How to Guides

Candy thermometers can be used to make desserts such as rochers, macarons, marshmallows, fudge, caramels, and more!

Candy thermometers will sit on the edge of your saucepan, without having to touch it unlike a pen thermometer.

Almond Toffee Rochers

Almond toffee rochers are made by combining toffee, toasted almonds, and melted chocolate.

The toffee pieces are made by making caramel and heating it until it reaches 140 degrees C. Caramel is poured onto a prepared baking sheet fitted with a silicone mat, and then its let to solidify.

The caramel is broken up into small toffee pieces with a mallet, which will fill the chocolate caramel nut clusters with crunch.

Slivered almonds are toasted to create the almond aroma for the almond rocher dessert.

You can use dark or milk chocolate to make almond toffee rochers.

Rose Marshmallows

Rose marshmallows are floral flavored gooey dessert marshmallows.

In a saucepan over medium heat, corn syrup, granulated sugar and water are heated until 240 degrees F (firm ball on the candy thermometer).

Gelatin is whisked together with water, and then the corn syrup mixture is whisked into the gelatin and beat together for about 10 minutes.

Rose water extract is added to the marshmallow base, and then it’s poured into a prepared pan.

Dried rose petals are sprinkled on top of the marshmallows, and then let it sit overnight.

Fudge

Fudge is a soft, sweet dessert you can make with a candy thermometer.

You can make different flavors of fudge including vanilla, chocolate, cookies and cream, and more!

Vanilla fudge is made by adding double cream, milk, butter, caster sugar, and muscovado sugar into a saucepan over low heat to initially melt the butter.

Vanilla fudge is heated on medium heat until it reaches 116 degrees C and then it is removed from the heat source until it reaches 110 degrees C.

Vanilla extract is added and stirred into fudge to flavor the dessert.

Fudge is poured into a prepared baking pan, and set to cool to room temperature.

Macarons

Macarons are cookies that have a soft shell that melts in your mouth, and a filling that is typically buttercream icing, chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, or jam.

Macarons are made by heating together sugar and water until it reaches 118 degrees C.

Egg whites are whipped in a stand mixer until foamy, and then the syrup is streamed down the side of the stand mixer while it’s mixing on low speed.

Italian meringue is whipped until the bowl is only warm, and not burning hot anymore.

In another bowl, almond flour, icing sugar, and more egg whites are mixed together to create a paste.

Half of the Italian meringue is mixed into the almond paste until it’s fully combined.

The other half of the Italian meringue is mixed into the almond paste, creating macaron batter.

Macaron batter is piped onto a prepared baking sheet fitted with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Macarons are let to dry for 30 minutes, and then baked in the oven to create a soft cookie shell.

Macaron shells can then be filled your favorite macaron filling.

Peanut Brittle

Peanut brittle is a hard candy with roasted peanuts throughout.

Peanut brittle is prepared by combining water, sugar, and corn syrup into a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 240 degrees F.

Peanuts are added to the candy, and then its heated again until it reaches 300 degrees F.

Peanut brittle is removed from the heat source, and then a mixture of baking soda, water, and vanilla extract is added to the candy and stirred together.

Peanut brittle is poured onto a heated prepared baking sheet, and set to cool and harden.

Homemade Caramels

Homemade caramels are soft and chewy caramels you can cut and portion out to small individual pieces.

Homemade caramels are made by heating together butter, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and brown sugar is a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 235-245 degrees F.

As soon as it reaches temperature, it is removed from the heat source, and vanilla extract is stirred into the caramels.

Caramel is poured into a baking pan, and set to cool and solidify.

Chocolate Dipped Seafoam Candy

Chocolate dipped seafoam candy is a crunchy candy that melts in your mouth as soon as you bite into it.

Seafoam candy is made by mixing together brown sugar, white sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat.

Sugar is stirred constantly until it reaches 285 F.

Sifted baking soda is gently stirred into the seafoam candy, creating the bubbles.

Seafoam candy is poured into a prepared baking pan, and let to cool and solidify.

