Forum Activity for @Bill Tice

What is a "Traditional Chocolate Truffle"?

Posted in: Opinion

I have a dilemma. I entered what I thought was a "Truffle" contest and the winners were what I consider "Bonbons". I remember some time ago on the old Discover Chocolate site Clay defined several types of Truffle. I think they were: French, American, Nouvelle American. I also posted this question: What is a "Traditional Truffle" on the Ecole Chocolat Graduate forum. There seems to be a wide and subjective definition. What is yours?

updated by @Bill Tice: 04/20/15 06:40:22

The Malting Process as it Relates to Cacao Fermentation

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I've brewed beer for many years. The malting process as you mentioned, does break things down, though I think its primarily starches (the endosperm's energy supply storage) into sugars useable by the barley seedling. It's essential to kill it, (kilning) to interrupt the sprouting process. This might be akin to the patio drying taking place in cacao processing. In barley production, its done in gas rotary kilns. Malting and kilning does have dramatic impact on the barley's flavor profile, it's diastatic power (the sugar-to-alcohol conversation) and ultimately the beer's flavor.

I know nothing about cacao, though I'm absorbing info like a sponge... But your intuition is probably spot-on, as Aussie's might say. Experiments were probably done by big chocolate co's over the past century, though those may be trade secrets. As the folks at Xoco point out, the drying/fermenting process by small farmers nowadays is probably hit or miss.

I'd do a controlled experiment at your in-laws house. Take a pod or two and wrap them in damp newspaper or muslin, take some other pods and remove the seeds, then wrap the seeds in damp paper, etc, with a control group with no fermenting at all. Dry each batch under the same dessicating conditions and then roast, grind and process. Do a taste test, varying ferment times and temp.

Would be cool to try this at home, but alas no cacao in Atlanta, GA usa.

BOb

The Malting Process as it Relates to Cacao Fermentation

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi tom i was in campo and offline for some time there. sorry for the delay. I said that the 1 day rest period did NOT produce a noticeable difference, they were indistinguishable flavor-wise from beans taken out of the pods the same day as harvest which is our normal procedure.

brian

The Malting Process as it Relates to Cacao Fermentation

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks for the explanation Nat. I agree this is not part of fermentation that I have heard much about and it is interesting as it may help some of the growers I know make better chocolate.

The Malting Process as it Relates to Cacao Fermentation

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I don't think we have to turn to malting as an explanation. It's basically a drying out of the pulp as Jim said, which probablyreduces the anaerobic yeast stage of the fermentation with air gaps opening up in the beans faster. This would lead to a faster take over of the aerobic bacteria and a faster heating of the pile.

I think it can have a lot to do with the variety, as thin-walled Criollo may dry out too fast and no longer be good for a ferment, whereas the other varieties can benefit from sitting for a bit.

I agree with Seneca that grains have sugary starchy endosperm as the majority of their seed, whereas the cotelydons that make up the majority of cacao seeds do not have all these stored sugars, one of the reasons they have to be planted within a week of harvest and can't stored to keep them viable like grains. This is true of many tropical seeds that depend on germinating very quickly and not survivingthrough a winter with the stored sugars before having proper conditions to germinate. Without those stored sugars, there's nothing to malt!

Thanks for stimulating the interesting discussion, Tom! This aspect of fermentation needs to be talked about more.

-Nat

____________________________

Nat Bletter, PhD

Chocolate Flavormeister

Madre Chocolate

http://madrechocolate.com

The Malting Process as it Relates to Cacao Fermentation

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Seneca, I was meaning that during the time between cutting a perfectly ripe pod from the tree and the opening of that pod the seeds may undergo chemical changes similar to that of the malting process as they move towards germination. I am certainly not advocating germinating seeds before fermentation. Just looking for an explanation as to why leaving the cut pods for a few days before opening and fermenting results in beans that ultimately give better chocolate, as attested to by Jim and Adeir Boida de Andrade.

The Malting Process as it Relates to Cacao Fermentation

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

It may be that I'm misunderstanding, but I wanted to clarify that germinated cotyledons should *not* be included in ferments...these will inevitably result in faulty outcomes, and should be discarded. Jim's comments make sense to me--it's useful to experiment with holding pods (or wet seed, for that matter) before beginning a ferment, but germinants are a sign of substantial overripeness, and definitely not a positive.

