Mary:
A few questions to help clarify for people who might look to answer this:
Capacity is 20kg ... per batch? One batch per week? One batch per day? More often? Less often?
Truly lab scale (for testing) or are you going into production for retail sale?
Does the lab-scale equipment lead to production at a much larger capacity?
:: Clay
Kevin:
An induction burner is not suitable for tempering chocolate. You can use one (in conjunction with a double boiler) as a chocolate melter (though some professional induction burners might go as low as 115-120F), but that's not the same thing as tempering.
If you are space and budget constrained and want an actual tempering machine, a machine from Chocovision or ACMC are the least expensive choices. If you are going to be tempering by hand, there are a number of much less expensive options than an induction burner for melting chocolate and holding it in temper after manually tempering it.
:: Clay
Rodney:
Thank you very much for making this point. I deliberately left this sit overnight to see if there would be any response from the community and to make sure that I was not replying from an emotional perspective.
I also made a point of going to a meeting of a New York group called The Society of Enlightened Entrepreneurs last night and it was during the meeting that I came to clarity on what to do.
Tom, Richard: Your interests, naturally, lie with the companies you work for or own. My interests lie with TheChocolateLife community. You may disagree or dislike the decisions I make about how I run TheChocolateLife, but they are my decisions to make. At every point I am going to consider the needs of the entire community - as a global entity, which includes my wants and needs, by the way - over the wants of manufacturers and distributors.
Last night,I made the decision to close this thread to further discussion as it had drifted so far from the original poster's question, not because I am trying to "censor" Richard's or Tom's discussions on whether or not I am being "fair" to them. Tom and Richard, Rodney is right: This is a discussion you need to take up off-line. TheChocolateLife is not a place to air the relative merits of your equipment, company's viewpoints, or anything that is not directly applicable to the discussion at hand. I also want to let you know that any continuation of this discussion at any level in any other public posts on TheChocolateLife will be looked upon very negatively.
You can, of course, take this up with me privately; I know you both have my e-mail address.
:: Clay
Richard:
Your comment is tantamount to my walking into your new center in Irvineand complaining, after you pull down flyers I have posted on your walls- loudly and to everyone who might be in your showroom at the time -that you won't let me sell competitive products in your place of business.
Furthermore, imagine my walking in and, when a prospective customer asks a question about a Pomati (or some other brand you sell) machine, I start talking up the virtues of a brand you don't sell.
What would your reaction be? I don't think you'd be very happy. You'd probably usher me out of your place of business and demand that I never come back. And, as the business owner,you would be within your rights to do so.
TheChocolateLife is my on-line place of business. It may be a small business in terms of the revenue it generates, but it's a huge business in terms of global reach and influence. My perception is that you want to unfairly take advantage of my place of business by not abiding by policies you and I have discussed offline.
Qzina is a multi-million dollar business and I have a policy on TheChocolateLife that businesses that are in the business of selling products and services to confectioners and chocolate makers have to pay to promote them. We discussed this last summer in Washington, DC when we met during the Fancy Food Show.
You are right, I did delete several posts where you promoted the Pomati tempering machines you are now representing. BUT - I did it BEFORE I had a relationship with FBM. I deleted the posts because the content was inappropriate in the context of the original poster's question. I believe that I wrote you an e-mail at the time, explaining why.
You will see that I am NOT "censoring" Mr Bauwerarts' responses because he is actually an employee of Selmi and is responding to questions about Selmi machines. The same is true for responses from Brian Donaghy, who used to be employed by Tomric, the US dealer for Selmi.
You will notice, if you care to look, that there have been several recent discussions about ChocoMa and Perfect tempering and enrobing machines. You will also notice that I have featured ALL of the Qzina Institute classes and events at your new school ... all the way forward to October. (I also do this for BAKON.)
What I object to, Richard, is your perception that I owe you anything . You are attempting to reach the members of my community to sell them products and services. It is my policy to ask companies like Qzina to pay me a very modest amount for granting access. I do this so I don't have to clutter up the site with advertising banners that are irrelevant and intrusive.
