Forum Activity for @Ning-Geng Ong

Hi Paul, did you find an answer to your question? I am interested in your discovery if it makes a difference or not, intuitively I would say the rollers need to be resurfaced to introduce some gripping texture but let me know what is the case for you. Appreciate it.

sent my information on my mail 

Savage Brothers 20… includes:

• Candy Stove
• Portage Agitator
• Copper Kettle
• Kettle Dolly
• Digital Thermometer
• Two Wooden Paddles

All components are in excellent condition. Would like to sell as a complete set, but will consider separating. Natural gas or propane. Agitator uses standard voltage: 120V/60 HZ

 SavageBros_FireMixer_3.jpg - 589KB

Still have some beans for sale!

Still have a few items for sale!

That was very helpful and well done. Thank you. 

Brian

The citrus pectin is the same as the yellow pectin

hi... We have never had anything crated, so unfortunately, I donot have a recommendation.  But I would thiink the shipping company would be able to suggest a company to do the crating.

Good luck!!!

Thanks Ruth and Paul.  Much appreciated.  I did try Grewelings recipe but didn't have any success with it.  I'll try Chef Rubber's pectin.  Paul, you mentioned that Chef Rubber's is Yellow Pectin.  I have a recipe that calls for "yellow pectin".  The citrus pectin that you referred to, is that considered "yellow pectin"?  Thanks again, John

I second Chef Rubber. Try the yellow pectin.  The Pate de Fruit pectin comes from citrus, rather then apple. It has a different texture. Firmer with a nicer tooth.

I'd be happy to arrange shipping, but the shipping company doesn't crate. If you can't do that, can you suggest someone in your area that could?

Hi ... So sorry.  We cannot ship.  You can cantact a shipper and get a direct quote for packing and shipping.  The unit is 5 years old.  It is in perfect condition, clean, etc.

Let us know if you would like any other info.

All the best

Chef Rubber carries various sizes of Pate de Fruit pectin. Also, in Grewelings At Home book, he has a recipe calling for grocery store pectin. I have had PDF pectin for more than 5 years, and it is still working fine.

Hi there, I'm interested in your case, but I'm on the west coast. Would you be able to palatalize it so a trucking company could pick it up? Can you tell me about how old the unit is? Serial #?

Hello All.  I keep trying to make slab jellies to cut and enrobe.  Pectin has always been the problem for me.  Nothing worked from making it myself (from apples), to using commercial, off-the-shelf pectin.  The jelly was always too soft to slab and cut.  I did fond a confectioners pectin that worked (from Burke Candies) but I have to buy it in 10 pound quantities.  I only use 3 ozs per batch and with a shelf life of 1 year, I throw out  most of the pectin.  Any suggestions on a firmer pectin or ordering confectioners pectin in 1 pound lots?  Thanks, John

Hi Brian,  Email me and we can talk about what I've accomplished for Caramel.

colocandies@hotmail.com 

HI Lynda, I wish I had some for you also, but I have not found any yet to give. I agree, the shipping is the worst part but I think it would also be less per pound if made by a recipe also, then I can wholesale it better. I am also looking for other things to add to my line. Do you make your own caramel in your firemixer 14? or other things yet? I am looking for recipes or other things I can make in it also. Have a great day, Thank you,

Brian

Hi Brian,  I've heard nothing.  Guess no one wants to turn loose of their recipes.  I'm still using Calico.  Shipping costs are the biggest problem with them.

Thanks! this site looks good indeed and the prices are fair, and the shipping is free so that's a plus!

As for the grinder the original refiner can hold up to 4kg beans while the tilting one can hold about 5kg.

Do you have any idea what's the minimum amount any of them requires to make chocolate?

Thanks again for all your help!

Hi Lynda,

I also have the Firemixer 14 and would like some commercial fudge recipes I can use instead of Calico, Did you receive any yet? thank you,

Brian

The Dutch use bonbon as well as a description of a filled chocolate. I truly enjoy Jean Pierre Wybauw books. There is so much more in his books than just the typical recipes and photograps. If I wouldnt already have his books, I would most certainly get the Ultimate Fine Chocolate book that is coming out next month. I had the privelege of taking a few clases from him and he is one of the kindest and most knowledgeable chocolatiers I know.

