint flavoring
Turtles:  Forget this filling all together and use this caramel recipe and some pecans to make Turtles!
Dried Fruit or All Fruit Jellies:  Add favorite chopped dried fruit or mixture of fruits and/or Jellies, Cherries, Cranberries, Raisins, Apricots, etc.

Chocolate for Dipping:

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup peanut butter or other all natural nut butter (like almond or cashew) OPT.

6 Tablespoons raw carob powder

2/3 cup Sucanat or raw sugar, powdered fine in blender

1 teaspoon liquid soy lecithin (optional)

pinch of sea salt

½ teaspoon vanilla

Warm up the coconut oil and almond butter in a double boiler until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well combined and very smooth with a wire whisk. Take COLD fondant filling that has been rolled into balls and dip them.  Set on tray with plastic wrap put into freezer when cold dip once more for a nice thick layer of Chocolate.  Freeze again before serving.  Be sure to keep cool this chocolate will melt faster then kinds with partially hydrogenated oils. (Since it is almost plastic after all;)

I blended 2 cups of dehydrated cane juice into a powder.  My blender blends it into a nice powder.  An option would be to add a little arrowroot powder so that way the filling wasn't quite so sweet.

I started out mixing the potatoes and coconut oil with a fork but then I found I got a smoother product blending it in the blender.

Okay this is the fondant filling right after I mixed it all together.  It's still warm  I made it way too think.  It made it easy to roll into balls but the finished product wasn't soft enough and was too crumbly.  Next time I will be sure not to add so much powdered cane juice crystals.

I found dividing the fondant onto little plates made it easy to add the different flavors!  Again though It was just a bit too thick.  The recipe should fix that but don't be afraid to adjust even after the fondant cools some you want it to be pretty soft.  I've decided candy making is quite the art!

Alright here they are after the flavors were mixed in.  My Favorites were Maple Pecan and Coconut Mint!

I used my smallest cookie scoop to shape them into balls.  This was still a bit too big a melon baller or just my hands would work better.  Too much filling makes it so you can't have as much chocolate. ;)

These are some of my ingredients in my double boiler.  I tried a different recipe then what I posted and it turned out to have too much of a fudgy texture.  So I change that recipe to one I knew would work.  It's the same recipe as the My Version of Magic Shell one.  I like a more crunchy outer shell not chewy.

So there you have it.  I learned they needed softer smaller filling and harder thicker chocolate coating.  The recipe I have posted should be perfect BUT remember don't be afraid to play with the filling to have it be the perfect texture for CHOCOLATES!