I have no objections if you respond to direct questions about Pomati machines. I have no objections if you supply answers to technical questions about other tempering machines and say how Pomati does things differently. In other words, I have no objections if what you post is relevant and adds value to the discussion at hand. I do object if you see your response primarily as an opportunity to sell - or cross-sell - something.
If you want to promote Pomati or any other brand(s) Qzina represents then I respectfully request that you comply with my commercial policies. You can promote any and all Qzinaproducts - in the Classifieds. Classified ads cost $10 each or $100/year for up to 1 post per week. Or you can take out a Member Marketplace ad and/or Sponsor a group . You can also work with me to provide things of value to ChocolateLife members that compensate me via success fees. I would have no problem if you and I organized a series of classes in Irvine, we jointly promoted them, and I was compensated to give the classes. We talked about this specifically last summer, but I didn't pursue it because you wanted me to assume 100% of the costs and risk for promoting "my" events at your school (ignoring the fact that I would be promoting your school at the same time).
It's clear that you want to reach ChocolateLife members because you recognize that the community is a valuable one that's very highly focused and contains a large number of potential customers. What I want to be equally clear about is that I have worked very hard over the past four years growing TheChocolateLife to its current position and scope, and over the prior seven years on chocophile.com and on my writing and promoting my book, Discover Chocolate . Qzina is a business that you have worked very hard to grow. I know, from talking with you directly, that you are very careful not to let other people and companies "take advantage" of the hard work you've done without your being compensated appropriately.
All I ask is that you think of TheChocolateLife - and me - in the same light. I cannot, and will not, allow you to take advantage of TheChocolateLife to grow your business without directly recognizing - in monetary terms - the value of my business and my expertise, experience, and network, personally. And I object to your characterization of me publicly and without any notice as being a really cheap shot.
Membership in the community is free and voluntary. If you don't want to play by the house rules, you are free to not participate in the community.
:: Clay
PS.For your information, I do list the companies I have financial relationships with right on the home page of TheChocolateLife immediately under the Groups section at the top. It may not have been obvious enough, so I edited it to make it more obvious.
Tom:
If you take a close look, you'll see that I actually refer THREE companies' temperers, melters - Selmi, Chocovision, and Bakon, and have commission relationships with all three (Selmi through Tomric in the US). I have referred the sale of a Plus in 2011 and have, when the situation arises, directly notified Tomric of technical questions about Selmi equipment they might want to answer.
I currently do not have a relationship with FBM, though we are working in that direction.
Each of these companies offers products at different price points and capabilities.You will see that I represent both Irinox and Desmon. Both offer similar products, but again, at different price points and capabilities.
I try to be as aware of the technical competitive differences as I can; if I make a mistake in how I represent something it is from imperfect knowledge, not a preference of one brand over another. I try to take into account, as best I can, what someone's needs are and make the best recommendation I can. I would be more than happy for Selmi to bring me to the factory in Italy to get up to the minute training on your products so that I can speak about them from a position of first-hand knowledge.
For nearly four years, now, I have chosen to keep TheChocolateLife virtually free from advertising. I do offer advertising, sponsorship, and referral programs that make sense for the communityit somehow has to be related to chocolate. That's how I earn the money to keep TheChocolateLife operating; paying for the direct, hard costs of keeping the site and community open, operating, alive, vibrant, and growing and not a whole lot more.
I am always open to comments about where my product and technical knowledge is imperfect. In this way I can grow - and the community can grow as well.
:: Clay
The machine is set for 220VAC 3-phase 50 Hz. It is possible to kit the units at the factory a 220VAC 60 Hz single-phase motor or to use a static phase inverter that you purchase on your own. The price, ex-factory is 9700 Euros, including the enrobing belt, which is 180mm wide. Crating (100 Euros) and shipping (depends on destination and method) are extra.
I believe the FBM machines also have removable/reversible augurs to make them easy to clean.
