Mechanized cutter for chewy centers
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
I am wondering the difference between the automatic and semi automatic as its a big price difference. I actually have ot had a chance to peruse the catalog yet.
Forum Activity for @Melanie Boudar
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
I am wondering the difference between the automatic and semi automatic as its a big price difference. I actually have ot had a chance to peruse the catalog yet.
Mechanized cutter for chewy centers
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
I just checked my catalogue and pricelist. All numbers you require are in there.
Prices are excl VAT, but to be sure I will check them tomorrow on the phone with them!
M1921, elektronic device cutter 7,5mm: 5500
M1923, semi automatic device cutter 7,5mm: 2300
M1927, frame inox 22,5mm: 265,5
M1929, frame inox 30mm:237,5
Prices are in euro, if you didn't notice. I will give them a call tomorrow to check these prices, same for prices of shipping.
Davy
Mechanized cutter for chewy centers
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
No problem, if I can help anyone, I would do it with pleasure! I will call Chocolateworldtomorrow and ask for these prices... I gues they can arrange shipment as well. I see you live in Canada? I will ask seperated prices for the material and the transport. I will also ask if ths cutter can be use instead of the guitar cutter. I'll let you know asap!
Mechanized cutter for chewy centers
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Come live here in Belgium. I will stay in Maui than :o)
I will have a look in my catalogue, not sure if prices are in there for the cutter. Otherwise I will call them this afternoon. Which cutter ( this page )do you want a price for? Tell me which article numbers you need, not that there is any misunderstanding!
Davy
Mechanized cutter for chewy centers
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Lucky you to be close, I'm not close to anything except we grow cacao!
I would be interested in pricing on the cutter clay mentioned and if they get used equipment which would be more affordable.
Mechanized cutter for chewy centers
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Chocolate world is about an hour drive from here.. I've got all my moulds from there, it's here in Belgium the most important supplier for everything concerning chocolate. If you need some more info or catalogues I can arrange that for you.
Davy
Mechanized cutter for chewy centers
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Thanks Clay,
I'll check it out.
Mechanized cutter for chewy centers
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Melanie:
Chocolate World makes such a machine. Their on-line catalog is not very helpful. You will find a couple of photos on this page - M1920 (manual) M1922 (automatic).
I don't know anything else about these machines, I just remember seeing them when doing some other research.
:: Clay
Mechanized cutter for chewy centers
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
I want to make more chewy, nutty centers and a caramel cutter is just too much work. Does anyone know any machinery used for the cutting of things like this?
updated by @Melanie Boudar: 04/11/25 09:27:36
FCIA meeting Jan 15th in San Francisco
Posted in: Opinion
Not going to the meeting sarah but come to the FF show...booth 1750....
FCIA meeting Jan 15th in San Francisco
Posted in: Opinion
Haven't heard from too many chocolate folks, but I'll be there this year :-)
FCIA meeting Jan 15th in San Francisco
Posted in: Opinion
I am considering heading down to the bay area and wonder who might be going and what auxilary events/meet ups there might be to the FCIA meeting and the Fancy Food Show.
updated by @Sarah Hart: 04/09/15 13:20:11
Caramel 'exploding' out of shell
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
dirke,
that does help. i got another reply from an ecole chocolat grad and she surmised room temp as well. could be my room temp, though i dipped the other half of that same batch of caramels yesterday - kitchen was around 63-65, and they did great. BUT, i did NOT oil my knife before cutting them. seemed risky but they cut great and dipped beautifully. i will also pay stricter attention to my room temp when doing the caramels - i guess they have sharper edges than my slabbed chocolates and are more likely to poke through if the chocolate shrinks upon dipping.
best.
c.
Caramel 'exploding' out of shell
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
I had the same issue awhile back and found my shell was to thin. the other part of it was that it had gotten colder in my area and the chocolate was setting very quickly which basically made it shrink around the caramel. I don't precoat but everything is working well again since I warmed it up a bit and did a thicker shell. Hopefully that will help?
Caramel 'exploding' out of shell
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Hi folks. I am having trouble with some of my caramels. I have a slightly chewy caramel that is slabbed, precoated w/ dark chocolate, scored then cut w/ oiled knife. I painstakingly separate each one after cutting them so they don't touch prior to enrobing (i find if they touch, they pull at one another and get misshapen). After enrobing, they hold their form nicely except that some (lately many) are cracking the exterior shell of the chocolate. Mostly they are cracking along a horizontal plane and on a couple of occasions there's a tiny dot of ooze at a corner. I don't think this is cold flow - their shape remains quite square.