Seafoam candy is broken into pieces, and then dipped into melted chocolate and set to harden.

Ganache is a sweet dessert filling or frosting made by using heated heavy cream over chocolate.

You can make more than just white, milk, or dark chocolate ganache.

You can add fruit puree, extracts, or zest to flavor chocolate ganache to use for cakes, cupcakes, tarts, fondue, or truffles.

You can make raspberry ganache, caramel ganache, Irish cream ganache, peanut butter ganache and more!

Raspberry

Raspberry ganache is a sweet white chocolate ganache infused with raspberry puree.

Raspberry ganache is made by making raspberry puree, and then straining it through a strainer to remove the seeds.

Raspberry puree is heated with heavy cream until just before it begins to boil.

White chocolate is chopped into small pieces, and then heated raspberry cream mixture is poured over the white chocolate.

Whisk until smooth, and then cool to room temperature. Place ganache in the fridge overnight, and then it will harden up. If it’s too hard to work with, you can microwave it to soften it.

• macaron filling
• cupcake frosting
• cake filling and frosting
• filling for chocolate

Caramel

Caramel ganache is a sweet ganache you can pour over fruit for a special treat, or drizzle over ice cream.

Caramel ganache is made by melting sugar in a saucepan until it becomes a golden brown color.

Heavy cream is heated in the microwave, and then carefully poured over caramelized sugar.

Cream sugar mixture is stirred together, and then let to come to 226 degrees F.

Caramel ganache is removed from the heat source, and then cubes of butter are melted into the ganache.

Butter is mixed into ganache, and then it’s cooled in an ice bath.

Caramel ganache is whipped with a hand mixer, and then it’s ready to be used.

• topping for apples
• topping for ice cream
• cake frosting
• chocolate cupcake frosting
• macaron filling

Matcha

Matcha ganache is a green tea flavored white chocolate ganache.

White chocolate and heavy cream are heated in the microwave until the chocolate has fully melted.

Matcha powder is added to the white chocolate ganache and whisked until smooth.

You can place matcha ganache in the fridge for a harder ganache, if needed.

• macaron filling
• chocolate cupcake frosting
• vanilla cupcake frosting

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter ganache is a creamy ganache you can use for filling tarts or even making truffles.

Heavy cream is heated until it almost begins to boil.

Hot heavy cream is poured over chopped white chocolate, peanut butter, and vanilla extract.

As the cream melts the chocolate, whisk the mixture together until it’s smooth.

Cool the ganache to room temperature, and then it’s ready to use used for desserts.

• tart filling
• drip cake topping
• cake frosting
• truffles
• macaron filling

Chocolate Orange

Chocolate orange ganache is a citrusy chocolate ganache you can use for cakes, tarts, or truffles.

Chocolate orange ganache is made by heating heavy cream in a saucepan with orange zest until heavy cream begins to simmer.

Pour hot heavy cream over chopped chocolate and whisk together until smooth.

Cool chocolate orange ganache, and then place it in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up prior to using.

• truffles
• cake frosting
• tart filling
• glaze
• vol au vent filling

Mint Chocolate

Mint chocolate ganache is a rich chocolate ganache you can use for a lovely hint of mint in your dessert.

Heavy cream is heated until it almost begins to boil. Pour over mint chocolate chips and whisk until the chocolate is melted and mixture becomes smooth.

Let mint chocolate ganache cool to room temperature, and then it’ll be ready to use.

If you’re wanting to make mint chocolate truffles, place the ganache in the fridge. When it hardens up, you can use a melon baller, and remove a ball of chocolate to make into a truffle.

• cupcake frosting
• cake frosting
• truffles
• ice cream topping
• dessert waffle topping

Irish Cream

Irish cream ganache is a chocolate ganache infused with Irish cream alcohol.

Irish cream ganache is made by heating Irish cream in a saucepan over medium heat.

Irish cream is poured over milk chocolate chips, and let to sit for 10 minutes to fully melt chocolate.

A little heavy cream is poured into the ganache, and then whisked together until smooth.

If you’re using Irish cream ganache for fondue, serve your ganache warm. Warm it up in the microwave if needed.

