Chocolate courses or schools
Posted in: Chocolate Education
I'd urge folks to start thinking about what they'd like to see, what priced right means, and what they'd like to learn.
Forum Activity for @Sebastian
Posted in: Chocolate Education
Chocolate courses or schools
Posted in: Chocolate Education
Sebastian:
Priced right, located here in the US, and hands-on.
Absolutely yes.
Chocolate courses or schools
Posted in: Chocolate Education
ZDS in germany has one.
I wonder if there's sufficient critical mass to create a new one?
Chocolate courses or schools
Posted in: Chocolate Education
Dear adamThanks for the help but i think they only serve online courses i want an actual courseThanks alot
Chocolate courses or schools
Posted in: Chocolate Education
hey there
does anyone have any idea or information about chocolate schools orinstitutes in which they offer courses about the production/making of chocolate from A to Z as well as fillings and the chemistry of chocolate ..like a course for month or 3 with a degree or something close to that .
any help will be highly appreciated
updated by @Mahmoud batakji: 04/11/15 03:54:29
Need some clarification on how to process cacao properly
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Not roasting will eventually lead to you either making someone very sick, or killing them. The topic has been been discussed quite thoroughly here and on the alchemy board.
I simply can not figure out where this notion of not roasting = healthier comes from, and why it's so persistent.
Need some clarification on how to process cacao properly
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Hi everyone,
I've recently been doing research on how to properly process cocoa beans. I use to think that truly raw was the way to go, but then I've read that truly raw would not produce that chocolate flavor. My main concern is which process would be healthiest and tasty. I've became very curious in this when I've noticed that regular cacao powder that I would buy would give me headaches(I'm sensitive to a lot of foods) . I currently live in the Philippines, and noticed all the local cacao products also give me a headache and the flavor was a little too strong where I would eventually get sick of the taste too. When I tried labeled "raw" cacao powder from companies like earth circle organics and Andean treasures when i lived in the states, I've noticed less of a potent chocolate smell and less of a strong dark chocolate flavor, but it seemed like just the right balance in flavor for me. Plus I felt good on it and I didn't notice any headaches. l also noticed that the cacao powder of these products were also lighter in color compared to the regular cocao powder. Whether they are considered truly raw or not, It doesn't matter to me. All I know is the taste was more pleasant to me and I felt good on it, so I figured they must be doing something right. Being in the Philippines, I have access to heirloom cacao beans which would be much cheaper for me and would like to know if anyone would be able to give me an idea of how these cacao products that I've mentioned may have been processed, so I can try making some healthy delicious snacks for my family and I. A friend of mine in the states believes they were made by fermenting the beans and then grinding them which produces most of the heat, but they were not roasted. Any input would be much appreciated! Thanks!
updated by @Ez: 04/11/25 09:27:36
tempering choc too thick
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
You're the best for giving me this information. I will use it on my next attempt. Thank you so much. And you, too Brad, for your help.
tempering choc too thick
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Susan,
I'm no expert but I'll tell you what helped me... first, much more aggressive stirring. After every 6-10 candies were dipped I'd give it a quick but aggressive stir with the dipping fork, and I didn't turn my back on it for a second. In the past, I've often run out of prepared centers before I run out of chocolate, then I turn away from the machine to scoop more truffles, and when I turn back I've got chocolate the consistency of taffy... but I'm realizing the turning motor on the temperer is not enough agitation, it takes regular stirring and if you aren't actively dipping you need to stir very frequently, if not constantly! So this time before I started I made sure I had more centers prepped than I could possibly need, and had my mom hold the baby and made sure my bladder was empty so there was no reason to neglect my chocolate!
Also, today I was getting a lot of "feet" so I dipped at a lower temp of 89, which meant I had lots of room to ease up the temp as Brad suggested as it thickened. I did not wait for it to be too thick to dip and then try to recover, this doesn't work for me either. But this time I watched like a hawk as I dipped, and as soon as I noticed the consistency was the slightest bit thicker than ideal, I scooted up one degree and stirred like a madwoman. I only got as high as 92 and was still in business when I finished my chocolate, but see above - Brad thinks we can get away with 95 depending on thermometer accuracy.
Good luck!
Amy
tempering choc too thick
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Brad -
I've read all these facts before, but this is the clearest explanation I've seen and I think I'm finally wrapping my mind around it - THANK YOU!
Amy
tempering choc too thick
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Wow. I have a Chocovision Delta and the same thing happens to me. It ends up in a ball in an hour. After checking with a thermometer, I increased temp to 93-96 but it is no help. I have no idea what to do. Did I not wait long enough? 10-20 minutes.And can I add melted, untempered chocolate to the otehr side to help? If so, how much when it is at this point? I was using Callebaut: 3/4 811NV and 1/4 823NV on this try.
tempering choc too thick
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Amy;
Chocolate is a suspension of particles in a fat that crystalizes, and is crystalizing 100% of the time it is being agitated in the ACMC. If you were to stop the motor from turning, it would go solid at it's working temperature. The fluidity of chocolate can be controlled by agitation and very tiny adjustments in temperature throughout the day as you work with it. Combine that with the fact that the ACMC thermocouples aren't that accurate (I own 8 of those machines), and you have chocolate that is going solid on you while you work with it.