As far as the issue of malting, I think there are substantial enough botanical differences between seeds and cotyledons that there's probably no useful parallel. See Wood & Lass, Hardy and Knapp for solid analysis of the various processes occurring during fermentation and their effect on flavor precursors.

The Malting Process as it Relates to Cacao Fermentation

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks for the responses guys, that has been very insightful!

So Brian, would you say that leaving the pods for the one day period gave you the best flavour in the finished chocolate, you mention it is noticably different from doing it asap.

I might try and get my mate in FNQ who grows to try leaving the cut pods for a day or so and see the effect on the chocolate.

My little cocoa babies in Darwin are going great guns, only about 2 more years and we might see some flowers.

The Malting Process as it Relates to Cacao Fermentation

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Tom,

We have a standard practice of cutting pods and leaving them in a collected location for 4 days. I have found that the "resting" phase, through evaporation, reduces the amount of liquid that must be drained during fermentation and concentrates sugars contained in the fruit. We have had no germination experiences and find the fermentation temperatures rise substantially higher when the pods are opened 4 days after harvest. I don't know what the method of collecting after cut is being used in other locations but we have developed a tool for picking ip pods without using sharp tools. Many locations use machete or other to "stick" the pod then enter to the transport basket. BAD PRACTICE....once the pod interior has been introduced to oxygen, fermentation begins and there's no way you can expect to get a controlled fermentation cycle. We have found the most significant steps in our process are:

1. collect only fruit that is fully ripened. There are economic reasons to collect all ripe, near ripe and promising to ripen pods when the harvest is made. This precludes having to return the next week for an additional cutting.

2. move beans to fermentation boxes within 8 hours of opening the pods. Do not co-mingle "good" beans with diseased, discolored or otherwise non-standard quality.

3. utilize fermentation boxes that have free flow for allowing liquids to exit the fermentation unit. Our fermentation boxes are constructed with 5mm gaps at all joining surfaces.

4. maintain a cover over the fermenting beans to retain heat. I am against the use of banana leaves as cover as the collect humidity on the surface adjacent to the bean and "rain" on the pile when cooled temperatures are encountered at night. We use fabric material which can be washed after the fermentation cycles terminate.

5. The remaining steps are a function of bean temperature, ambient temperature, sugar concentration, heap size, and must be measured at daily intervals with adjustments as required. Final phases of fermentation must be carefully managed to produce full fermentation without excessive fermentation. We use pile temperature to manage the first phases and bean cuts for concluding when beans are ready to dry.

Item 1 and Item 5 are absolutely required for quality fermentation...the other items may have a small impact on the final product but omission of 1 and 5 are guaranteed disaster.

Jim Lucas

Fazenda Venturosa

Floresta Azul, Bahia, Brazil

The Malting Process as it Relates to Cacao Fermentation

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

unfortunately, for me, i have no access to fresh pod!

but reading the comment from brian, and taking in consideration a bit of experience with wheat (beer) and germination, i would do it this way:

Remove the beans after the first day of picking, somehow wash them (to stop/slow down fermentation) let germinate in a even bed, then roast them directly. see the result.

i guess it could be one of those "add on" to your traditionally beans to create an extra/different flavor note...

I would be very curious to taste a chocolate made with 100% unfermented but malted beans... i might have just given a world discover away. !!!!

For you lucky people living in Cocoa farms: if you ever try my idea and it works:please, at least, send me a fly ticket to come and visit you ah ah aha !!!

The Malting Process as it Relates to Cacao Fermentation

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi from Peru Tom, I can only speak to my personal experience with this in one place and two varieties of cacao, and without a serious grounding in the chemistry of it which you appear to have. i've done sample lots of pure nacional (with 40% white beans) and ccn51 leaving cut pods on the ground 1, 3 and 5 days before opening and beginning fermentation. the 1 day lots are not noticeably different from putting the beans in the fermenter the same day they are opened.

