Forum Activity for @Lisa - Girasole Chocolate

How long do I have before chocolate sets?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Brad,Thank you for your help. I do have a ACMC tempering machine but what I have been doing is....I take the chocolate out of the bowl and place in a 2 galon size zip lock bag (I cut a small hole in the corner ) and fill my molds. I would say it take me about 5 minutes to complete when I have fondant centers. It takes me time to drop the fondant in the center of the chocolate and tap out any air bubbles before topping off with more chocolate. Perhaps I need to work with a smaller quantity of chocolate. I've been filling the bag with approx 1-1/2 pounds of chocolate. I now understand what some of the problem is thanks to you! Believe it or not I make some awesome chocolates with homemade centers when everything just happens to work out perfectly! LOLLisaGirasole Chocolate

How long do I have before chocolate sets?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Lisa;Without a much more detailed explanation or photos of what you're experiencing, I can only guess. However, my best guess would be that you are getting bloom and swirls on your last few trays.If that is the case, the reason is that you're not keeping your working chocolate agitated. As a result, the chocolate on the surface while it's sitting and waiting to be used some more, is crystalizing differently than the chocolate in, say... the center of the bowl.If you do not have a machine that can continually agitate your chocolate, you need to either:a) have someone stirring your chocolate for you while you are working with the molds, orb) when you're done with one mold, stir, stir, stir, and then when you think you've stirred enough, repeat, and THEN mold up some more.I hope that helps.Brad.

How long do I have before chocolate sets?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hello everyone!

Ihoping that someone can help me with this issue. I'm having a problem when pouring tempered chocolate into molds/forms.It seems as though the first few trays come out perfectly temperedbut the last few do not. Just how much time do I have before the chocolate sets? I rush like crazy to get them poured but I never see anyone else rushing when I watch tutorials. What might I be doing incorrectly?

Lisa

Girasole Chocolate

updated by @Lisa - Girasole Chocolate: 04/11/25 09:27:36

2010 Fancy Food Show

Posted in: Chocolate Education

The Fancy Food Show is the finest every year. I enjoy visiting all the booths particularly all the ones devoted to chocolate. There is much to see, sample and read about. Highly recommended. Buy your ticket before June 1st as it costs $35. After that it is $60. Your pass allows you to go for all three days. On the last day, booths that have come from abroad give away a lot of their samples as it is too expensive to take back on the plane.

2010 Fancy Food Show

Posted in: Chocolate Education

I love it- it's a place to meet the products and the people, in a place that is focused on sharing information about both. Well worth the trip. Fancy Food Show is online and they often give discounts if you register early.

2010 Fancy Food Show

Posted in: Chocolate Education

I will be there all three days.It's at the Javits center in NYC June 27, 28, and 29.

2010 Fancy Food Show

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Will any members be attending this year's Fancy Food Show?

This is one show where there are several chocolatiers featured and several organic brands.

updated by @Seby Singh: 04/21/15 10:54:20

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

you can hire a tempering machine form these guys.... http://www.chocovision.co.uk/tempering-machine-hire worth looking at before you buy and a lot easier then doing it by hand without the seeding method

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

To make a solid bar, you're not going to be able to do any worthwhile tempering if there is moisture in it. Raw beans, even sun dried, still have enough water to give problems. You want to be below 1%, maybe 1.25% moisture. The roasting process is what gets the rest of the water out.

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Alan,To every 100g cacao butter I add 35g cacao powder and 45g agave (+ fresh vanilla and salt).

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Sorry,I didn't notice that you used Agave syrup. Can you give us the whole formulation? As has been mentioned, this complicates things, so before trying to trouble-shoot tempering, I'd like to see how much moisture you likely have in the mix.

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi holycacao,I agree that it tastes more like ganache after it's been out of the fridge for a while. Straight from the fridge it looks and tastes a lot like cooked chocolate.

