I bet some of you are wondering what it takes to make nearly $1600 in candy. (The final # in actual candy is $1545… I got some in donations.) Here’s a little trivia to clue you in.
Total # of truffles: 906
Total # of caramels: 696
Dark Chocolate: 162
Candy Cane: 270
Chili: 126
Pistachio: 102 (127 actually made, the only one I’ve started… they’re yummy)
Raspberry: 108
Mocha: 138
My shopping list for this afternoon consisted of:
2 gallons + 2 quarts heavy cream
3 boxes unsalted butter
3 boxes salted butter
2 5lb boxes dark chocolate chips
1 25 lb box milk chocolate chips
3 boxes candy canes
6 lbs brown sugar
1 (15 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 bottle vanilla extract
64 oz corn syrup
6 rolls parchment paper
1 roll waxed paper
1 candy thermometer (mine died at mother’s day)
2 Dagoba Xocolatl bars
2 Dagoba Roseberry bars
1 container dark chocolate cocoa
1 package shelled pistachio nuts
1 bottle raspberry syrup
1 lb Starbucks Christmas blend (I’ll drink the remainder)
This doesn’t include the boxes and ribbon I had to buy for gift packaging. Not to mention I get a box from the USPS every day with the shipping boxes. (think I have a total of 5-6 cases coming)
I started work this afternoon. I have a double batch of caramels setting, the Pistachio centers are in the fridge and Neal is set to arrive bright and early in the morning on Wednesday to help where needed. I’m feeling on top of all of this at the current moment. Give me a few days. The feeling is likely to wear off somewhere around Candy Cane Truffle #146. Honestly Wendy… 14 boxes. I cringed at every person that ordered Candy Cane thereafter.
Between now and the 14th I have to make all of that candy and: get stuck by the needle doc, take the boy for his 3 year check up, have an eye exam, try to fit in a trip to the lab for some blood work on myself, have SR ALYVE with my high schoolers, assist with decorating our church for Christmas, take the boy to preschool, bake cookies with my mom, and celebrate her birthday. Now you may think I’m totally nuts for all of that. And you would be right… a little. But will you please notice that I did figure in some fun. I like baking cookies with my mom and decorating the church will only take place while I am there for my allotted work time. The taking the boy to preschool coincides with my church work schedule (considering I’m still trapped at the church because of the poop refusal). This means I get to chat with a good girlfriend about her recent engagement. EEEE!!! I’m so excited. At my age weddings are few and far between.
So while the next two weeks might be busy, they’ll be filled with lots of Christmas music and shooing my son from your coveted truffles. Because let’s face it. This is likely what will happen.
What I’m sure you guys didn’t know is that this photo is from last Christmas and the boy is actually licking Nutella off the spoon.? However, he was helping me with the truffles at the time.? Too bad for those of you that ordered Hazelnut last year.? Mwahhhaaahhhh!
Chocolate … so cute!
And I’m serious about my offer … we can set up my macs side by side and play geek and drink wine while the kids play. … I even have a website host once I figure out how to set up everything outside of blogger. Did I mention you can geek out on one of my macs? You can even pick: touch pad our mouse … they have the same software …
Your son is too cute all messy with chocolate!!!
That is a good idea. Throw some fun into a busy schedule and everything will turn out happy in the end. I need to do that. Your boy looks very satisfied with his chocolate. I bet he loves that his mom is such a good cook/baker.
Glad to see he like chocolate.
Yes, let’s talk engagement stuff. This is all still very surreal. Good luck with all of the chocolate making.
Incredible sales! How could a Mom not beam at what you doing!! Thank you to all that have helped her make this such a success!!!!!!!! Money… an obstacle for many who could provide capable, loving homes.
Yep. Knee-deep in chocolate. That’s exactly where I figured you’d be.
Ssshhh, all those boxes of candy cane truffles are for my crew at work. I am spoiling them this year!
The boy makes a better spokes-person for chocolate than Levi…..that is just the cutest pic ever!!!!
This is my first year for Truffles…usually we just do Carmel…I am excited…hey, can I still get more candy cane?? Just kidding
You have a busy two weeks…I hope we don’t see too much of you here…
I can’t believe you are making all of that candy. Crazy lady.
Love the new design!
Can’t wait for those chocolates! 🙂
Oh what is a little extra sugar in the candy from your baby boy?
Beverly
OK, I am catching up here. First of all, THANK YOU so very much for the kind post on Thanksgiving. Believe me, I cherish your friendship just as much. Its funny how two people with so much in common can meet this way.
Secondly, where has time gone? Its already time for Sweet Hope, Thanksgiving is over, and our kids have been home for over A YEAR. Amazing.
I have no doubt your chocolates will be delicious this year, as they are every year.
Lastly, congratulations on the speaking engagement. I am sure you did a great job. You are a very animated speaker in real life.
Knee deep in chocolate is better than knee deep in the hoopla, I always say.
So sweet – cute little boy and yummy chocolate… perfect combination.
Congrats on the great sales. And yum, yum you lucky lady to be busy with chocolate!! All that is fabulous and all, but that picture is what we all really come here for 😉
Mmmmm… candy cane… next year I’ll have to order more! Best wishes for the crazy couple of weeks you have planned! I hope I can help out next year – even if it’s just to take the boy off your hands for a few hours. I’m looking forward to feasting on chocolate!
Holy crap you have your work cut out for you!! I don’t envy you one bit, I can’t even bring myself to make cookies!! I’m so happy you guys surpassed your goal.
Can’t wait for the Candy Cane ones, they were my fav last year…
Wow, that’s alot of truffle-makin’ to do. Good thing you’ve got a cute taste tester with you!
I think I’m glad I only made a donation.
That’s ALOTTA choclate, young friend.
Wow. That is some list. Congrats on the amount of sales.
Elle, I posted a link to your blog on this blog http://debdamboise.blogspot.com/
She is looking for someone to hire to design a website so I thought of you.
I hope that is ok.
What’s a roseberry bar and a Xocolatl bar? Sorry, dumb over here.
I love that photo of the boy! I loved seeing it last year too ;o) So cute!