Depending on your production volumes, FBM also has a small tabletop machine (the Aura) that is inexpensive enough to be dedicated to white chocolate production. It has a 4kg work bowl and 10kg/hr throughput and offers continuous as opposed to batch operation and has an integrated vibration table.
The next FBM machine up offers the same throughput as a Color EX, but is less expensive while offering the removable/reversible augur and three-zone temperature control instead of the two zones in a Selmi, offering more control over crystallization.
I can offer discounts on FBM machines to ChocolateLife members - maybe enough to make it possible for you to purchase both machines for close to the same price as one Selmi Color EX.
Stu:
At that kind of throughput, a couple of options suggest themselves to me.
The first is a continuous machine like a Selmi Color EX. It's about 10,000 Euros ex-works Italy. It's sweet spot for production is right in the range you are talking about. As you mention it's not a great option as you can only afford one and if anything goes wrong ... The EX model has the removable augur making changeover faster.
Another continuous tempering option is the FBM Prima. This has a 7kg tank and an hourly capacity in the 35kg range, but the price is 6,000 Euros ex-works Italy, before a ChocolateLife member discount. You can run milk in one, dark in another, or the same chocolate in both to reach ~70kg/hr throughput. And you have a backup machine in case one goes down.
Another option is what are called "over/under" tempering tanks. These are basically two melting tanks, one positioned over the other. The top tank holds melted chocolate that is dripped into the bottom tank, The bottom tank is tempered using the seed method (there is an agitator), and chocolate is removed via a valve at the bottom of the lower tank. There are many operations that use this approach for very high volume production. The cost depends on the sizes of the tanks and whether or not there is a pump involved - but you should be able to buy two sets for the budget you're talking about. The vibrating table is not included, but you can get one that holds three full-size molds from Chocovision for about US$800.
:: Clay
Sorry, throughput, not capacity: 25 kg/hr or 25 kg/day?
A machine has a work bowl capacity and an average hourly throughput capacity. A batch melter might have a high bowl capacity (e.g., 25kg, but if it take 1 hour to melt and temper 25kg, then its throughput is limited to the number of cycles in a day.
The small Selmi's have work bowl capacities that are small, but have throughput capacities that are multiples higher. If you only needed 25kg day of chocolate, you could get by with a machine with a 4kg work bowl capacity with an hourly throughput of 10kg.
Make sense?
Stu:
What kind of hourly/daily production are you looking at?
Also - be aware of the difference between automatic tempering machines (i.e., continuous tempering machines, e.g., Selmi), semi-automatic machines (i.e., batch/wheel, e.g., Perfect, JVK), and melters (i.e., manual tempering).
Automatic is most expensive, and because of the electronics, most likely to break. These also offer the highest production capacity and throughput with enrobing, mold filling, and depositing options. Usually have buit-in vibrating tables.
Semi-automatic is middling expensive and are much more rugged. Second-highest capacity and throughput with enrobing options.
Manual are least expensive (though not cheap) and least likely to give problems. However, the require the highest degree of skill to use and need to be tweaked during the day. No options, everything is done by hand. Can be high throughput for skilled workers.
Which way to go depends on your confidence and your skill level as well as the mix of products you're making and how much chocolate you go through every day. If you can answer these last three questions, we can make better recommendations,
:: Clay
Certainly, free water in the agave syrup (or any other ingredient) is a contributor.
One way to test this is to make the exact same recipe but leave out the agave. If, in a week, you don't get the taste change you know that the water in the agave is encouraging the growth of something. You can then try an alternative form of sweetener (e.g., coconut palm sugar).
If you do get the taste change, make the recipe removing one ingredient at a time until the taste change does not happen. Now you know what ingredient is reacting with the water in the agave and you can find a substitute.
It may be that the cocoa powder/mass you are using has mold or other spores in it. These are much harder to control than in "cooked" chocolate because of the low temperature processing. You have to be much cleaner working, too.
John:
When the chocolate "goes off" what does that mean? Does it start to taste rancid? Is mold growing? What's happening?