As it thickens, bring the temperature of your machine up one degree at a time and stir it lots. It won't happen instantly, but the chocolate will thin out without coming out of temper.
Verify your chocolate temperature with a properly calibrated thermometer, and you will most likely find that while your machine reads 91, the temperature of the chocolate at the thermocouple is probably only 88 or 89. This means you can easily go as high as 95 on that machine.
Note that controlling viscosity of your chocolate is a two way street. Once you learn to control the fluidity as you work with it, you can ALSO thicken it the same way by going in the opposite direction, and that has uses too!
Cheers.
Brad
tempering choc too thick
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Hi
I've been a hobbyist chocolatier for a few years. I have an ACMC table top temperer.
Two frustrations - when dipping with 65 percent Tcho, I fully temper (up to 119,
added seed, back up to 91 for dipping), it works great for about an hour, then it gets too thick to continue dipping. I heated up to 94 but it was still too thick. I understand I could add cocoa butter, but I love the flavor of the superdark stuff, and it works so well for the first hour. For now my plan is to do smalleramounts so I use it up before it thickens, any other suggestions? I don't understand what's happening from a chemistry perspective.
Also, I've often tried not tempering since new chocolate is already in temper, right?
My understanding is that I should be able to melt it and dip at 92ish. But I find
that it won't melt unless I get it much warmer than this, and if I understand
correctly, once I get it above 94 I have to go through the whole temper process
to avoid bloom. Can you correct any of these assumptions?
Any advice appreciated.
-Amy
updated by @Amy T: 04/11/25 09:27:36
FYI - some Chuao beans for home brewers over at Chocolate Alchemy this week
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Too little for my uses and way too rich for my blood... too bad!
FYI - some Chuao beans for home brewers over at Chocolate Alchemy this week
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
This stuff is hard to get...
updated by @dsfg: 04/11/25 09:27:36
Looking for Business Consultant
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Formore than a year a go I open my first Chocolate "Boutique & Caf" I am looking for a consultant to help me to develop the business further.
to know more about my shop you may visit:Facebook.com/chocolat.ksa
updated by @Waleed Hambishi: 04/11/25 09:27:36
Chocolate bar packaging for lazy people
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
thanks. i had googled it, but only used one "p" and got lots of weird stuff 
Chocolate bar packaging for lazy people
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
http://www.super-tube.com/bopp.html
If you google it, there is a lot of information on it.
Cheers.
Chocolate bar packaging for lazy people
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
What is BOP tube?
Chocolate bar packaging for lazy people
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
A roll of BOP tube and a heat sealer is super easy, and a better seal than foil. You can also put your own sticker on it. A lot of bars are being sealed thatway today. While it's done by machine on a huge assembly line, the premise is the same if you want to do it at home.
Chocolate bar packaging for lazy people
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
you could try cello sheets. Nashville Wraps sells them. you can "wrap" the chocolate pretty quickly and they don't wrinkle like foil, and you can use a label to seal them up.
Chocolate bar packaging for lazy people
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
I've seen people do it with just food-safe paper (straight onto the chocolate). Also vacuum pack the bar (expensive though, and not great for filled bars where pressure of vacuum can cause problems).
Chocolate bar packaging for lazy people
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Make a little sleeve out of some nice handmade paper. You can still put the bar inside the cello bag (although I'd probably do a quick foil wrap) - wrap the sleeve around and glue. http://blog.celebration.co.za/diy/diy-chocolate-wrappers/
Chocolate bar packaging for lazy people
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
I make bars at home for friends. I'm not sufficiently motivated to wrap them in foil. What are some alternatives? They don't need much shelf life as they get eaten pretty quickly. I'm mostly looking for something a bit nicer than the cellophane bags I started with, or possibly use the bag inside a box. I'd like something for 1.5 and 3oz bars.
updated by @dsfg: 04/11/25 09:27:36
Tempering/Enrobing Machine Group Buy Take 2
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
I thought I would take a page from Lana's book and get a group together to buy Tempering/Enrobing machines at a discount. http://www.thechocolatelife.com/forum/topics/tempering-machine-group-buy?commentId=1978963%3AComment%3A128064
I would be looking at the same machines. So I'll just copy it from her post.
Perfect Air 2 and Enro 2 (tempering and enrobing): http://www.perfectinc.com/products.html
$11,225 for the enrobing line & the tempering machine ($3275 for just the tempering machine on it's own)
Options:
Vibrating table 860$
Warming cabinet for 40kg chocolate 2,750$
Bottom coating only 350$
Transport to Northern CA $415
Customs $175
35% deposit when ordered, the rest before shipping.
Bakon Choco TT with Mini Enrober : http://www.bakonusa.com/
Choco TT is $3,900. FOB Torrance CA.
Optional cart. $340.- no charge if purchased w/ enrober
Mini Enrober $8,000
So what does everyone think?
updated by @Joana whittingham: 04/07/25 13:00:14
70% cocoa
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Swiss Chalet Fine Foods sells Felchlin but the cheapest I saw on their website was Cru Hacienda Elvesia 74%Rondo in 6 kg bags for$6.75/lb. Others are $8+to over $11/lb. Sounds like it's too expensive for what you want.