in 3 days, as you say many beans germinate. these have a slightly different aroma going into the fermenter, and they seem to ferment a little differently, and taste a little different once fermented, producing a problem with uniformity between the two classes of bean. also the germinated beans can have a problem with their skin sloughing off somewhat in the fermenter box and thus they are not well protected on the dryer bed and can get kind of burned and crumbly in the time it takes the other beans to dry.

at 5 days most of the beans have germinated and to me they have an off flavor, slightly putrid, that does not improve with fermenting. a matter of opinion obviously and my palate is not among the best so who knows?

a few logistical problems, at least here in my area with letting them sit -- the cacao parcel is not always right next to the farmer's house and if the pods are left lying there often someone will steal them. also a pile of pods is like a dessert tray to a squirrel or monkey, they get some % of pods on the tree but i have seen a sitting pile get ravaged almost 100% by critters. finally many consider a germinated bean defective, it has a telltale hole where the germ comes out and it can affect grading of the beans.

so for all those reasons we don't do it here, but in the right place at the right time, and taking logistical issues off the table, it might be a good option. i am attaching the one study i know of which addresses it, from portillo et al in venezuela, this is the english translation they published, its not perfect, if you want the original spanish let me know. they conclude that 0 days on the ground is best, but i think they only compared it to 5 days, not any intermediate value like 3 or 4. also they are talking only about criollo porcelana

good luck in darwin,

brian

The Malting Process as it Relates to Cacao Fermentation

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I have read now in a few places that the best chocolate is made from fermented beans that were left in the pods for about 4 days after picking before then being opened and fermented. This got me thinking about an explanation, perhaps this is akin to the malting process. The malting process is where a grain is taken, most commonly barley, and it is soaked in water and then allowed to germinate. Once germinated it is then dried for a few days at around 50degC then roasted after that to the darkness required. The process of germination breaks down polysaccharides into monomeric sugars such as glucose and fructose and also proteins are broken down into amino acidsthese arethe two precursors for the Maillard reaction which is responsible for the flavours in chocolate.

So joining the two together is it possible that leaving the pods once cut for 4 days before opening and fermenting leads to changes in the beans akin to malting providing the bean with more precursors to the chocolate flavour? I know that cacao germinates very quicky, I am growing some in Darwin at my sister-in-laws house.

I had a quick look in the scientific lit. and couldnt find any refs on the subject, it would be a cool research project I think.

updated by @Tom: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Revolation x3210 beeping and flashing "HHH"

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Ah crap. You got one too? I guess it got bashed around during shipping. They test them all before sending so it worked when it left the factory. Call them. They are very nice.

Good luck.

Revolation x3210 beeping and flashing "HHH"

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you. I was afraid that I would have to send it back.

Revolation x3210 beeping and flashing "HHH"

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Sean. Yes. I spoke with the company soon after and it was a faulty machine. Nothing I could do but return the whole unit to them and have another shipped out. Have loved my new machine every day I've had it. Never a problem.

Cheers!

Revolation x3210 beeping and flashing "HHH"

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hello,

I wanted to know if you found the cause of this problem?

Thanks,

Sean

Revolation x3210 beeping and flashing "HHH"

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hello,

I have just purchased and unboxed a new Revolation x3210 and am anxious to use it.

I have plugged it in, cleaned all the parts, alligned all the contacts, read all the directions and am ready to go. Turn it on and all it does is blink "HHH" and beep incessantly. Has anyone else come across this?

I've left a VM at Chocovision but not heard back yet. I'd love to be able to use it this weekend but need help. Anyone?

Thanks.

Kai

updated by @Kai Kronfield: 04/11/25 09:27:36

2012 cacao and chocolate salon - Lima, Peru

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

you can communicate with Stella Coello of USAID at scoello@usaid.gov . One of the key people working on the salon for the Peruvian Ag Ministry got injured and is on bed rest and Stella has stepped in to fill some of her duties while she recovers. Stella speaks english and can put you in touch with the right people to "seed the clouds"

2012 cacao and chocolate salon - Lima, Peru

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Clay,Thanks for your thoughts and advice. I have decided to fly up to Lima for the Salon, arriving on Friday AM. Hopefully we will have a chance to meet. As you wisely note, it is always best to seed the clouds before traveling. I sent an note a a couple days ago to an email address that appeared on the salon's website, but have not heard back. Any chance you could share a name and email of the salon's liaison you mentioned?Cheers,mg

2012 cacao and chocolate salon - Lima, Peru

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Mark -

I am going to be attending the Salon this year and I can tell you from the contacts I had with the organizers that there is a specific focus on attracting international visitors to meet with producers in order to stimulate exports. The reason I am going is to talk about sourcing for a project I am working on.