Anyone else experience this? Should I just double-dip (ugh -don't want to though - I hope to avoid the extra step and thickness), or am I missing something here? Maybe just let my enrobing chocolate get a little more viscous than normal?
Also, I am slabbing caramel one day, then precoating, cutting and enrobing the next. Could this be the culprit? Does caramel need to cure longer or shorter?
Thanks for your help!
updated by @Casey Hickey: 04/11/25 09:27:36
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
Glad to be of help, I agree on the degradation point, it is really dissapointing.
The recipe was 2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, 4 tbs cocoa powder, 3/4 cups frozen berries, 1 tbs jam of the same berries. As I said I haven't played with this but the levels of ingredients seemed good taste wize. Any berry will do, we used rasberry but the recipe actually indicates blueberries.
I look forward to partaking of an ice block when I get up to QLD next.
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
Cheers Tom that's really useful. I've got some samples from Nui coming and have tried again contacting Big Tree Farms but have yet to get a reply.
Normal ice blocks in Australia seem perfect examples of product "incremental degradation" i.e. the slow replacement of ingredients by cheaper replacements until the product is a sad parody of the original. The leading Lemon / Lemonade "flavours" don't actually have lemon in them at all.
Cacao butter sounds promising I hope it also increases the stability and makes an ice block less drippy. Can't go wrong with replacing cream with cacao butter health wise either.
Any tips on your raspberry cacao sorbet? Raspberry seeds usually need straining but I have good local supplies of the European and some access to the two Australian native raspberries. I'm betting blackberry or sour cherry would work well too. I've recently tried partly candied sour cherry and orange which was great.
It would be great to get them down to SA...
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
They are the ones!
Ah, I have found a few minutes to cruise the web. Love the ice blocks concept, reallly appeals to the scientist in me - I'd like to try them all, the muslie one last though I think. You should so do a rasbery and cocoa sorbet one, my wife made one one day and it was amazingly good! I experiment a lot with cocoa liquor as an ingredient and found that the cocoa butter does make for super creamy ice-cream but I haven't re-made the killer sorbet with cocoa liquor yet. I have been slowed down this summer by breaking my wrist which makes most things difficult let alone making chocolate. 22 days in the cast to go.
I have a small Spectra 10 machine which I use as a grinder and a conch, I do 1-2 kg batches at a time. All other machines or devices are thecommon or garden variety and I built my own winnower. It is extremelly time consuming! Also have you approached Big Tree Farms in Indo - they do raw choc and cocoa powder - Ben Ripple is on here. Just check me friends list for a quick way to find Ben and Andreas (Nui).
Good luck, hope to see some ice blocks around SA soon.
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
We make a milk chocolate ice block. I'd like to make a vegan chocolate ice block / sorbettoo. It's not our greatest seller but something we feel we need to do anda recipe we can improve upon. Current ingredients milk, cream, raw cocao powder and sugar. I'm hoping that upping the cocao butter will allow the lowering / elimination of cream. We are also experimenting with a aussie classic vegan chocolate / banana recipe but will probably blend the entire thing.
Vanuatu beans sound excellent. Papua too. Do you have a conche / melangeur? I've been instructed by my partner I've gotto focus on on ice blocks and diversifying into bean processing is too far off course.
Nui is these guys? http://www.nuicoconut.com/categories/Nui-Food/
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
I am just a hobby chocolate maker at this stage.
So your in the business of making ice blocks is that right or is that just the brand name for you chocolate?
I just realised you are not a member of the 'Chocolate Down Under' group. You might find some more info in those threads especially about Nui which makes raw chocolate bars from Vanuatu beans - they are my primary source of beans also - though I roast mine. They may be interested in helping you, Andreas is a member on here.
Which cocoa liquor you want is going to be flavour dependant, they are all quite different in this region. Vanuatu is boozy and chocolatey in flavour the Australian cacao have strong notes of pineapple and liquorice, Fiji (which Nui are also importing) are mild and have really nice honey and nut notes (similar to the beans in Samoa), Bali beans have a more orange citrus note and Papua is fruity and chocolatey - I haven't worked with beans from there myself though.
Using cacao from this region is best in my opinion, there are arange of flavour profiles, ithelps our neighbours, lowers your businesses carbon footprint and saves on shipping.
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
How much do you make Tom? I probably dont need that much initially, we get through about 30 kg raw Cocao powder a year currently projected to rise to 80-100 kg. But obviously if it's liquour that willbe more.