You can dip fresh fruit, rice Krispy squares, brownies, angel food cake into Irish cream ganache.

Irish cream is cooled to room temperature, and then it’s ready to be used for cake frosting or cupcake frosting.

If you’re wanting to make truffles, you can firm it up in the fridge and then use a melon baller to form your truffles.

• cake frosting
• chocolate cupcake frosting
• dipping sauce for dessert fondue
• truffles

Whipped cream is a rich, creamy base for making desserts with fruit.

You can make berry mousse, raspberry cream puffs, pineapple crème brûlée, trifle, strawberry soufflé, and more!

Raspberry Mousse

Raspberry mousse is a rich, fruity, decandet mousse.

Raspberry mousse is made by heating raspberries in a saucepan and adding sugar and water to make raspberry puree.

Raspberry puree is strained to remove the seeds of the raspberries, and only have the pure raspberry sauce left.

Gelatin is added to raspberry sauce, and then it’s thickened in a saucepan over medium heat. After raspberry sauce has thickened, it is left to cool to room temperature.

Whipped cream is whipped until stiff peaks form. Raspberry puree is added to the whipped cream and folded together to make raspberry mousse.

You can pipe raspberry mousse into ramekins, and then add a couple of raspberries on top as a garnish.

Angel Food Cake Trifle

Angel food cake trifle is a layered dessert with cake, custard, whipped cream, and fruit.

Vanilla pastry cream is placed in the bottom of a dessert glass.

Angel food cake is cut into small 1″ squares, and then sprinkled on top of the pastry cream.

Add raspberries, blueberries, strawberries or blackberries.

Repeat the layers until it reaches almost the top of the glass.

Top with freshly whipped cream and a couple of berries as a garnish.

Raspberry Cream Puffs

Raspberry cream puffs are fruity cream puffs made with choux pastry.

Raspberry cream puffs are made by combining raspberries and icing sugar in blender and blending on medium speed, creating raspberry puree.

Whipping cream is whipped together with raspberry puree to create the filling for the cream puffs.

Pipe raspberry cream mixture into the cream puffs.

You can add a chocolate ganache icing on top, or simply dust with icing sugar.

Blackberry Mousse

Blackberry mousse is a fruity mousse with memorable blackberry flavoring.

Blackberry mousse is made by adding pureed blackberries and hot water in a blender and mixing together.

The blackberries must be strained and then the remaining blackberry sauce is cooked to thicken it into a puree.

Gelatin is bloomed in a bit of water, and microwaved together.

Heated gelatin is added to blackberry puree and and whisked together.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, heavy cream is whipped with vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.

Fold blackberry puree with gelatin into the whipped cream and chill until you’re ready to serve.

Pineapple Crème Brûlée

Pineapple crème brûlée is a creamy, citrusy dessert with a brûléed sugar top.

Pineapple crème brûlée is made by cooking the pineapple with a bit of water and brown sugar.

Once the pineapple has caramelized with the brown sugar, it is pureed using a food processor.

Whipped cream is heated in a saucepan with brown sugar, lemon zest and salt until it begins to simmer.

In a separate bowl, egg yolks, an egg, and lemon juice are whisked together.

Hot cream mixture is poured into the egg mixture and whisked together to temper the eggs.

Vanilla extract is mixed into the cream mixture, along with caramelized pineapple puree to make the crème brûlée base.

Crème brûlée is placed into ramekins and then baked in the oven. After they have been cooled and chilled in the fridge, they are ready to be brûléed with granulated sugar and a cooking torch.

The pineapple is added, along with lemon zest for a citrus flavored pineapple crème brûlée.

Strawberry Soufflé

Strawberry soufflé is light and fruity whipped cream dessert.

Whipped cream is whipped with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Whipped cream is placed in the fridge to chill it while preparing the rest of the soufflé.

Strawberry puree is heated in a saucepan over medium heat with gelatin. Strawberry puree is cooled, and then whipped with an electric mixer. Strawberry puree will expand and add a ton of air to it.