Felipe:
If you are making chocolate for a hobby then the home oven may be better if it is a convection oven. Invest in perforated sheet pans on which to the roasting. Two pans in the oven may give you the same capacity as a Behmor for a lot less money. Also consider using some sort of stone "heat sink" (like a pizza stone or hearth liner) to help regulate oven temp swings when opening and closing the oven.
Coffee roasters are certainly adaptable for roasting cocoa and there should be a wide selection of new and used in Colombia to choose from. Coffee shellers may be adaptable to hulling roasted cocoa, it depends on the shape of the throat and how adjustable the gap is.
The decision might also be based on energy cost and availability. Gas might be easier and cheaper than electricity, for example, where your facility is located.
In the US, small gas roasters tend to be very expensive to purchase, even used. Electric convection ovens are easier to find (used, on eBay, for example), and tend to be less expensive to install and operate as well. They're not made to "roast" cocoa beans, so there are other operational issues to consider, such as cleaning.
If I was going to go the convection oven route and had the money, I would purchase one that accepts roll-in speed racks and rotated throughout the cooking cycle.
But that's just me. If you choose a manual oven I would test it to discover the temperature distribution. From this you can get an idea if (and then how) you need to rotate pans during roasting.
Another key factor for consideration if you need to rotate pans is how quickly the temperature recovers after opening the doors (and how low the temp drops). This needs to be factored into the roast profile calculations. Of course, you can also use stone inserts to help regulate the temperature.
Ben -
Neither Alan nor Colin - or you - shared with me that they/you were using convections ovens. Need to revise my opinion in that case.
:: Clay
I don't know the brand, in fact. I am on record as saying that I don't think the use of convection ovens is a good idea because it's difficult (if not impossible) to get an even roast - even when moving pans around. I would never buy a used oven for this reason without testing it to know that the temperature was even front to back, left to right, top to bottom, when full of pans.
Furthermore, one thing I do know is that the ovens need to be cleaned very often. Like every day. They are not designed to handle the build-up of fats (cocoa butter in suspension in the air). These can clog the fans, too, so it's extremely important to be diligent about cleaning them
Another point I want to mention. Roasting is a crucial element of flavor development. Why skimp out on it? If anything, you want to ensure that you're getting the best possible roast, not the cheapest possible roaster.
There are others who disagree with this opinion, but there is no one I know who is making chocolate that is using a convection oven as a roaster that makes a chocolate that is widely held (i.e., internationally) in high regard.
Solis:
I am curious to know why you want to know the specific brand. In reality it does not matter. The concerns are the number of racks (which determines the batch size) as well as the evenness of the airflow (and therefore the temperature of the oven cavity) from back to front, top to bottom, and left to right.
Another concern that few people talk about is recovery time. How long does it take for the oven to return to the preset temperature after the doors are opened? There are two times ... when cold items are added (i.e., new pans with beans), and when hot items are returned (i.e., after rotating/shaking the pans).
A final note that few people talk about when using convection ovens is ... how often do they need to be cleaned? Mast Bros clean every day to remove residue left over from roasts (off the sides, doors, fan mechanism). If left uncleaned, this residue can degrade the performance of the oven as well as, potentially, introduce off-odors.
Omar:
I certainly know that it made it very easy to replace the strings! Also, the strings were short so they didn't stretch very much, making them last longer.
Using the device was a little tricky as it relied on physical strength to push the slab through the strings (with a pusher). At some point, it becomes very difficult to work this way. I can imagine creating a simple ratchet mechanism that would enable someone to apply a lot of force with a little leverage.
I saw a handmade version of a guitar like this in Bolivia made using - believe it or not - real guitar tuning pegs to stretch the wires. Very ingenious. The main difference is that the material was pushed through the guitar by hand.
The board was shaped like an "L" and material was pushed through one set of strings than pushed through the other without having to be removed from the board. It was made from wood, but no reason it couldn't be made from aluminum and HDPE pretty inexpensively.
I will look to see if I can find the pictures and post.