There is, obviously, a consumer side, but there is also a conference program with some technical talks.

I haven't been in previous years, so I can't comment on whether or not USAID/Technoserve involvement is more or less than it has been - but like many things it's about making contacts before you go in order to be able to leverage the time you have there. We are working with the US-based liaison to do just that - make sure our needs are made known before we go down and to start the discussions before we leave the US.

2012 cacao and chocolate salon - Lima, Peru

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

brian, thanks for the quick and helpful response. if i end uptraveling to Limai will be sure to let you know, since Iwould love to have a chance to meet. this is totally unrelated to my day job with TNC.years ago i worked with cacao/chocolate in Ecuador and i am thinking of getting back into craft chocolate here in Chile.veremos....

2012 cacao and chocolate salon - Lima, Peru

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi Mark, yes I'll be there, they have me giving a presentation on saturday i think. In previous years it was just as cacao focused as chocolate, and you could certainly speak to most of the heads of the big cooperatives like Acopagro, Sol Verde, Naranjillo, Cepicafe, Ceproaa, etc. This year it seems to be scaled back, i think USAID has decreased or cut entirely their support, so I get the impression that it might be more consumer chocolate focused this year. Having said that, there will definitely be at least some cacao people there, and they're always looking for clients. also the folks from the Ag ministry or Appcacao can connect you to potential suppliers.

Is this a nature Conservancy project (i looked you up) or are you thinking of getting into chocolate? or are you already into it?

2012 cacao and chocolate salon - Lima, Peru

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi Brian, I see that the Cacao and Chocolate salon is back for 2013. Will you be attending? I live in Santiago, Chile and am thinking of traveling to Lima for the salon with the hope of meeting some suppliers who can export quality cacao beans to Chile. In your experience, is the salon a good place to meet cacao suppliers or mainly an end consumer focused chocolate show? Appreciate your thoughts. Thanks, mark

2012 cacao and chocolate salon - Lima, Peru

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi Brian, Thanks for this info. I will be in Lima a few days before that after climbing Machu Picchu. Not sure of my exact itinerary but if you're there, it might be nice to grab a coffee and talk chocolate.

Cheers!

Kai Kronfield

Nosh This

2012 cacao and chocolate salon - Lima, Peru

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi Brian,

I think I emailed you directly. I will be in Lima on the 6th of July. Our Hawaii Chocolate & Cacao Association is active in promoting cacao farming and chocolate production in Hawaii. We'd look forward to meeting and chatting with you.WE are hoping to bring back some inspiration from the travels for our own festival in Hawaii.

2012 cacao and chocolate salon - Lima, Peru

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

The 2012 version of Peru's cacao and chocolate salon takes place July 4-8. I'm not connected to the salon in any way, although I may give a presentation, the organizers have yet to confirm. The website is poor but the link is:

http://www.salondelcacaoychocolate.pe/index.html

BecauseI live and work with cacao farmers in the campo here in Peru, I sometimes feel disconnected with the world of chocolate, despite being directly involved in it. If any chocolate life members are planning to come to Peru for the salon, i'd love to get together, have a chance to speak english, and gain new perspectives on the cacao and chocolate industries.

If anyone has any questions about the salon, peru, or travel to peru, let me know and I'll be glad to help as time and internet connection permits. I look forward to meeting any intrepid types who make the trip.

brian

updated by @brian horsley: 04/12/15 00:37:23

Boxes for my chocs

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hi i am using the Chocolate artist software and am getting on with it realy well, the problem i have is finding a company in the uk that makes chocolate boxes to fit the size of the chocolates used with the magnetic molds. The inserts all seem to be to small, is there anywhere in the united states that i can order them from.

many thanks

updated by @david roberts: 05/21/15 13:09:03

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Arthur,

I thought I'd give an update.

