Hi everyone,

I'm not a regular reader of this newsgroup and thought this would be the
appropriate place to ask for some advice.

While looking for Christmas presents, I found chocolate coated brownies
(pastries section) and chocolate coated cheesecake petits fours. I don't
have much experience with chocolate besides melting it over a double boiler
for dipping cookies. What I'm wondering is, can I make chocolate coated
brownies/cakes at home (to give as gifts) without buying really expensive
enrobing equipment? What would be my best bet to try at home or should I
even attempt it? Lastly, is there anything I should add to the chocolate to
prevent it from melting in people's hands when it's picked up (for the
brownie example)? I've heard of adding a wax of some sort to make chocolates
appear shinier, but wouldn't that taste kind of gross?

I've also considered buying a tempering machine. What's the smallest size I
should look for that would be appropriate for home use but still produce
somewhat reliable results? I guess my price range is anything less than
$1000 for now. I'd rather start with a broader search and narrow it down
later on, plus I'm just now getting really interested in learning about
chocolate and candy-making so who knows, a semi-professional machine might
come in handy in a year or two I figure. =)

Thanks in advance,
chocolate amateur Amy