Springfield, Mo. On Oct. 21, 2011, American bean to bar chocolate maker AskinosieChocolate shipped their first export to China
The crew at Askinosie has been working with a distributor in China for months inpreparation for their order. Many special instructions had to be followed that the factory had notencountered for export to any other country, such as retrieving special certificates about theingredients, and creating new packaging for the chocolate bars. The chocolate bars will becarried in high-end department stores in Shanghai.
This occasion marks a significant achievement for not just Askinosie Chocolate, butAmerica as a whole- last week marked the highest U.S. trade deficit with China in history.
Shawn Askinosie, founder and CEO of Askinosie Chocolate says, Even though ourpallet of chocolate seems insignificant, it isnt because it represents a glimmer of hope for smallbusinesses in America, that we are part of the change. There is demand in China for high qualityproducts made in America.
Jane Shen, President of Shanghai Eagle Import & Export Co. Ltd., the importer ofAskinosie Chocolate says, The chocolate is good quality, good taste, with a specialenvironmental packaging.
This order is what Askinosie hopes to be the first of many in a long relationship withtheir new distributor in a brand new market
Askinosie Chocolate is a small batch chocolate manufacturer located in Springfield,Missouri, sourcing 100% of their beans directly from the farmers. Shawn Askinosie, founder andchocolate maker, travels to regions of Ecuador, Honduras, the Philippines and Tanzania to workdirectly with the farmers and source cocoa beans for his chocolate. This allows the chocolate tobe traced to the source and labeled Authentic Single Origin Chocolate. It also enables AskinosieChocolate to profit share with the farmers, giving them a Stake In the Outcome. The AskinosieChocolate mission is to serve their farmers, their neighborhood, their customers and each other;sharing the Askinosie Chocolate experience by leaving the world a better place than they found it.
Bean to Bar Chocolate Workshop Debuts in the Hudson Valley
SHOKAN, NY Youve heard of farm to table cuisine featuring the freshest, most imaginative food in the Hudson Valley. Now, chocolate lovers can also rejoice with the opening of an unparalleled bean to bar chocolate workshop in Shokan, NY.
Fruition Chocolate is a workshop that makes its stone ground chocolate in small batches using all organic ingredients. The highest quality cocoa beans are sourced from Costa Rica, slowly roasted to bring out their unique flavor, and stone ground to a luxurious smooth texture.
Chef Bryan Graham, who grew up in the Catskill Mountains, has worked for over 13 years as a baker, pastry chef, confectioner, and chocolate maker. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he later worked as Sous Chef at the Apple Pie Bakery Caf where he began a micro batch bean to bar chocolate making program. With the launch of Fruition Chocolate, Chef Graham harnesses his specialized skill set and artistry to create an exciting new line of chocolate and confections.
Fruition Chocolates opening product line includes a selection of dark chocolate and milk chocolate bars. The Classic Milk is an interpretation of a traditional milk chocolate: full of big vanilla and caramel notes. The Dark Milk is a gateway chocolate: a hybrid of dark and milk that is rounded out with fleur de sel. The Signature Dark 66% and 70% Dark bars floral and earthy tones are highlighted by a careful and judicious roast. Rustic Crunch blends 70% dark chocolate with Demerara sugar crystals, cocoa nibs and Vietnamese cinnamon. To top it off, Fruition offers enticing chocolate coated products: Caramelized Oregon Hazelnuts, Smoked Almonds, Roasted Cocoa Nibs, and Jalapeo Dusted Corn Nuts.
Fruition Chocolate is wholesaling to pastry chefs at high-end restaurants such as Cafe Boulud in NYC and to bars and retailers including The Stockade Tavern in Uptown Kingston, NY and Blue Cashew in Rhinebeck, NY. Fruition also produces custom chocolates and confections for weddings and special occasions.
Fruition will open its workshop as a retail store on November 19th. Please celebrate with us from 4pm - 10pm. There will be a variety of chocolates and confections to taste and the product line will be available for sale. Fruition Chocolate will be open Fridays from 12pm - 6pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am - 6pm. We will have extended hours during the holiday season. Please visit www.TasteFruition.com for further information.