I took your advice - I have made a cooling place - I put sides below a work table, and fitted a portable air conditioner in it with a vent to outdoors for the warm air part. (I also had to take the air conditioner apart and adjusted the thermostat to give me lower temperatures). I now have a cupboard with dryer air and I can get from room temperature down to 8 degrees C if I want it that low. The shelves have different temperatures, so I can move the molds about to try to copy your figures.

The results have been great - thanks for all your help.

Tony

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks Paul, Yes im using this procedure and i am getting the condensation because we pack them right after we get them from the freezer.

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Arthur,

Do you know if the humidity meter is ISO certified?

Thanks

Omar

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Arthur,

That is really interesting, you obviously are an expert.

Thanks for the link too.

As you may have gathered from my previous post, I'm not a youngster, and in my previous work I have always tried hard to know the theory behind the practice - I'm slowly getting to grips with chocolate.

My chocolate work has slowed for a time as I've been fitting out my "chocolate kitchen" - I've got a couple of dogs, so I have made a second kitchen in my house to keep them dog-hair free.

Thanks again for your time.

Tony

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Tony,

In ideal world the chocolates should fall out of the mould when you flip it over, which is the result of using a right method: preheating mould, cooling at the right temperature and time, then demoulding.

The way the cooling has to work is basically in a curve, ideally in a manufacturing there a cooling tunnels used for that, we have four sections in a cooling tunnel, which are set at the following temperatures: going in - 16C(10min.) 14C(10min.) 13C(10min) and 16C(10 min). Total cooling time = 40minutes. the reason for such a high temperatures at the inlet and outlet is to do with shock. A bit of a detail- http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=shock%20chocolate%20cooling&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CEkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgermany.croklaan.com%2FSystem%2FDownload.asp%3Fdocument%3DImportance%2520of%2520correct%2520cooling_tcm47-6245.pdf%26documentTitle%3DImportance%2520of%2520correct%2520cooling%26Registration%3Dyes&ei=0FvIT_j0O8uGhQeKrcS7Dw&usg=AFQjCNFCx3h1hyAYMqbpywkdNgLYTpKD3A

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Arthur,

Thanks for the information - I did buy a cheap gadget to measure the humidity - but it is too cheap, I bought a second one and they are 10% different! So I think I will buy a more accurate one.

Can you explain -cool "from 16 down to 13C, then again 15/16C" ... so I cool it to 13 then let it warm a little at 15/16 for 40 minutes? The problem I see is getting the mold to release the casing if I don't cool it low enough.

When I started with chocolate I had no idea that the science was more important than anything else - it's brought back school work of 50 years ago! I find myself comparing the way chocolate works with the way iron and steel solidify and crystalise, which, I assume, is the basis of the word "tempering" - with steel one heats, cools rapidly (hardening), then re-heat to a specific temperature (tempering) to get the properties one requires. I didn't think I'd ever use the metallurgy I learned!

I find it fascinating, and presents such a wide spectrum of challenges.

Thanks again,

Tony

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

What creates moisture/condensation- is when you have a difference between your roomtemperatureand fridge(if an open type one) is more than 5C.

I personally would not put chocolate in a freezer even for 5 minutes because you are 'shocking' the chocolate, where's HAS to be slowly cooled going from 16C down to 13C and then again 15/16C for about 40 minutes- that's ideal life- what 'chocolate guru's' are saying.

I have this problem at work every year where chocolates coming out of the cooling tunnel are wet, covered with condensation, which I personally think is to do with the humidity in the room, which in some rainy summer days is more thanRh.

I would highlyrecommendgo to Maplin shop and buy this- http://www.maplin.co.uk/humidity-and-temperature-probe-meter-220815 . Do some measures on a daily basis and you'll find that maybe it is really a matter of buying a dehumidifier or changing your fridge onto a small cooling system, that can be custom made and does not require huge capex.

Regards, Arthur

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi,

Thanks, Paul,

Sounds sensible advice.

There is a lot to learn in this activity!

All the best,

Tony

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I make chocolate in Costa Rica. We hand temper our chocolate and use a chest freezer to cool the chocolate. Being a very warm humid environment, we encountered the same thing. The best way to avoid condensation on your chocolate is to move the chocolate from the mould into the air tight container before leaving the freezer. Once the chocolate is broken out and placed in the container it can be removed to warm gradually to the ambient temperature. Once the chocolate warms up it can be removed and packaged. No cold surfaces touching warm humid air means no condensation. Give it a try!

