Icing Sugar = Powdered Sugar

However, we've established that paraffin is completely unnecessary in making chocolate-coated things, so why add something that you don't need?

I'm with chary on this one!  For something I'm making at home, to have chocolate coating with wax, or without = easy decision for me.  But if you want wax - hey go for it!  

It doesn't work without wax...I've tried it before.  But to each their own...

I've got a peanut butter ball recipe that i'm doing at the weekend for my mates. I've never done it before but it'll be interesting to see how they turn out. Sounds exactly like this recipe....without the wax.

Yep everything in moderation is a good policy.

I sort of agree with woadgrrl's 'all things in moderation' view ... but only when those things are enjoyable and necessary to my life. Like cheese! However, we've established that paraffin is completely unnecessary in making chocolate-coated things, so why add something that you don't need?

You consider cheese a necessity? Cheese isn't necessary. A lot of people don't eat cheese.

I dare say cheese is probably worse for one than the amout of wax on these things. A lot of things don't need salt but people do it. There are tons of things that we don't need but we get it whether we like it or not, if you eat processed foods.

But to each their own.

You consider cheese a necessity? Cheese isn't necessary. A lot of people don't eat cheese.

Humour, Bob. Humour. 

Humour, Bob. Humour. 

I'm trying. How's this:

Drum roll please.......

Which cheese would you use to entice a grizzly down from a mountain?
Camembert.

Ba Boom!

What do you call cheese that isn't yours?
Nacho cheese.

Ba Boom!

Police were called to a Pizza Hut in Blackpool at the weekend, after the body of a worker was found covered in mushrooms, onions, ham, cheese & pineapple. A police spokesman said that the cause of death had not been established but there was a strong possibility that the man had topped himself.

Ba Boom!

Like I said I am trying but you wouldn't believe the truffles I've been through.

 

I'm trying. How's this:

Drum roll please.......

Which cheese would you use to entice a grizzly down from a mountain?
Camembert.

Ba Boom!

What do you call cheese that isn't yours?
Nacho cheese.

Ba Boom!

Police were called to a Pizza Hut in Blackpool at the weekend, after the body of a worker was found covered in mushrooms, onions, ham, cheese & pineapple. A police spokesman said that the cause of death had not been established but there was a strong possibility that the man had topped himself.

Ba Boom!

Like I said I am trying but you wouldn't believe the truffles I've been through.

 

Too funny, Bob! 

LOL...

I have to agree that cheese is a necessity though...although since I've become pregnant I've lost a taste for it...

But then again...I'm pregnant...maybe I'll just start eating wax candles to satisfy my cravings...guess it's better for you than chalk (that lots of pregnant women eat).

LOL...

I have to agree that cheese is a necessity though...although since I've become pregnant I've lost a taste for it...

But then again...I'm pregnant...maybe I'll just start eating wax candles to satisfy my cravings...guess it's better for you than chalk (that lots of pregnant women eat).

get momma to mail ya some of those wax coke bottle thingies. You can still get them??

get momma to mail ya some of those wax coke bottle thingies. You can still get them??

I saw some at the Cracker Barrel restaurant gift shop - called cola bottles. 

I haven't really been following this thread, well I have but not actually reading it, but I did today finally and had a couple of ideas, I've recently got into confectionery as a way of making low carb treats, but found I really love the mix of science and food, sorry for the ramble.

BUAS when you made the chocolate without parrafin wax and it didn't really work, did you temper the chocolate?

I'm fairly sure (from my limited but growing knowledge of confectionery, Etsy shop on the horizon maybe?! ) that the paraffin wax is acting to make the chocolate glossy and stay solid at room temp but by tempering the chocolate you'll get the same (possibly better) result.

When you heat chocolate crystals in the butter break loose and rise to the surface, when the chocolate cools you don't get that crisp, snap, but the texture is crumbly, possibly why you're p'butter balls didn't taste right.
On the other hand, properly tempered chocolate will be creamy, glossy and firm enough to hold up well to coating the pb balls.

Otherwise, you can use vegetable shortening instead of paraffin wax, it needs to be the solid kind. It's used in a lot of confectionery as an alternative to paraffin wax OR you can buy Couveture which is this : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couverture_chocolate chocolate with a high cocoa butter %.

Hope that helps!

get momma to mail ya some of those wax coke bottle thingies. You can still get them??

Oh I heart those things.  Wow...haven't had one of those in a hot minute!

Cheesebiscuit - I'll look into the tempering because it looks like it's going to be hard to find edible paraffin wax and I don't have time to wait for mommy to send it to me (was gonna make them tomorrow!).  The one time I tried it without wax it didn't work because it wouldn't stick to the peanut butter balls properly and it melted too quickly (it was impossible to take more than one out of the fridge at a time because it would be a mess by the time you finished the one before it).  I guess a lot of it has to do with what type of chocolate you use (I always preferred Nestles mini chocolate chips for taste).

Oh I heart those things.  Wow...haven't had one of those in a hot minute!

Cheesebiscuit - I'll look into the tempering because it looks like it's going to be hard to find edible paraffin wax and I don't have time to wait for mommy to send it to me (was gonna make them tomorrow!).  The one time I tried it without wax it didn't work because it wouldn't stick to the peanut butter balls properly and it melted too quickly (it was impossible to take more than one out of the fridge at a time because it would be a mess by the time you finished the one before it).  I guess a lot of it has to do with what type of chocolate you use (I always preferred Nestles mini chocolate chips for taste).

I would seriously try getting some vegetable shortening (the block kind i.e Crisco in the US, but you can get Stork I think here in the fridge section) and substituting the same amount of parrafin wax.

At worst it will do bugger all and doesn't cost much.

I guess a lot of it has to do with what type of chocolate you use (I always preferred Nestles mini chocolate chips for taste).

Maybe a higher quality chocolate would work better.

Or, as cheesebiscuit suggests, use Stork or Trex.

Just to bring this thread back full circle, you can also coat them in powdered sugar as this cuts down on the stickiness.