Fruition Chocolate is located 11.5 miles northwest of the NYS Thruway, in the Olive Plaza at 3091 Route 28, Shokan, NY 12481. The phone number is (845) 657-6717.
Andre:
There are any number of books that go into the making of pates de fruits . Learning something about the chemistry will probably be a good help. Even if you don't want to buy your pectin from Amazon, I can recommend Peter Greweling's book - there's a whole chapter on Jellies.
Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner
Ben -
It's possible to put a digital thermometer in the chocolate and attach it to a device that will turn the power on and off. However, you will only be measuring the temperature at one point, so I don't know how useful it will be.
:: Clay
I realize you don't need a stable temp.
The question is: "How long will it take for any given approach to melting chocolate take to melt X weight to desired temp?" This melter might be real fast - too fast, in fact in that it will melt far more chocolate than you need far more quickly than you need to a temperature much higher than you need.
If so, then whatever money you're saving on the equipment you're losing in increased energy costs.
Or maybe not. There could be ways to much more closely monitor the equipment, but it won't be "set and forget" especially at the beginning.
To everyone looking to shave a few bucks off a purchase, capital acquisition costs are only a small part of the total cost picture, or total cost of operation (TCO).
Operating a piece of equipment can cost more than buying it.
If one piece of equipment is less energy efficient than another, then it may make more sense to buy the more expensive piece of equipment as it will be cheaper in the long run
Ben - the unit you're looking at is a food warmer. It wants to hold food above 150F. That's real high for chocolate. I'd contact the company (or the web site) and ask them what the bottom end of the range on the thermostat is. Even is 150F is okay, you'll pay more to keep it at that temp than at 120F - and it will cost more in the long run, even if you saved a few bucks up front.
While UTZ may be less well known (to some) than FLO, RA, and others, the question is really about your feelings about the definition of sustainable.
Mars just announced that many of its products in the Netherlands will be UTZ certified starting February 2012.
Accompanying the announcement was the following "definition" for sustainability.
Sustainable cocoa means that it is produced using humanitarian agriculture techniques that are environmentally friendly and offer cocoa farmers a better price.
Please share your thoughts on this definition.
Brian, you seriously want me to believe that you are not interested one iota in knowing the chocolate personality of Lady GaGa? Or Justin Bieber?
Snap.
According to the press release :
Nestl has created a new luxury brand that delivers fresh chocolates, tailor-made for individual tastes.
Actually, that's not the case.If you take a closer read through the release, it's a two-step process.
That said, it's part of a much broader initiative that has the potential (if it's successful, if consumers care, do people associate Nestl with a luxury brand (Hershey couldn't do it with Scharffen Berger, et al) to influence chocolate marketing globally.
Your thoughts on the program, its chances for success, and how it might have an impact on the chocolate business generally - and your business in particular?
Some more from the release:
Maison Cailler is a response to the changing times we live in, Mr Lacroix explains.
People are looking for more personalised products and services, and they are increasingly purchasing these online."
We will be able to fine tune the Maison Cailler offering according to consumer feedback, he continues.
Although the five main chocolate personalities will never change, soon we will be able to identify nuances. The goal really is to be as personal as possible.
People can register to set up a personal account on the Maison Cailler website; importing their Facebook contacts and logging the chocolate personalities of their friends.
They will also be able to post questions to the Maison Cailler team.
The Maison Cailler website, which works on all digital devices, will stream live footage from webcams in the chocolatiers kitchens; from the Molson; and from the fields where the cows who provide the factorys milk graze.
There will even be live footage from a cocoa farm in Ecuador.
We are showing consumers that we are a real business, with real people, who work here every day making chocolate for them to enjoy, adds Mr Lacroix.
Mel -
Since this comment from Marou Chocolate was posted I believe that they are now in the business of selling small quantities of beans. I would get directly in touch with them.
This just in from Bloomberg-Business Week :
Credit Suisse AG reduced its three- and 12-month cocoa price forecasts as the commodity is still expensive and the technical picture looks weak.
