Stepford's Rejects

I knew it would happen. I was doing too well with the whole "Happy Jane" train I had going. Good flavors, good reviews... all was... well... GOOD.

So I had been thinking on a good flavor combination that I could present in March, and being the good little Irish girl I am.. I thought it'd be a kick to do something with Bailey's Irish Cream. Also, for personal reasons, I give up sweets/desserts during the Lenten Season for my religion. Since March falls during Lent, I wanted to do my flavor testing a little early.. you know... while I could actually taste it without breaking my fast.

All started off great. Chocolate cookie bases were made, then set aside while I whipped up a Bailey's butter cream for my centers. Piped that on the rounds, and got ready to do the dip.

So I had decided to use a milk chocolate this time around... thinking I didn't want to squelch the taste of the Bailey's. However... the only milk chocolate I had available was in the form of milk chocolate morsels. from Target.

I've used Target brand things before.. and they're FINE. but this time it didn't work. and i had a nagging feeling in my gut when I was melting it down.. as I usually only use my best chocolates for the outer shells... but still... I proceeded.

Unfortunately.. the chocolate never melted down to be smooth or 'wet' enough. It remained a bit gloppy... and when I went to dip my rounds... things just went further downhill. Despite freezing the rounds topped with the bailey's butter cream... the filling just began to melt away under the heat of the gloppy milk chocolate. Adding to my frustration... I just couldn't get a smooth finish for the rounds. they looked like little rats' nests on my cooling racks.

I even tried to 'doll' them up a bit by adding zig-zaggy strips of colored gum-paste. meh. still didn't do it for me.... so I gave up and left the remainder as plain. (plain Bailey's rats' nests, that is!)

After over an hour, noticed the Janes were just not setting... and more so that the centers were beginning to ooze out, since the heat from the chocolate was melting the butter-cream.

finally I just put them in the fridge to set. Once they hardened.. they weren't too bad. As you can see... I still ate a few.

Ultimately... this 'recipe' won't make it to my Stepford site. the TASTE was good... but the appearance was nowhere near up to par for its sister Janes. I will try to re-do this.. perhaps make the butter cream a LITTLE thicker... and either find a better milk chocolate or switch to a dark that I know will melt nicely and form a better shell.