I just did a search by typing in "waxed dipped chenille crafts" and got lots of sites to check but couldn't find a simple explanation. I've heard of this and would be curious myself to know the inside scoop.

Well, I do have a recipe for pourable fondant, which isn't as sweet and sticky as rolled fondant, and contains no corn syrup. Most of my glaze recipes either call for corn syrup as it helps prevent crystallization, or it's simply powdered sugar and liquid like orange juice or water and an extract. I'd take the jam and either use it to fill the little cakes or thin it by heating or with liquid and use that as a syrup to brush on before the glaze, that would be yummy. Let it sit before dipping, I think, so that the cake couldn't be so wet and crumble or break. I've also found that I can put this in a plastic bottle with a tip, like the ones you can buy at food supply stores for catsup and mustard, and then squeeze the glaze over the cakes and it gives you a lot more control over the amount and the placement. Anyway, cooked European poured fondant: European Poured Fondant 3 cups granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 3/4 cups water 1 package 10X (confectioners' powdered) sugar, sifted 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla AND/OR 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, OR 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract, OR Few drops peppermint extract Combine granulated sugar, cream of tartar and water in a large saucepan; heat slowly, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves, then cook, without stirring, to 226� on a candy thermometer; remove mixture from heat. Cool to 125�, then gradually beat in 10X sugar, salt and vanilla or your choice of flavoring until smooth and syrupy. Dip the cake squares into the glaze while the glaze is very liquid or place cake squares onto sheet pan and pour fondant over. Oh, and there's also ganache, although I don't know if it would set up as hard as you want for petit fours. Annie

I use about 10% paraffin when I make chocolate turtles, but I make them in a mold. They melt in your hand very quickly if there is no paraffin. Shortening would not have as good an effect because it is not as solid at room temperature. I do not use paraffin when I make toffee because it has finely chopped nuts covering the chocolate on both sides. Lars

I was watching Alton Brown the other day with a friend (I don't have cable) and he actually melted chocolate with a heating pad! He put the heating pad in a large glass bowl. Then, put the chocolate in a smaller glass bowl and put that bowl inside the larger one on top of the heating pad. I didn't see him add anything special to the chocolate. This was the episode where he taught how to make homemade marshmallows. I'd have never thought to use a heating pad!