Cocoa will be at $2,550 a metric ton on ICE Futures U.S. in New York in three months, down from a previous estimate of $2,700 a ton, the bank said in a monthly report e-mailed today. The chocolate ingredients price is seen at $2,350 a ton in 12 months, down from $2,400 a ton forecast last month, it said.
That's down about 30% from the all-time high less than a year ago. Scary.
Last Friday, the government of Ghana set the minimum price it would pay farmers for the 2011-2012 harvest at US$2000/MT.
The price of the beans has been falling on global markets and the government has sacrificed part of its export tax share to help farmers, Finance Minister KwabenaDuffuor said at a news conference [Friday, Oct 14] in Accra, the capital.
[FYI, the market price for cocoa on Friday was US$2664.96/MT down from US$3471/MT just this past February. World market commodity prices have been consistently above US$2000/MT since November, 2007.
I wonder if there is any "coincidence" in the Ghanaian government setting the floor at the same price as the FT floor and wonder what the floor is/was prior to this announcement. It also makes you wonder what the real differences are between the farm gate prices, the local market prices, any government-controlled pricing, and the export/world market prices.
It's a lot more complicated than a single number.
[On-line source for cocoa bean pricing .]
Notes about pricing in neighboring Ivory Coast.
See also this Reuters story on the Ivorian government ending consultations with cocoa exporters and farmers on planned reforms to the sector that will guarantee its hundreds of thousands of smallholders a minimum selling price.
Lana:
Take a look here . Based on the photo it looks like the issue of whether or not the lid will fit in your rack depends on the way your rack is made.
As for how tight the fit it is. Not having used this exact model, but based on experience with other, similar products, the plastic lid does have a friction fit. How good that fit is depends on many things, including, I imagine, how beat up the pan it's covering is.
You are only "allowed" to use Valrhona?
You can certainly experiment with chilling the caramel but I think you will find it very hard to work with. Looking to make the caramel firmer, while the same flavor, is probably your best bet.
Using molds is not an option? Have you tried making snobinettes? People make those with wine corks covered in plastic wrap. Dip that in tempered chocolate, let harden, then remove the cork and plastic (carefully). You now have a "cup" that you can fill with liquid caramel ... and cap if you want or not. Great thing about this approach is that the "molds" are really cheap.
There is another option to consider, which is pre-made truffle shells. Pipe your caramel into those then cover the hole with chocolate. Let the plug harden, then dip.
There was a very long discussion on this recently, the consensus being that it's a pretty common thing to do and it makes sense to use the technique where it makes sense. There are some very big names that got their start using pre-made shells and filling them. Vosges is one. They may still be doing it, though my guess is that by now they are using a one-shot machine due to the volume they produce.
Omar:
Did you see the writeup/video on the app on the Apple site? Like many aspects of the Tcho story, I think there's a little misdirection going on here.
Timothy talks about automating the lab - which is all small-scale machinery. That I've seen.
To the best of my knowledge, the only machinery in the actual factory that is controlled remotely by iPhone is the depositor. As they don't roast/winnow on the Pier any intimation that they're controlling the entire process, bean to bar, on Pier 17 is misleading at best.
Brad -
A bit of confusion, perhaps. You wrote this software to run your business (i.e., a customized ERP program that does inventory, POS, etc.). Does it also control the machinery? That's the question I think Mark is responding to below and the interest of Omar, the OP.
From previous comments you've made about the value of investing in high-tech equipment on the manufacturing side (e.g., digital probes in roasters), my guess is that your application is strictly a management application, not a process control application.
What I find fascinating about this is that they invested a boatload of money on projects like this one that were not on the critical path of actually making chocolate. Despite what they may say, they are not making chocolate - bean-to-bar in the factory.
So, while it may be cool, what's the point?
Jim:
When is the next cacao festival in Ilheus? June 2012? Let's see if we can organize a group of TCL members to join the celebration ... and visit the Fazenda Venturosa.
:: Clay