Strawberry mixture is gently folded into the whipped chilled cream.

In a separate bowl egg whites are beaten with an electric mixture with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.

Granulated sugar is added to the egg whites, and then beaten until stiff peaks form.

Fold egg whites into strawberry cream mixture.

Strawberry cream mixture can be piped into ramekins, and then frozen for a few hours.

Place the soufflé in the fridge for 2 hours, right before you’re ready to serve it.

Add a little whipped cream dollop on top, as well as a few sliced strawberries right before serving.

Blueberry Mousse

Blueberry mousse is made by making blueberry puree.

Blueberries are heated together with sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat.

After the blueberry mixture has thickened, it is blended together and strained through a mesh sieve.

In a stainless steel mixing bowl, egg whites, sugar, and cream of tarter is mixed together. Heat the mixture over a pot of water simmering with a few inches of water in the bottom.

Once the mixture has thicken, it is removed from the heat source, and beat until the egg whites become stiff peaks.

In a stand mixer, heavy cream is a placed in a metal bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, and whipped until soft peaks are formed.

Gelatin is bloomed with a bit of water, and then whisked into the blueberry puree.

Egg white meringue is folded into blueberry puree to add a ton of light airiness to the mousse.

Finally, fold soft peak whipped cream into the blueberry mixture and chill for a few hours prior to serving.

Vanilla flavors are derived from vanilla beans to infuse their aromatic flavors into decadent desserts.

Vanilla beans are cut in half, and then the seeds from the center of the pod are scraped out.

The pod itself, and the seeds can be used to infuse vanilla flavor into desserts, or it can be made into vanilla extract.

Vanilla extract can be used for making fancy bakery worthy desserts.

Vanilla Custard Filled Croissants

Vanilla custard filled croissants have a rich and creamy custard filling.

Croissant dough is first made by laminating butter in between layers of dough, and then cutting a triangle out of the dough. The dough is rolled into a croissant shape, and then brushed with egg wash to create a sheen on the outside of the croissant. Croissants are baked in the oven, and then set to cool.

Vanilla bean custard is made by cutting a vanilla bean in half, and then the seeds are scraped out and infused into milk, as well as the vanilla pod. The milk is set to warm in a saucepan over medium heat, and the vanilla flavors ooze into the milk.

After 15 minutes of infusion, hot vanilla flavored milk is tempered with eggs to create a vanilla infused rich custard.

The custard needs to chill for a few hours, and then it can be placed in a piping bag fitted with a 1/4″ round tip. You could also use a cookie press as well.

Place the baking tip into the croissant about 1/3 of the way up from one side, and pipe vanilla custard into the croissant.

Repeat on the other side so both sides of the croissant are filled with vanilla bean custard. Serve immediately.

Vanilla Scones with Vanilla Bean Glaze

Vanilla scones with vanilla bean glaze are flakey scones with a luscious vanilla flavoring.

Vanilla scones are made with vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste to infused vanilla into the scones.

Vanilla scones are made using a pastry blender to cut in the butter. The small pieces of butter will create flakes of pastry, making a buttery scone.

Vanilla bean glaze is drizzled on top of the scones, giving them a sweet finish.

Vanilla bean glaze is made by adding vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste to milk and powdered sugar.

The glaze will dry after about 20 minutes.

You can also make mini vanilla bean scones if you’re wanting your dessert to be a bit smaller for your guests.

Vanilla Danishes

Vanilla Danishes are a specialty dessert, that look eye catching from their unique pastry shapes.

Vanilla Danishes are made with buttery puff pastry dough, and creamy vanilla bean custard.

Puff pastry dough is rolled out until it’s quite thin, (1/4″ in thickness).

You can shape Danishes into intricate designs, like the one pictured below (Duchess shape).

Once you decide on your design, cut the dough out, and then place it on a baking it. Fill the Danish with vanilla bean custard, and then egg wash the pastry to give it a sheen while it’s baking.

Vanilla bean Danishes are finished baking when the pastry turns golden brown.

Vanilla Cream Puffs

Vanilla cream puffs light airy cream puffs with a vanilla cream filling.

