Crystalised Ginger Roches - JFI

What does a lady want? Some fine jewelery, music and good chocolate. Thats all! Oh Really!!!

We all have someone in our life who we cherish because that person has been the first one to introduce us to new things in the outside world. I'm talking about my Uncle M here. That some one many times shapes our personalities and opens up our minds to absorb the good and reject the unwanted. This is especially true about food and books. Uncle M one more time did it for me. I don't remember exactly when it happened. May be I was still a teenager at the time just turning into an adult from a child. Uncle brought home a beautifully packaged chocolate box with assorted designer chocolates on return from his London trip. He asked me to open it. As I was still a teenager then with a crush on a distant relative a doc almost inadvertantly reached out for the heart shaped one.....giggle.....I got a light tap on my stretched hand and a mishevious smile with "Aga Vedi try this one"/ Girl, fool try this one. I knew I had grown up in my tastes for Chocolates after that.

Since then till now I have tried to make some unique tasting chocolates but like there are the wine tastings this chocolate has to be eaten my way.

Once the chocolates are made place them on a well decorated serving dish. Gingerly pick up the tiny rock but quickly put it on the tongue and slowly roll it around. It is a very adult taste nothing like you have tasted before. The chocolate layer melts instantly then the sugar releases from the ginger with the spice just lighting up your taste buds. Lastly you really feel gingery. Chew the ginger now it will do you a lot of good in this weather. He.....heee.heeeee.....

Uncle M has a discerning taste for chocolates now it was my turn to introduce him to a new taste. He says he has feasted on many different types of chocolates even the bitter dark chocolates. But the taste he remembers is of Crystalised Ginger Roches I had made for him.

Disclaimer: Let me tell you the truth. I am no chocolatier. I have written the above highlighted para for my love of the mystery and emotions associated with chocolate credits to the movie CHOCOLAT and the yummylicious Johnny Depp!!!

Thanks to Rosie of What's the recipe today Jim? for hosting this event and to Indira of Mahanandi for the idea.

Ingredients

1/2 cup thick Grated Ginger
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon water
100 gms milk chocolate bar

Hummm ....Are you ready~~~~ all chocolatiers-to-be by the end of this.

Take a pan place on slow heat. Mix grated ginger and sugar and add into the pan. Add a teaspoon of water. The sugar should melt and when it starts boiling keep stiring. It should not caramelize. It should just start crystallising on the edges of the pan. While its still syrupy put off the heat. In a few moments the ginger will be coated with sugar. The color of ginger will lighten at this stage. It cools of real fast.

Now in a double boiler melt the bar of milk chocolate. Remove from heat once completely melted. Add in the crystallised ginger. and mix with a fork lightly so that the ginger holds its shape yet gets coated with chocolate completely. Lift up the mix and lay it out in a nonstick tray in bits. Do not shape them. It should look like little rocks i.e roches. Refridgerate for an hour. Your Crystallized Ginger Roches are ready to enjoy!

JFI-Ginger Roundup