Paraffin in chocolate coverings??

[XeniA]

Gobo's post on peanutbutter balls got me remembering a similar recipe but with coconut. In that recipe the chocolate covering had a small-ish quantity of parafin wax added to it. I've made it and eaten it made that way and am still alive to tell the tale, but was wondering ...

... what's today's take on this? Is this a traditional ingredient in chocolate coverings??

 

[Gretchen]

Commonly done in order to harden the covering. No harm.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Ditto what Gretchen said...It is a food grade wax...Having been used many many moons for candies, canning/preserving fields...Next time you are in the grocery...check out cucumbers, and apples with a very thin layer of wax, and rutabagas with a heavycoat of wax.

 

[Michelemarie]

I use parafin in my chocolate covering of peanut butter bon bons. One hint, DO NOT while still wet, all you will taste is wax (ask me how I know!) Once dry, you can't taste anything but chocolate! Yum!

 

[thymeless]

When the military was first in the middle east for Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the chocolate shipped to the soldiers had wax added so it wouldn't melt in the high temps.

 

[boufa06]

Gee, this doesn't sound very good. For sure, parafin wax is nothing like a poison. The human body cannot break it down. If it passes out, all is well. However, if it coats anything along the gastrointestinal tract, it's a different ball of wax altogether and one I surely wouldn't like to tangle with. It is bad enough to have to scrap it or wipe it out off supermarket fruit and vegetables.

 

[StirBlue]

boufa06: I'm pretty sure the key word here is moderation. One thing that will keep that gastrointestinal tract free of bacteria and disease is black walnut. It will kill the stomach flu and pin worms. One teaspoon of extract taken orally. No symptoms-just as a precaution? Take some one or twice a year.

 

[candelbc]

I agree that it is okay in moderation. Anyone remember those Wax lips, or Wax Bottles filled with sugar water? Those are technically edible. No one who favors fine flavored foods would want to, but it's not going to kill you..

-Brad

 

[texasgirl]

I have a coconut recipe that is covered in chocolate mixed with parafin. It's good. I use 1/4 lb with 2- 12oz packages of chocolate chips.

 

[StirBlue]

I agree that it is okay in moderation. Anyone remember those Wax lips, or Wax Bottles filled with sugar water? Those are technically edible. No one who favors fine flavored foods would want to, but it's not going to kill you..

-Brad

lol! I remembered the wax bottles but I had forgotten about those lips. I think there was also a black mustache. Those lips may be down there somewhere with a shiny new dime and a batch of glue. At least we had some idea what we were eating back then.

 

[daisy]

I wouldn't use paraffin wax in a pink fit!

If you can get hold of the Australian product 'Copha', you'll be much happier and healthier! It's a solid coconut oil product used for holding ingredients together. Made famous by Chocolate Crackles and White Christmas, a lot no-bake confectionery things, and chocolate toppings. It has a low melting point, so is only suitable for no-bake cooking. It is called Kremelta in New Zealand. It is sometimes referred to as 'solid white vegetable shortening' where people are shy about using the registered brand name. It is NOT the same as the vegetable shortening so often referred to in American recipes (Crisco being a popular brand) - that is suitable as a replacement for butter or margarine or lard in recipes, but Copha is not suitable for such things.

Couple of recipes for you:

White Christmas
2 cups rice bubbles
1 cup chocolate pieces (optional)
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup powdered milk
100g glace pineapple, chopped
100g glace red cherries, chopped
100g glace green cherries, chopped
250g copha, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
100g mixed fruit (optional)

Combine rice bubbles, chocolate, icing sugar, milk powder, pineapple and cherries, add copha and vanilla and mix lightly to combine. Spread into a slab tin, or spoon into 24 foil mini-muffin cases, refrigerate and cut into squares when set.

Cherry Treats
100g red glace cherries, drained, chopped
1 1/4 cups coconut milk powder
200g packet marzipan
200g dark chocolate
20g copha

Combine cherries, coconut milk powder and marzipan. Melt chocolate and copha over hot water. Pour half the chocolate mixture into a foil-lined 18cm square cake tin refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Spread cherry mixture evenly over set chocolate, smooth top. Pour remaining chocolate mixture over cherry layer, tilt pan to coat top evenly. Refrigerate until set. Cut into squares or rectangles as desired. Keep refrigerated until ready to be served.

Chocolate (1)
125g copha
125g icing sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa
4 tablespoons full cream powdered milk
pinch salt

Sift icing sugar, cocoa and powdered milk and salt into a bowl. Melt copha over gentle heat, add to dry ingredients. Mix until smooth and thick. Pour into a 18cm square tin to set. Cut into squares. Mixture can be doubled, and dried fruit nuts, coconut or rice bubbles can be added for variety.


Chocolate Bananas
6 bananas, peeled and brushed with lemon juice
6 wooden skewers, or paddle-pop sticks
2 teaspoons copha
150g cooking chocolate
75g crushed mixed nuts

Insert a skewer or paddle-pop stick into each banana. Freeze for 2 hours or until completely frozen. Melt the chocolate with the copha over hot water and mix well. Dip the frozen bananas into the melted chocolate mixture and roll in crushed nuts. Eat immediately, or return to the freezer to store.

Chocolate Coated Dates
250g dessert dates
rind of 1 orange
1/3 cup sweet sherry
125g dark chocolate
30g copha

Peel the rind from the orange, taking care not to remove any white pith. Cut into very thin strips. Remove seeds from dates and fill cavities with a small amount of orange rind, press together. Pour sherry into a bowl, add dates, cover and leave several hours or overnight. Drain well. Melt chocolate and copha over simmering water, dip dates into chocolate and place on greaseproof paper or foil to set. If liked, drizzle a little extra chocolate over the top in attractive patterns.

Chocolate Crackles
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup coconut
4 cups rice bubbles
250g copha

Combine dry ingredients. Melt copha gently. Cool slightly, pour into dry ingredients and mix well. Chill until set in paper patty cases.

Lemon Chocolate Crackle Squares
Press basic mixture into a slab tin. Top with lemon icing (tinted pale green if desired) and sprinkle with coconut (toasted if desired). Cut into squares.

Chocolate Crackle Snowballs
Drop spoonfuls of the basic mixture into desiccated coconut. Form into balls. Place on greaseproof paper or foil and allow to set.

Chocolate Crackle Valentines
Press basic mixture firmly into a slab tin. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into shapes using a heart-shaped cutter. Top with green coloured icing flavoured with peppermint essence. Decorate as desired.

Cherry Chocolate Crackles
Add 2 teaspoons ground ginger and 1/2 cup finely chopped glace cherries to the basic mixture. Spoon into patty cases and top with a cherry.


Nutty Cream Chocolate Crackles
Press basic mixture into a large slab tin to make a fairly thin layer. Cut into squares. Beat together 125g copha and 1 1/4 cups icing sugar, add a little malted milk powder and a few chopped nuts. Spread over crackle bases.

Banana Cream Chocolate Crackles
Add 3 mashed bananas and 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder to the basic mixture. Press into a slab tin. When set, cut into bars and frost with coffee icing. Decorate as desired.

 

[boufa06]

Wow Daisy, such wonderful recipes! I have come across Copha in some of my recipes especially White Christmas and have been wanting to try those recipes but was unable to do as it was not available in Singapore then. I am not sure if I can get it here. Will look around for it, if not, when I am back home next year, will visit some of the specialist baking shops. Thanks for sharing your recipes with us and for reminding me about Copha!