Forum Activity for @Clay

Does anyone know of a bulk choc. as good as Valrhona in the same general $ range?

Posted in: Opinion

Matt:Swiss Chalet/SAIL (Swiss American Imports Limited) handles Felchlin in the US and they have distribution centers in Florida (where they are headquartered) in the NE (New Jersey) and in LA - at least. I am fairly confident that Felchlin is not looking for another importer, but there is no reason why you can't become a sub-distributor of Felchlin products through Swiss Chalet/SAIL. Yes, Atalanta did purchase them but is pretty much leaving them alone to do what they do. If you like, I can introduce you to Hans Bauman who can set you up.::: Clay

Does anyone know of a bulk choc. as good as Valrhona in the same general $ range?

Posted in: Opinion

Clay,Thanks for the response. I will definitely try Felchlin again. It has been years and my taste for chocolate has definitely matured. Do you happen to know who the importer is or who I could contact to find out if they would like a new importer in the Intermountain West? I believe it may be Swiss Chalet who I think got bought up by Atalanta.Best,Matt

Does anyone know of a bulk choc. as good as Valrhona in the same general $ range?

Posted in: Opinion

No. I am going to be wholesaling to chefs who need a finished product. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Does anyone know of a bulk choc. as good as Valrhona in the same general $ range?

Posted in: Opinion

Matt:Have you tried any of the Felchlin products? Most people only know about the Grand Cru line, which is on par with Valrhona in terms of cost, but there is also a less expensive line that many top chocolatiers use for the bulk of production, reserving the Grand Cru for special pieces. Many of them will also do a slight bit of blending, opting to put a more flavorful chocolate into something that needs to be kicked up. So, adding a small amount of a conched liquor to a 55% may get you 65%-75% but you control the intensity.:: Clay

Does anyone know of a bulk choc. as good as Valrhona in the same general $ range?

Posted in: Opinion

Steve:You have a raw liquor that sells for under $10/lb wholesale?:: Clay

Does anyone know of a bulk choc. as good as Valrhona in the same general $ range?

Posted in: Opinion

Would you consider a raw liquor?

Does anyone know of a bulk choc. as good as Valrhona in the same general $ range?

Posted in: Opinion

Hey Robert, Thanks for you response. I have tried Amedei, Pralus, Domori, Amano and they are all excellent but considerably more expensive. Beyond things in that price range I cannot seem to find anything with decent cacao flavor. I find Callebaut flavorless other than vanilla, Guittard seems a little too flat. Anything you really like not over $10/lb wholesale?

Does anyone know of a bulk choc. as good as Valrhona in the same general $ range?

Posted in: Opinion

I am trying to find a brand to use in bulk in the same general price range as Valrhona, but of the same quality. Everything I have tried so far is either WAY worse or WAY more expensive. Any help would be great.
updated by @Matt Caputo: 04/11/15 02:19:40

facts about the broma process

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

This topic has been closed for further discussion. There is another discussion on this topic by this author and any contributions should be added there.

facts about the broma process

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

hello y'all on chocolate life. Am still working on the broma process and still have some problems i would like to share with you. I would like to know the temperature at which the extraction process is best carried out. the the kind the of material best used for the bag in which the grinded cocoa is hanged in. captainken1@ymail.com
updated by @kenneth mensah: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Giving Thanks to Chocolate ...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I definitely made it a chocolate fall feast day! Mole yes, this was/is still on hand, wonderful mole chili at this time. I have made mole from scratch a number of times now, and feel I am finally starting to get good at this. It is a lot of fun to make, and it's a very powerful and delicious sauce, with many uses. For this latest one I used only guajillo and chipotle peppers, the time before it was ancho, guajillo, New Mexico, pasilla, and chipotle. This time I used a little more chocolate than usual, normally it's about 2-3 oz for the size of recipe that I normally make, but I used 4.5 oz this time. I was thinking of putting the latest recipe on my blog, maybe I will do that and post here after I've published it. The chocolate used this time was a combination of 91% and 63% from Cacaoyere. Last time I used Felchlin Dominican Republic, that's right I don't spare and go straight for the good stuff, ha ha. I used extra red tomatoes this time, and the last time I omitted these entirely, but increased the tomatillos. There are so many ways to make mole. Here is an interesting article about mole from NY Times, and below a couple of good recipe links to get started. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A24738636 http://www.finerkitchens.com/swap/forum1/8687_this_on_is_complicate ... http://jugalbandi.info/2007/11/when-chilli-meets-chocolate-vegetari ...For dessert, a chocolate pumpkin pie. I made this using a blend of chocolates from Pralus, Bonnat, El Rey, Valrhona, and Slitti. What I did was simply prebake the crust a few minutes, then put a layer of the melted blend onto the bottom and up the sides of the crust. I poured the pumpkin filling right over the melted chocolate, without waiting for it to cool, then finished baking, then added a layer of the melted chocolate to the top of the pie. The chocolate cooled and made pretty smooth layers on top and bottom, for a taste and visual contrast between the pumpkin and the chocolate. It turned out delicious. If you want to try this, make sure you don't put the chocolate on the bottom layer all the way to the top, any chocolate not covered by pumpkin will of course burn!

