Instructions

Make the pate de fruit:

1. Line an 8×8-inch square pan with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, heat the huckleberries and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender and purée until smooth. Return the huckleberry purée to the same saucepan with the sugar, applesauce, and remaining lemon juice. Cook over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat up to medium and attach a candy thermometer on the side of the pan. Bring the mixture to 230°F for sea level (213°F at 8500 feet elevation – subtract one degree from 230°F for every 500 feet above sea level). Let boil at target temperature for 2 minutes. Stir in the pectin and boil for 1 minute. Pour the mixture into the square pan and smooth the top as best you can. Let the candy cool until set (about an hour). Turn the candy out onto a cutting board and cut the sheet into 1-inch pieces with a knife or use small cutters (like cookie cutters, but tiny). Roll each piece in granulated sugar. If enrobing the pate de fruit in chocolate: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, wax paper, or a silpat sheet.

Melt the chocolate – method 1:

1. You can melt the chocolate gently over a water bath by placing the chocolate in a double boiler or by putting them in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (about 2 inches deep). Make sure the bowl is wider than the pan because you don’t want water getting into the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted completely. Turn off the heat, but leave the bowl over the water bath. If the chocolate gets too cold (toothick), you can heat the water bath again until the chocolate loosens up.

Temper the dark chocolate* – method 2:

1. For the seed method of tempering, place all but 10 chocolate chips or chocolate pieces in the top of a double boiler or in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (about 2 inches deep). Make sure the bowl is wider than the pan because you don’t want water getting into the chocolate or all of it will seize. Stir until the chocolate has melted completely, monitoring the temperature of the chocolate. When it reaches 112°F, remove the bowl from the water bath (it will continue to rise – that’s fine because we are targeting a final temperature of 118-120°F, just don’t get to 180°F or it will burn) and set it on an ice pack or a larger bowl of ice to start cooling it. Stir the chocolate constantly to promote proper crystal formation (for tempering). Continue to monitor the temperature. When the chocolate reaches 95°F, toss in the chocolate chips. This is called seeding and should encourage the formation of good crystals for tempering. Keep stirring. The chocolate is in temper between 88-91°F at which point you can remove the bowl from the ice. Stir often between dippings and when the temperature drops to 88°F, set the bowl on top of the warm water bath (if it’s too warm, place a kitchen towel over the pan and under the bowl). Monitor the temperature as it rises. When it reaches 91°F, take it off the pan.
2. * This method is for dark chocolate. Milk and white chocolates should target a high temperature of 116-118°F, seeding at 95°F and perhaps again at 90°F, and they are in temper between 85 and 87°F. Also, you have to use high quality white chocolate – any white chocolate that uses palm kernel oil or coconut oil won’t temper (it will separate and be unusable).

Dip the pate de fruit (both methods):

1. Drop a square of pate de fruit into the tempered chocolate. Use a fork or an enrobing fork to flip it over so the entire candy is coated in chocolate. Scoot the tines of the fork under the candy and lift it out of the chocolate. Shake off any excess chocolate by gently tapping the fork on the edge of the bowl, then gently scrape excess chocolate off the base on the edge of the bowl. Set the candy on the baking sheet. If you are a seasoned enrober, go ahead and touch the fork tines on the top of the wet chocolate (don’t do this when it’s nearly dry or it will look terrible) or make whatever pattern you like on the chocolate. Repeat for the rest of the candies. Let the chocolate set.