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Alan,I first made chocolate putting in and mixing the ingredients in the order that I described above. I then followed the steps outlined by Brad Churchill here: http://www.thechocolatelife.com/forum/topics/tempering-untempered-c... . The only thing that I did differently is I initially heated the chocolate mixture (it was liquid already) to 115 F rather than 120.

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi David,I've done the same recipe without tempering in the past. Surprisingly, the end result was better.The molten mixture is pretty runny, not thick at all.You may be right about me not having stirred enough.The order in which I put the ingredients in is as follows:cacao powder --> melted cacao butter --> agave --> vanilla & salt.

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

The raw cacao that I have tasted here is more like a hard ganache in texture, its no wonder you need to use so much cocoa butter with the water content of he agave syrup. It sounds super fattening (55% ccb + the ccb from the powder up to 22%. If the chocolate (can it legally be called chocolate since it is made with agave?) is mixed well - like a ganache it could be tabled like ganache before being cooled. But this is still not really tempering.

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

What do you mean by: "tried to temper raw chocolate at 115 F today?"Chocolate will not be tempered at 115 F. Can you explain the exact process that you used? It will then be easy to trouble shoot that way.

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi David,My recipe doesn't have coconut oil, but it does have agave. Other ingredients are cacao butter, cacao powder, fresh vanilla and a pinch of Himalayan salt.Next time I will try to increase the amount of cacao butter (at the moment, it's at 55%) and see if it works.

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Well, I've tried to temper raw chocolate at 115 F today and I don't think it worked. In about an hour or so after I took the ready bar out of the fridge, it became soft, leathery and certainly wouldn't snap. It melts between fingers almost straight away.Maybe it's the recipe that I need to change? Having said that, this is the exact same recipe that one raw chocolate company uses and their chocolate is pretty good.

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you very much for the link, David. It's really helpful. I have a better understanding of the process now.I'll experiment this weekend.

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi, David,Thank you for your input.From what I read, chocolate needs to be heated to a certain temperature in order to break all types of crystals. The temperatures are quite high (don't remember the exact t though).Also, if tempering by hand, you'd need seeds, right? Where do you get seeds of tempered raw chocolate?No, I haven't tried to temper as I don't have a tempering machine yet and do not know how to temper by hand without the seeds.

Tempering Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi All,

I'd appreciate it, if you could share any info on tempering raw chocolate. Is it possible?

Thanks a lot.

Olga

updated by @Olga C: 09/02/25 20:14:35

How to make chocolate syrup

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Thank you, Dale. I will take a look there.

How to make chocolate syrup

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

John has one on Chocolate Alchmey, I haven't tried it yet but it's a recipe using good chocolate.

How to make chocolate syrup

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Hi everyone,

I'm on a quest to make homemade chocolate syrup or sauce similar to Hershey's chocolate sauce, but using better quality chocolate of course. I found a few on the web buy they either needed refrigeration or melting before using. I would like the resulting product to be shelf stable.

Anyone has any experience, ideas, or pointer I would greatly appreciate hearing them.

Sam

updated by @Sam A.: 12/13/24 12:16:07

Marketing and Promotion Advice

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

I've had 63 chocolatiers and retailers send me their chocolate since I started The Chocolate Cult. We just hosted a contest to give away a hot chocolate maker last week in fact. While not many entered that contest (geographical limits on entering) we have a ton of hits. We get our biggest draw on Saturday for our "Sacraments". I'd be happy to talk to you more if you'd like to email me. We are booked on reviews until June currently but I'm happy to talk.

Marketing and Promotion Advice

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

That's great! Thanks a lot for your advice. We will definitely try the facebook ads and check out the blog.

Marketing and Promotion Advice

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Send some bars to Emily Stone of Chocolate in Context . If your chocolate is top-notch and she likes your product, you will get a mention.However, my best results have been obtained through social networking sites, particularly Facebook. I started a Business Page in February, and through ads purchased on FB ($8/day advertising budget) plus my own connections, have almost 2,000 "fans." This translates into two or more daily sales (actual walk-ins) and many email and Wall inquiries.