Giving Thanks to Chocolate ...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Tomorrow is Turkey Day and I wonder how many of us are incorporating chocolate into our plans to celebrate.Not many people know that the turkey is native to the New World. In fact there is a chance that the Pilgrims when they crossed the Atlantic brought with them turkeys descended from birds transported to Spain, re-introducing them into a part of the Americas where they were not common.The dish we call mole poblano is these days routinely made with chicken but more traditionally is made with turkey. In fact, mole poblano is a modern dish that post-dates the arrivals of the Spanish in Central America. In an authentic mole poblano there are about a dozen ingredients that did not originate in the New World.Mole is a word that means "mixture" and there is a collection on traditional moles from Oaxaca (including amarillo, verde, negro, and rojo) in addition to poblano. The mole most commonly consumed in the US is probably guacamole - or avocado mixture.I have a jar of some amazing mole from Mexico that I am going to be offering my guests tomorrow to accompany our turkey. There will be three sauces, actually. A straight mole, a straight turkey gravy, and a creole sauce where I will add some of the mole to the straight turkey gravy.How you all of you? Will you be celebrating (or did you celebrate) Thanksgiving with chocolate?Yours in pursuit of The ChocolateLife. Enjoy!:: Clay
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/10/15 16:15:36

How to reduce your cost in chocolate packaging

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi All,Every Chocolate maker want to have their cost down, but have you tried to have your packaging boxes made in China? Actually, you will save even more than 50% comparing with purchasing that in your homeland.Winway is a printing factory from Guangzhou China specialized in various kind of paper boxes, gift boxes, display boxes, PVC boxes, paper bags, catalogs, labels, stickers and tags. Winway's packaging products are export worldwide, and we gain good reputation from our oversea clients on attractive price & & guaranteed quality & professional service. Know more about us, please visit our website at www.winwaypackaging.com .Feel free to contact us( sales@winwaypackaging.com), all your enquiries will be replied within 48hours.Thanks for your stop.JennySales Director
updated by @Jenny Zhan: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Another Excuse to Eat Chocolate Single-origin candy bars by James Norton, Chow.com

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Single origin has long been a sexy marketing term for fancy foodthe idea of the ingredients coming from one place, and reflecting the terroir of that place, has spread into coffee, tea, and even flavored syrups.Aequare Fine Chocolates single-origin-concept candy bars are made from Ecuadoran chocolate and cost $4 for a small bar a price a surprisingly large number of people are willing to pay, according to consumer trend reports.That said, the single origin label on the bars is a bit mysterious. Some chocolate companies use the term to refer to beans harvested from a single plantation. Others use it to mean that their beans are from a single region or, in the loosest interpretation, a single country. In any case, saying somethings single origin is no guarantee of quality but does speak to an interest on the part of the producer to market to people who want to know where their food is from.According to Aequare, the companys bars are single origin in that the beans can be sourced to the Los Ros region of Ecuador; the 70 percent bars are made from beans that come from two farms within 15 miles of each other, run by the same farmer.But Aequares 55 percent bars are actually a blend of Ecuadoran Arriba and CCN-51 chocolate, the latter of which is often perceived as lesser quality.Jeff Stern, the brands chef-owner, says he cannot be dictating specs to the grower for the blends I might want because I dont have that kind of purchasing power to dictate formulas.Regardless of origin concerns, the bars taste delicious. The 55% Single Origin Bar has a wonderful but not overdone sweetness, with a touch of honeylike flavor at the backI think it would appeal to unreformed Hersheys-lovers and chocolate snobs alike. The 70% Single Origin Bar has a nutty warmth without any dryness or other unpleasantly austere sensations (bitterness, chalkiness) that sometimes crop up at higher percentages.The lemongrass-flavored bar offers only a slight hint of citrus until the end, at which point theres a clean and clear bolt of lemongrass. And the mandarin orange variety, easily a train wreck in the making, is a bit goofy but ultimately pleasing, like a gourmet version of the Christmas whack-an-orange, firm but not aggressive in its citric aftertaste. Pulling off a straight-up high-intensity chocolate bar is an achievement, but doing it with added flavors is quite an accomplishment.Original story at: http://www.chow.com/stories/11967
updated by @Jeff Stern: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Closer Connection: Chocolate buyer to Farmer??

