and one didn't survive the separation! ;-) Mmmmmmmmmmm!!!! Nothing
like dark chocolate (OK, dark compound coating!) and mint!

I discovered a great thing this year too. I always try to make the
fondant a little on the soft side necessitating spreading it thin on a
plastic lined baking sheet and refrigerating it to work it into little
mint patties for dipping. I normally tear off a small cold piece of
mint fondant from the refrigerated mass, butter up my hands and
quickly form and dip it. But in the past before too long I'd have to
wash my hands, dry them good and rebutter because the mint fondant
would stick to my fingers.

But this year I had a idea! I have a box of nitrile exam gloves and I
thought "I wonder how they would work for dipping these mints?"
Answer: NO BUTTERING NEEDED, and I dipped the entire 2X mass using one
pair of gloves! Even with washing my gloved hands multiple times and
drying them off!! The gloves are not porous or hydrophilic like my
skin so drying with a dry towel was a snap and I was back to making
mint patties ASAP!!

I'm amazed every year when I learn something cool like this for my
candy making. Hope m,y hint helps someone else!

Merry Christmas!

John Kuthe...