I've not used liquour for making ice blocks yet though which is another unknown.I guess the thing to do would be start with a kg or so and make a trial batch or two.
No replies for the hippies up north either, ive tried a "yummy" "cocao & almond"bar that contains some Australian cocoa, it was nice, but the taste of dried fig over powered the cocao and I don't personally like unroasted almond.
Definately keener on PNG, Vanuatu or Bali cocao too. It seems silly importing stuff from Peru when great stuff (in PNG's case) is on our doorstep.
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
You wont have any luck sourcing beans or choc from the Mossman guys as cost of production is too high and they need to value add by making eating choc and retailing. I am extremelly doubtful Michelle of Zokoko would do bulk like that either. What you want is to search for suorces of cocoa liquor, I forget the name of the copany now but there is a big Malasian company that does cocoa butter and cocoa liquor. The problem is that cocoa liquor from these companies isn't ground fine enough for end use, the usual use for this product is to make chocolate so they assume you will be diong some additional grinding yourself. I have only come across one product that is 100% and is probably fine enough available in Australia is by Luker, found in a local Spanishdeli (El Choto). The flavour is ok but not awesome - which is why I make my own.
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
Nicely researched list of Pacific cacao suppliers! If you're willing to look further afield, check out Whittaker's and Shoklade in New Zealand. They may have some pure chocolate liquor available for you, which is what you were describing as "Ground conched fermented [roasted] country variety cocoa bean".
Guittard makes a product like this called "Oban" but that'd be a long way away (California) to get chocolate for you.
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
Another interesting little company wholesaling organic chocolate ingredients. http://www.organictimes.com.au/
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
I'd prefer to use some form of 100% powder or blocks.
My experience with couverture (e.g. Rapunzel) is that they contain soya lecithin and added sugar. The first is unacceptable to me as Soya is a common allergen and I would like to be completely in charge of additional refined sugars. I guess cocoa butter separation and recombination that seems to be a common practice is to facilitate easier grinding to the correct size?
Do any couverturs contain 100% bean i.e. is just ground conched fermented bean maybe lightly roasted to bring out flavour if necessary? Thus the ingredient would be "Ground conched fermented [roasted] country variety cocoa bean"
I've got a couple of email to hear from yet but if they don't come through I may give Zokoko a call and see if they can produce someting from their PNG beans.
Here is some notes I've collected.
http://www.oxfam.org.nz/resources/onlinereports/learning-from-experience6.pdf
Pacific Spices Ltd. PNG www.pacificspices.com.pg
Bris Kanda PNG www.briskanda.org.pg .
They are currently working with around 1500 cocoa growers and are distributing seedlings to a larger group.
Vanuatu Organic Cocoa Growers Association (VOCGA)
VOCGA was established in 1989 and is an umbrella cooperative for ten primary processing cooperatives that supply organically-certified dry cocoa beans.
VOCGA BP279 Luganvile Santo. Vanatu. Phone. 00678 36337 / (687)7747345. Fax. 00678 36337. Email pwaresul@hotmail.com
Alternative Communities Trade in Vanuatu (ACTIV) ( www.activ.com.vu );
TradeAid in New Zealand has given them a letter of intent to begin importing cocoa value-added products (cocoa butter, powder and chocolate) once they obtain the certification.
MARALUMI 64% from Markham Plantations at Lae, Papua New Guinea. Sell to Chocolaterie Michel Cluizel (Paris, France). Markham Farm
about 30km outside Lae City along the Highlands Highway. Po Box 3419 Lae 411 Morobe Province Papua New
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
The cacao farm up in Mossman you may be talking about is very fledgling and I haven't heard about them shipping any beans yet, let along pressing them for cocoa powder. Can you use whole chocolate in your pops instead of powder? You may have better luck finding whole chocolate couverture from some of the local chocolate makers like Haighs or the others mentioned in this post:
http://www.thechocolatelife.com/forum/topics/zokoko-australia-weigh...
and these guys Chocolate Farm
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
Nice information about the local supply of cacao powder that is raw is not hugely important as we are more concerned about taste, buthaving as pure and natural product as possible is important.
"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
We are having troubles with our local cacao supplier ensuring we get the same product (Northern NSW Australia). Thus we are looking for something better and with more "local" origins. We currently use raw Cacao powder. Organic and fair trade is important as is carbon miles. Raw is not hugely important as we are more concerned about taste, but having as pure and natural product as possible is important (as is ethical packaging).