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Yes, Jeff,If , by "how they implement the model" you mean the Askinosie model, that has already been implemented and Shawn does travel to the country of origin, seeks out the grower and buys beans from him. I have never heard of a coop being involved in his business transaction.From the photos on Askinosie web site, he then delivers a check to the grower representing a percent of profits from the sale of chocolate bars made from the grower's beans.Is it profitable to the manufacturer ? I have never looked at Askinosie's books to see if in the long run the company is making money. It does seem like a lot of work and travel for very small scale production.You're right, post harvest pre-shipment treatment of the farm product is crucial to the relationship.Quality control, especially fermenting must be difficult to ensure. I think this is what the students are now evaluating in the African project.I also will be watching this story as I have an interest in Panama beans for my own plan.

Closer Connection: Chocolate buyer to Farmer??

Posted in: News & New Products Press

This is an interesting model that I find challenging to implement, unless one is buying large quantities of beans (several tons or even containers at a time). Some small producers are organized into cooperatives, allowing them to consolidate their production to meet volume. However, at least here in Ecuador, most small producer still sell to "patios" or brokers who consolidate harvests from surrounding areas, and in turn sell beans on either directly to large MNCs (who often have theiro own buyers/brokers on the ground in-country), or to large commodity firms who then sell on to the major players.It's tough to buy directly from a cooperative or association of producers for shipment overseas unless they already have the infrastructure and logistics system in place to get the beans all the way to your door. I say tough because you need infrastructure to consolidate all those beans, pack them in a container, and ship them, along with all the logistics management. I say tough but not impossible, though (and again, I speak for Ecuador), most co-ops or associations don't have the capacity to do this. Kallari has been the one exception, but only because of generous financial and technical support. In some countries, you may even need an export company set up to export the beans, since commodities are often regulated by the state.Another model, which we use, is to buy directly from the farmer on the ground. We also have special circumstances that make this possible. First of all, we are here in a cocoa growing country. We work with one single farmer who has large production, and is able to manage everything from harvest to processing of the cacao into chocolate in-country. He charges a premium for high quality beans, as well as a premium for the chocolate he produces locally. In turn, these premiums allow him to provide such things as trained staff on hand for medical care, decent worker conditions, etc. One advantage of buying from a large grower is that we know all the beans are properly fermented post-harvest and treated properly throughout the entire production process. When buying from cooperatives or other associations, there can be differences in post-harvest processing from farm to farm, which can hurt quality. It's expensive and impractical to have someone on the ground year round, or even only at harvest time, to make sure quality controls are in place for beans sourced from a number of farms.I will watch this story closely and look forward to seeing how they end up implementing the model.

Closer Connection: Chocolate buyer to Farmer??

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Now were talkinYoung people in the Midwest, U.S. are asked to research cocoa production in Africa for a new project by Askinosie Chocolate Company.In todays issue (Nov 23rd, 2009) http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009911230361 of the Springfield, Missouri News Leader, there is a discussion about the Cocoa Honors project sponsored by Shawn Askinosie asking high school and college students to assist him in selecting an African nation to be the source of cocoa beans for a new Askinosie bar. He expects it will take about a year and a half for the vetting process.A very important point in this article IMHO (besides the great idea of involving U.S. students in the research) is the attempt to ensure that the farmer (cacao grower) actually receives some of the profits directly from Askinosies sales of the new bar. How this is actually accomplished is a major thrust of the chocolate companys research and business model.Ive heard that at the Net Impact conference held recently at Cornell Univ. a speaker from Sustainable Harvest Coffee ( http://sustainableharvest.com/our_model ) said that they are also looking into chocolate as a commodity to which they can apply their relationship marketing.Should we expect to see more small chocolate manufacturers and importers connecting the end consumer with the grower : more or less face-to-face?
updated by @Frank Schmidt: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Candy bar wrappers

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Hi!!Have a look here. I hope you have luck!!! http://www.chocolatetin.com/store/category/by-brand_hersheys/

Candy bar wrappers

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Thanks for the tip Richard, I didn't even think of trying that. Happy Holidays!