Marketing and Promotion Advice

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hey everyone! We recently founded Chocomize about a half year ago. Our whole idea is that people can go to our website, www.Chocomize.com , and design their ownpersonalized chocolate bars. They can pick from three types of Belgianchocolates, milk, dark, and white, and over 100 different ingredients. Ouringredients range from the usual like nuts and fruits, to the unusual like 23Karat gold flakes, candied rose petals, sea salt, and more. In addition, wedonate a portion of our proceeds to charity and the customer gets to pick whichcharity they want to donate too!

We are trying to reach out to get some advice. We are looking for a good way to increase our exposure. We think our chocolate barsare the best in the world because they are designed by YOU the customer. Cananyone recommend some good blogs that we could send samples to? Any other adviceyou might have for us? Would anyone who owns a candy store be interested incarrying our product? Thanks in advance for all your help.

Nick, Eric, and Fabian

updated by @Chocomize: 04/16/15 09:40:03

how to join two halves of filled molded chocolates

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

That's an interesting idea -- I was thinking of using a hair dryer to do the same sort of thing. So the pan must not be very warm -- about body temp or more than that?

how to join two halves of filled molded chocolates

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

we heat up a little metal disk (or back of a pan) then take the two molds that we are going to join together, let both sit on the heated disk or pan for 1 or 2 seconds until the sides melt a little bit then we slap them together.

how to join two halves of filled molded chocolates

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Wybauw does scoop and scrape gianduja - but also does his little bang and scrape thing with regular fillings. I suppose you could use that technique to get a nice full mold before adding the thin layer of chocolate for adherence - but I'd worry that the filling touching the edges might interfere with the sides sticking together.

how to join two halves of filled molded chocolates

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Both really but especially regular ganache

how to join two halves of filled molded chocolates

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Do you mean with gianduja or regular ganache?

how to join two halves of filled molded chocolates

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Thanks for the tip. I tried to just slap together molds with ganache filling and the bond between the halves was a little tenuous -- they looked great though.I know that giaduja will hold the halves together -- and have a question in that regard;I heard that Wybaut has a method for filling molds that involves pouring or scraping the filling over the mold and then scraping very well. have you done this at all? Does it work or cause problems.Many thanks!

how to join two halves of filled molded chocolates

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

If you are filling with gianduja - it will hold the two sides together. If with regular filling - fill more than normal - then a thin layer of chocolate which is as warm as possible between the two - slap together immediately.

how to join two halves of filled molded chocolates

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Hi all. I am working on filled molded chocolates -- made in 2 halves, fillled, then joined together mold to mold -- an example of this would be small filled eggs. does anyone have any experience with this -- perhaps some tips? I'd love to benefit from other peoples' experiences rather than reinventing the wheel. Thanks in advance.

updated by @Susanna Harris: 12/13/24 12:16:07

cacao butter bulk sought

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

A little late - but you can contact me - Chris Taylor and I can put you on to a reliable source of cocoa butter from Indonesia, the Phillipines & Ghana.

cacao butter bulk sought

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Thanks clay. glad you liked our products. will send you samples of our beans that just got in. if anyone is interested in cacao derivative products or beans feel free to reach out to us. we are here to service the new generation or small to mid size bean to bar makers and chocoholics.I have been somewhat absent lately from the forum but have just posted a few albums from the harvest and our bean import. will continue to post more.

cacao butter bulk sought

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

ChocolateLife member Patrick Pineda imports beans, powder, and butter from Venezuela through his company East Bluff Trading . I would contact him.Good products - I've sampled the nibs and the butter.

cacao butter bulk sought

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

thank you brad. good pricing and it's ordered. mimi

cacao butter bulk sought

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Chocolate Alchemy also has pretty decent pricing for cocoa butter.

cacao butter bulk sought

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Qzina Specialty Foods www.QZina.com