Vanilla cream puffs are made with choux pastry, piped into 1 1/2″ rounds. Choux pastry rounds are coated in an egg wash, and then baked in the oven to create a sphere shape.

Vanilla cream filling is made by whipping together heavy cream, vanilla extract, and icing sugar until stiff peaks form.

Cream puffs are cut in half, and then vanilla cream filling is piped onto the bottom half of the cream puff. After the filling has been piped, the top part of the cream puff is placed on the the cream filling creating a sandwich shape.

Garnish vanilla cream puffs with a dusting of powdered icing sugar for a beautiful finish to the dessert, or a chocolate ganache topping.

You can make fancy shaped cream puffs like this swan if you’re looking for more of a bakery worthy dessert.

Brioche Donuts with Vanilla Cream Filling

Brioche donuts with vanilla cream filling are sweet donuts with a creamy vanilla filling.

Brioche donuts are baked and then rolled with granulated sugar.

Vanilla cream filling is made by mixing together vanilla bean seeds with some granulated sugar to make vanilla sugar.

Vanilla sugar is whisked together with cornstarch, salt, milk, eggs, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Vanilla cream filling will thicken, and then it can be set to cool, and refrigerate until you’re ready to fill the donuts.

Vanilla cream is piped into the donuts, and then served immediately.

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

Vanilla bean sugar cookies are soft, chewy, and melt in your mouth.

Vanilla bean paste is added to sugar cookie dough. Cookie dough is shaped into a ball, and then rolled in granulated sugar.

Vanilla bean sugar cookies are baked in the oven, and then set to cool. They are best served still a bit warm.

You can even add vanilla buttercream icing to the tops of the sugar cookies if desired.

Vanilla Brownies

Vanilla brownies are a dense, chewy dessert with aromatic vanilla flavoring.

White chocolate is melted together with butter, and then it’s mixed together with brown sugar and granulated sugar. Yes! These are sweet brownies!!

A couple of eggs are added to the batter, along with flour and salt to create the base of the brownies.

Vanilla bean paste is mixed into the brownie batter to add the vanilla flavoring for the brownies.

Vanilla brownies are baked in the oven for about half an hour and set to cool.

Vanilla icing is made by mixing together melted butter, icing sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and milk.

Vanilla icing is spread over the top of the vanilla brownies, and then it’s ready to be cut into squares for dessert.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Vanilla bean cheesecake is a heavy, thick vanilla flavored dessert.

Vanilla bean paste is infused into cheesecake batter, and then it’s baked in the oven with a vanilla wafer crust.

Vanilla bean cheesecake is topped with vanilla bean white chocolate mousse.

Heavy cream is whipped until stiff peaks form with a little bit of granulated sugar.

White chocolate is melted in the microwave, and mixed together with softened cream cheese.

White chocolate is gently mixed into the whipped cream, and then the topping is poured over the vanilla cheesecake.

Vanilla cheesecake needs to be chilled for a few hours prior to serving.

Vanilla Soufflé

Vanilla soufflé is a light and fluffy dessert that puffs up, outside of the ramekin it’s baked in.

Ramekins are prepared by buttering them, and placing granulated sugar all over the butter to coat the inside of the ramekin. By preparing the ramekins, this helps the vanilla soufflé dessert rise in the oven.

To make the soufflé, milk is warmed in a saucepan over medium heat.

In a separate bowl, egg yolks, sugar, flour, and additional cold milk are whisked to make a smooth batter.

Warmed milk is whisked into the egg mixture to temper the eggs, and then the entire mixture is placed back into the saucepan. The saucepan is heated on medium to thicken the batter.

Once the batter has been thickened, it is removed from the heat source, and a couple cubes of butter are whisked into the batter and it’s let to cool.

Vanilla bean paste is mixed into the batter to add the vanilla flavoring to the soufflé.

Egg whites are whipped with some granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. The egg whites are gently folded into the soufflé.

The soufflé batter is then placed into the ramekins and baked in the oven for an airy vanilla flavored soufflé dessert.