Candy bar wrappers

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Have you tired contacting a local print shop? A lot them do food packaging or can tell you where to look for such paper. You may also want to try an xpdex retail store . It's a giant paper retailer, but in the walk in stores you don't have to buy huge quantities of a single type.

Candy bar wrappers

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Ms Zhan has been asked NOT to solicit business in the fashion that she has been - essentially spamming members and conversations where the topic of packaging is mentioned WITH EXACTLY THE SAME BOILERPLATE MESSAGE that actually did not add anything to the topic being discussed.If she had only done this once or twice, maybe it would be okay. But it was many more times than that in a very short period of time, nearly completely filling the current activity list on the home page.If any member is interested in following up, please visit Ms Zhan's profile page and/or Friend her and correspond privately.If you have a business and want to reach ChocolateLife.com members this way, advertising and sponsorship programs are available that will enable you to do the job more effectively while supporting the community and not creating any ill will.Thanks in advance for your understanding on this mattter,:: Clay

Candy bar wrappers

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Hi,I am from china packaging factory, maybe i can help you. Please tell me you idea or enquiry. Now, more and more confectionary factory like to buy theri packaging in China which can save them even more than 60%. My company website is www.winwaypackaging.com . You can email me at sales@winwaypackaging.com

Candy bar wrappers

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Hi!Anyone know where to start my search for the nice, thick paper for wrapping candy bars? Not the kind with foil peeking out, but like Green & Black bars, or any of the other high-end bars.Any suggestions would be great!!Thanks
updated by @Woo Chocolate: 03/11/26 06:20:34

longevity, how to make your chocolates last longer.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

You can always add some citric acid to your recipe. 1part to 100. I thought freezing your ganache really changed the texture.

longevity, how to make your chocolates last longer.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

All excellent advice, thank you for your input everyone!

longevity, how to make your chocolates last longer.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Finished truffles can also be frozen slowly without risking bloom as long as you are careful (though I daresay flash-freezing is preferable if you have the means). Jean Pierre Wybauw discusses this in one of his books. First you need to seal the chocolates in airtight plastic of some kind, with as little air inside as possible (vaccuum sealing would do nicely). They can then be placed in the fridge, left for 24hrs, then moved into the freezer. When thawing, you again leave them in the fridge for 24 hrs, and allow them to come to room temp for another 24hrs before unsealing them. It's important not to induce sudden temperature change, and not to expose the surface of the chocolates themselves to a markedly different atmosphere. I've done this a number of times with good results, but you can't freeze them indefinitely without losing some flavor/texture. I generally prefer not to freeze.As far as composition, I have used invert sugar and glucose to control water activity. I use some of each to get the flavor and texture I like, but you can play around. In my experience, invert sugar is better than glucose at retaining a consistent texture over time (a ganache using just glucose dries out faster than one with inverted sugar), but it lends a sticky texture and is of course sweeter in taste.

longevity, how to make your chocolates last longer.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Fantastic, thanks. I think I will go with freezing. Makes sense. I really don't want to use chemicals or anything. I prefer fresh and natural all the way. there's enough chemicals and treatments on everything else we eat.

longevity, how to make your chocolates last longer.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Just know as you tinker with life, you tinker with taste and texture. If you don't mind turning artificial or waxy there is a world of science you can inject but I don't recommend it.We freeze ganache tubs & pre-rolled ganache balls, then when it's time for use we let return to room temp (minus a few degrees) before enrobing/dipping. Once they are enrobed you can no longer freeze without cracking (too much shrinkage) but you can refrigerate them quite well. Sugar blooming will really only occur if you have too much humidity and they begin to sweat. Even then one trick we found was you can pop them with a torch if you catch them early enough.We strive for a fresh and natural product. Your goals may vary.

longevity, how to make your chocolates last longer.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Perfect thanks I will check them out. I knew there had to be something here but I am new here and still learning how to navigate this site. Much appreciated

longevity, how to make your chocolates last longer.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I was concerned about bloom if they are put in the fridge or freezer. I was told that if the chocolate is tempered properly it shouldn't bloom? Is that wrong? So when you say be careful in the way you warm is there anything specific I should do? On average what is the safe life span of a truffle? or chocolate? Anyone one used invertase? likes? dislike? Appreciate the info....