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

@Edward.

no need to do that if you have well pre-crystallized chocolate. after moulding for 10min +8+10C fridge and that's it

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

That's good to know, Edward and thanks for the tip.

I've been making casings for praline, so the thickness presumably is not a problem - but may be if I do thicker moldings, so I'll remember your tip.

The problem is definitely sugar bloom, I've made a couple of more batches so will see what happens.

This is what I've tried. Firstly I have used a microwave instead of twin-pan to cut down on steam. I have taken the temperature in the fridge and raised it a bit (ok for the chocolates, but not so good for dairy products - so I've stuck the thermometer in the salad tray at the bottom of the fridge to see what the temperature is like there - just waiting for it to settle down.

The humidity has been high here (I live in a rural part of the UK, we have had a lot of rain recently and now it's getting warmer. I'm now able to measure the humidity and it has been up to 90% - I have bought a dehumidifier, the kitchen is small so it can easily bring the humidity down.

Of course now I've changed several variables at once - so perhaps it will be more difficult to isolate the culprit - but if I get good results I can stick at whatever works.

I really would like to thank you and Rene for your help.

I will come back to give an update in a few days - but in the meantime welcome any other ideas.

Thanks again

Tony

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Freezers are notorious for condensation--no more than 5 mins tops.

You didn't say how thick your molds are, this is important.

You also didn't say if your bloom was fat bloom or sugar bloom. Sugar bloom will feel sharp and gritty when you rub it with your fingers, fat bloom will feel greasy. Sugar bloom is the culprit with humidity issues

What might be the culprit with fat bloom is "latent heat build-up". This is where the chocolate is poured too thick and the core or center can't cool down fast enough. You see this a lot in molded figures like easter bunnies or Santas. This is how I deal with it:

When I do solid bars, and mine are no more than 1/4" thick, (6 bars to a mold) I do it in two steps::

First, I pour in about half, vibrate, scrape clean, and depending on room temp, may or may not pop them in the fridge. When solid, I pour the next or top layer, scrape clean and repeat.

Let us know when you do your next batch

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you for your reply Rene.

I have been getting a good "snap" to the chocolate, with it hardening well and with a good shine - the bloom appears after a few days.

I will try altering the temperature in the fridge, I have one for my normal cooking and another one I can use for the chocolate - so I can have this at a higher temperature.

I will also try using a microwave and not a double pan.

Thanks again,

Tony

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

hi.

what i would not use is the freezer because mould is warm and because of that when you put it in the freezer there will be moisture already inside the mould and bloom afterwards for sure.

also after closing the box you have different temperature and humidity in the box and fridge/freezer so there will be moisture in the box that causes bloom. chocolate does not like rapid temperature changes and moist. that is why there are humidity controlled fridges for chocolate and pastry that are +12+15C and ideal +18C in the prep.room. in normal fridge you risk always with high moisture and odors that affect taste and also the temperature is bit too low. but there might be something else too because i have kept in early years my chocolate in box or open in fridge and didn't have bloom.

and another thing is using double pan...that means a lot of moisture right into your chocolate. better use microwave.

when you pre-crystallize chocolate by hand then use so called 'marble' that means pre-crystallizing on table...preferably on stone plate/slab because there you add MOVEMENT needed for the chocolate crystals and that is the essential thing for best characteristics of the product...not the thermometer reading.

this is what i do when i dont have machinery:

+45C->2/3 on marble->move /fold->stir back with 1/3->sample.

when sample on your pallet knife hardens in 2-3 minutes then you are in business

good luck

rene

Humidity? Too cold fridge? Problems with bloom

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

it is actually not correct to talk about 'tempering' because it's not the temperature but mainly the crystals that we need in chocolate and those right crystals form when you give the chocolate movement or motion.

if you pour melted cacaobutter on table and you let it cool down...and then heat up a little then what dou you see? nothing. it has not crystallized. why? but when you move your finger in it it will. why? because of the movement you gave.

so it's the movement or motion you give that is important to create and line up crystalls the way we need

cheers.

rene