70% cocoa
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Thanks. I live an hour from any size town...2 hrs from Raleigh....
so maybe there.
70% cocoa
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Guittard has a range of chocolates with 70%+ cocoa content. Many of them are available in bar form and you might be able to find them at a local retailer. This will be cheaper than buying samples in either 1k or 5kg boxes.
70% cocoa
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Just called Peters and they do have a 70% bittersweet.
I'll go back to their brochures before I order Monday.
70% cocoa
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
I have tried the Guittard samples before. No my customers are not sophicated enough to know the difference & $8/lb would not fly I am sure. So I guess Guittard it will be...
if I have difficulties obtaining trial amount, I'll let you know. Thanks so much!
I have always used Peters, but need a higher cocoa content product for a few clients.
Do want to test before I go crazy ordering. Maybe they can help me with this.
70% cocoa
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
What's your budget? And is your customer sophisticated enough to tell the difference and be willing to pay for it?
Valrhona is a good chocolate but it's at the upper end of the range, price wise. Even in 100lb quantities you're looking at $8+/pound plus shipping.
Callebaut/Cacao Barry, Belcolade, Guittard - you should be able to get those for between $3-5/lb. Domori would be about the same price as Valrhona.
If you're remelting and molding, unless the customer has specified a gourmet European brand, perhaps a US-made product might be nice. Guittard is made in California. There are some Callebaut-branded chocolates that are made in Vermont.
I may be able to help you out on the Guittard and/or Valrhona if you can't find a local supplier.
70% cocoa
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
In your opinion, would you start with Valrhona?
To test for solid molds..... 70%
70% cocoa
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
I usually purchase about 1000 lbs at the time & have it delivered by truck.
I wanted to try out a dark chocolate before buying in bulk. 100 lbs would probably
do my customers for Christmas. Could not remember the different brands, so you have really helped me. Thanks!
70% cocoa
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Jackie:
Online - 100 lbs is a lot to ship, but there are on-line stores you can order from. Chocosphere has one of the broadest selections, but it's in Oregon so shipping to you is going to be most expensive. So going ...
Local -
There should be a bakery supply company in your area. They will usually carry a number of different chocolate brands, most likely the more commercial brands. They may or may not require you to set up an account, but the ones in my area will sell to just about anyone.
If you have a friend in a restaurant (or bakery) who orders through Sysco, UNFI, or another major distributor they also carry major brands and you might be able to get them to include the chocolate you want in their next order. You'll get good prices and shipping should be free.
If you're looking for a particular brand, e.g., Valrhona, Domori, Callebaut, Guittard, look up the company web site for their local distributor or call the 800# to find out who sells it locally.
70% cocoa
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
I have a client that wants solid chocolate in a very high cocoa content (he is an ironman participant) for Christmas Gifts. Where could I order not a huge volumeof really good dark dark chocolate? Like 100 lbs to start...
updated by @Jackie Jones: 04/07/25 13:00:14
Biggest chocolate lover so big I created a app about it
Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself
Ever since I was a kid the only dessert I would eat had to have chocolate in it! So recently at my birthday dinner my parents were laughing at me saying you should do something with all of your favorite chocolate things. So I got a iphone for my birthday and decided i should create a app that has to do with all my favorite chocolate recipes. So everyone around me told me it will never work and I need my fellow chocolate lovers to help me out!!! The app is free right now so if you want to get it you can follow this link https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chocolate-lover-recipes/id582978682 .... Thank to all that help if you dont have a apple product thank you for taking the time out to read this and I would still love to hear your feedback or similarities!
updated by @Teresa2: 04/09/15 14:58:13
Any criollo bars?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
I'm a chocolate lover who has tried many types, and decided that I like chocolate made from
criollo beans best. But most manufacturers don't list the bean type on their packages. Can
anyone tell me the names of small dark chocolate bars made from criolla, that I can buy at
places like Trader Joe's? -- Arnold Ismach
updated by @Arnold Ismach: 05/13/15 12:34:25
After action report on my first attempt at Caramels
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Dorothy:
Yes, I was referring to Fran's Chocolates in Seattle in my response.
I don't know where Fran's got their molds, I suspect that they were custom made. Contact Truffly Made to see what they have in stock - one might work for you.
I don't know if there is still a ChocolateLife member offer, but you can ask.
:: Clay
updated by @Clay Gordon: 06/13/15 16:36:24
After action report on my first attempt at Caramels
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Hi Clay,
Would this have been at Fran's Chocolates in Seattle? I have been reviewing severalof their Youtube videos and it show them pouring their caramels into molds.
Do you know where I could get those kinds of molds?
Thanks,
Dorothy
After action report on my first attempt at Caramels
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
You can rework them even when too firm. You just cooked out too much water, so add water and recook. It takes a while to get the caramel back in solution. I found the easiest way is to put in the oven. In a few hours, it is in solution and ready to cook again. My mantra has always been "There are no mistakes in candy making---just rename it". I use that when all else fails:-)