I've seen good things about pacific cacao (Vanuatu), Papua New Guinea (Markham Farm?) and Indonesia (Bali). There is also some fledgeling Cacao farms up in Cairns?
Any ideas from the experts and enthusiasts our there? We would love to help some farmers who are producing some high quality cacao for our mutual benefit. We don't want to get into bean processing at the moment and are not chocolate experts. http://www.iceblocks.name/
updated by @Ice Blocks!: 12/13/24 12:16:07
Distributors of Organic Chocolate
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
Hi,
This is my first post. I have a small artisan truffle business. Currently my truffles arent organic. However, I have an opportunity to grow my business but its contingent upon my truffles being organic. Ive been trying to find distributors of Organic Callebaut but have been pulling my hair out trying to get anyone to respond to me.
Could someone point me to a distributor that carries organic Callebaut? Also, does anyone have any idea how much it goes for per pound.
Thanks!
Cherie
updated by @Cherie Mickley: 12/13/24 12:16:07
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
You can certainly get panning machines for a lot less than $16K. However, they do require a good deal of skill to learn to use well. (Hint #1 - you do NOT use tempered chocolate when panning). If you don't want to learn, or don't have the time to learn, a system like the Selmi Comfit is basically automatic. However, you do pay for it.
Enrobing does sound like it could work, but one thing to look for is that the enrober has a "bottomer" feature. This is when the carry chain goes below the level of the chocolate for a brief period to ensure that the bottom gets coated, not just the top.
In the Selmi line the smallest machine that accepts an enrobing belt is the Plus, and the combination is well over $20k, last I checked. FBM's smallest continuous temperer/enrober combination is about 10K Euros (~$13,500) after TheChocolateLife member discount. You may be able to find a batch/wheel combination for less.
Otherwise, a used machine may be your best bet.
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
If it's pretzel like - it should be able to be panned. Suspect you can put together something for panning for less than $16,000 unless you want a nice one with built in heating and cooling like the Selmi panner.
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Clay,
It's a round shaped pretzel product.
Thanks for your input.
The panning machine I looked at cost $16,000 which is crazy out of our reach - are enrobers less expensive and/or more readily available second hand?
Margaret
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
At 250 pieces an hour (based on your 2000/day assumption) you will need some type of cooling whether a tunnel or take off paper to refrigeration even though you are using compound.
I am assuming you are doing a cake ball of some description and they do enrobe because they tend to have a somewhat flat bottom and thereby are more enrobe-able. I have seen cake balls done on Selmi enrobers both with and without tunnel.
With Clay on the panning - great solution to items that are firm but would not be a solution to cake ball or the like.
brian
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Margaret:
Panning is an interesting concept, put would only work if the center is really solid. It wouldn't work on a ganache center for example.
What kind of center do you want to coat?
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Steve:
If you could post a photo of what one of the items looks like, next to something that will give a good size reference, that would help.
You could probably use an enrobing line that comes with a "bottomer." If you post a photo, I can forward to someone who does this for a living and he can let me know if it will work for you.
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Steve,
Did you ever solve your enrobing a round product issue?
I too have this situation, my product is smaller than a golf ball but bigger than a malt ball, and am thinking of attempting the panning process.
Please let me know what you came up with.
Thanks,
Margaret
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
The truffle attachment for the Selmi allows you to handle round things - but it dumps them into a container of 'stuff' like sprinkles or nuts or cocoa powder.
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Thanks Ruth. Yes, it is compound chocolate. I thought an enrober might not work well with a round product, but perhaps a "shaker" attachment might make it work.
Best,
Steve
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Thanks for replying Kerry. You are correct, it is compound chocolate.
Best,
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
There is a company in London that makes enrobers. Thier name is Jahn and Co. they are located near Kings Cross station. Get in contact with fhem they are very friendly.
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Iworked at a place in London many years ago and was introduced to a chocolate enrober, the hard way. I helped design and build one.After scraping the chocolate of myself we spent days scraping it of the floor and walls. We finally perfected it and delivered it to Dixons in Myrther TidfillWales UK
Enrobing Advice
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Like Kerry, I am confused with your term Couveture chocolate. If it doesn't need tempering, I don't think it is couveture. If a compound coating, I don't know that an enrober would help much. Have you tried using a loop rather than a spoon to dip? An enrober (at least mine) has a height restriction. Not sure a ping pong ball would fit. Probably need more info to be of much help.