longevity, how to make your chocolates last longer.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

There are 2 primary ways to extend shelf life, reduce the water activity, or with cold storage. Common way to reduce water activity is to add a corn/glucose syrup, invert syrup, sorbitol, or glycerol. Each have their advantages and disadvantages, but all are considered to compromise flavor and/or texture, some more than others. Cold storage will work, just be carefull in how you warm up your pieces from the fridge or freezer to prevent sugar bloom from condensation.

longevity, how to make your chocolates last longer.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I have cruised through the many discussions here and have not come across any bits on making chocolates last longer, maybe I haven't dug far enough?. Especially truffles. I want to start making larger batches but don't want to have make them all prior to a craft fair. what's the secret? I will be going to school in January so I'm sure I will learn but tis the season and friends want chocolates, and I want them to last and not have anyone get sick.Any pointers? Invertase? Milk substitutes?
updated by @Dirke Botsford: 04/11/25 09:27:36

using ganache cutters

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Wonderful!! Thanks so much to both of you.

using ganache cutters

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Like Carol says, bottom first, then cut. You can punch out about 3 centers before turning it upside down to remove the cut ganache. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/95787-advanced-chocolate-class-with-jean-pierre-wybauw/page__view__findpost__p__1310386 Check out the picture about half way down the first post that show's Wybauw using the cutters.

using ganache cutters

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi,I have those cutters also.I treat the ganache slab the same way as if I were slicing it into squares.Prepare the ganache, bottom it and then cut.

using ganache cutters

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi all,I just got a set of ganache cutters, but am wondering - do you bottom them before or after cutting the shape? And if you do it after cutting, how do you apply the chocolate? I was thinking of a small pastry brush, but can it be done with an icing spatula?Any other tips for working with ganache cutters?
updated by @tienchiu: 04/11/25 09:27:36

I'm new, not computer literate, want to connect, have many questions and passions regarding cacao

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hi Kristin,Welcome to the world of raw cacao and raw chocolate. Sacred Chocolate is a supplier of bulk semi-tempered raw chocolate. We provide both liquor (paste) and couverture. We also make paste/couverture to your spec.We are certified organic as well. If you are interested in discussing further, feel free to give me a call at 415-342-0527.Hearts!Sacred Steve www.SacredChocolate.com

I'm new, not computer literate, want to connect, have many questions and passions regarding cacao

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hello Cacao Appreciators,I'm new... new to the site, new to cacao. I'm looking for a "raw" cacao paste supplier who is fair trade, organic, environmentally sound, family farm or cooperative and in love with the cacao... etc. Any leads?? I'd prefer Criollo, mostly because my understanding is it is the oldest variety and I'm accustomed to it's flavor.(although I understand it varies depending on particular tree, harvest etc) I was getting it from someone in Az. who had a connection with a farm cooperative in Peru. I'm wanting to ween off my dependence on this other distributor and create my own connections.I'm also searching for some slightly tempered "raw" cacao to use as seed. No sugar, no dairy, no gluten, no soy, lotta love.And I desire to learn more about tempering without the use of sugar or agave, rather playing with yacon syrup and jerusalem artichoke syrup. I have some experience playing with these alternative sweeteners and things turned out ok, but had some challenges. Has anyone worked with these and experienced great success?Infinite Love and Gratitude,Kristin Grayce
updated by @Kristin McGary: 04/16/15 03:48:00

Visiting Europe

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Thanks for that, I'd seen the book before but haven't read it yet, I'll be sure to do that. We're looking mostly at Barcelona, Paris, Brussels, Rome.

Visiting Europe

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

It probably depends where in Europe you are going ? A great resource to check out is www.davidlebovitz.com -he has a tours link, and you can search chocolate on his site for a variety of information and places . I recently went to London and checked his site for any tips and info (Melt and Borough Market ) they ended up being the best spots to check out . If you will be in Paris his book "Sweet Life in Paris " is a must read for the flight over.Keep us all posted on what you discover or plan to check out!

Visiting Europe

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi all,I plan to travel to Europe next year around June/July, and was wondering if anyone knows of any chocolate-related tours I could go on, or places that I could attend.Thanks,Trish
updated by @Trish2: 04/12/15 03:19:04

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

This topic is under discussion in another post under the identical title, so this discussion has been consolidated there.