Hello.  I’m brand new here and new to the world of tempering chocolate.  I’ve done a lot of homework, reading up on how to temper using the seeding method.  I’ll take about 300g of chocolate and melt it to 120-124F.  Then I add 100g of seed chocolate (which is in temper) and cool it down to 84F.  I then heat it up to 89.5ish F.  I dip a knife in and wait for it to setup properly.  Once everything looks good I proceed to fill my polycarbonate molds with the tempered chocolate.  I then let them cool and release them from the molds.  The chocolate is then stored at proper temperature (60-62 degrees F and humidity at about 50%).  After a day or two or three I get some sort of bloom, but the bloom is only on the chocolate that didn’t touch the mold.  (I can't seem to attach a picture.)  I wonder if anyone can help me out here with my issue?  Thanks in advance!

Full disclosure:  The temperature of my kitchen is always above 74 F.  In order to cool the molded chocolate, I place the molds in a thermoelectric wine fridge.  This fridge does not have a compressor thus the humidity is equal to the humidity in the room.  The fridge registers at 60-62F with 48-52% relative humidity, tested with a thermometer/hydrometer.  If I lived in a cooler climate my room temperature and humidity would be at these same levels. 

Hello Adir,

The Montreal based company chocolatchocolat at http://www.chocolat-chocolat.com/home/ has a wide variety of quality molds and with the CND $ where it is, the prices are good.

As for the grinder, I find the tilting capability rather important.

Good luck

Jelly Bean & Candy Gravity Feed Display - Trade Fixtures

Excellent Condition -- $2000

• 48"W x 78"H x 22"D
• 24 bins (12 top and 12 bottom)
• Doors for Storage on Bottom
• Creamy Yellow Exterior- front/sides
• Original Manual included
• Originally $5300
• Perfect for Candy & Chocolate Shop, Bakery, Coffee Shop, Toy Store

Please include phone number with your email inquiry. We will respond immediately.
Thank you for your interest.  Our email: donna@imaginecandy.com

Also available: Chocolate Confectionery Climate Controlled Case, True Freezer, 2 Gallon Candy Jars, Metal Shelving, Tables, Folding Chairs, various Baskets and Packaging.

 gravitydisplay.jpg - 79KB

Excellent condition-  Located in Westchester NY-- $1750

Any questions: Donna@imaginecandy.com

• Model AACCA-48-R
• size- 4L8 x 2D4 x 48H
• Curved Front Glass
• Humidity control
• Under Cabinet Storage
• Exterior finish- Wilsonart Bitmore Cherry
• Hardware and trim- Polished Brass
• White laminate interior
• Mirrored interior ends
• Transparent mirrored rare sliding doors
• Two level lighting
• three adjustable ¼” plate glass shelves
• Eight foot power cord
• top Ledge
• Acrylic Trays- 24 with acrylic tags

 choccase.jpg - 27KB

Anchor Hocking 80142 Glass 2 Gallon Penny Candy Jar

• Chrome lid and stand/holder included
• $10 each / minimum 10 jars

• 90+ 2 gallon jars available
• 20+ 1 gallon jars available

Please include phone number with your email inquiry. We will respond immediately.
Thank you for your interest.

Our email: donna@imaginecandy.com

Also available: Jelly Bean & Candy Gravity Fixture, Chocolate Confectionery Climate Controlled Case, True Freezer, 2 Gallon Candy Jars, Metal Shelving, Tables, Folding Chairs, various Baskets and Packaging.

 2gallonjar.jpg - 62KB

@peter3

Thanks for the detailed response. 

1. Pouring tempered chocolate through the guillotine valve into a bowl. Mixing in inclusions. and pouring into 64g moulds with a portion scoop. 

This has worked well for us to date but its very inaccurate and is not possible with the amount of bars we need to make. 

Our product is Dark Chocolate bars/ Coconut Milk Chocolate bars, with inclusions like almonds, hazelnuts, jungle peanuts, coffee beans, etc

2. It will really depend on how well the stores do, but we feel that we need to have at the minimum of 2,500 bars produced per week in 3-4 8hr shifts. 

3. Already completed the audit earlier this year with UL Everclean

I will look into all of those depositors you mention. It seems that there is no small/mid size chocolate equipment that can handle large inclusions from my short bit of research. The volumetric depositors that we are looking at purchasing are made by Savage Bros. According to the company, it "may" handle very small inclusions, but have had so many issues with customers so they dont recommend it . 

Adding inclusions (temp of choc) to the kettle and pouring out of the valve seems pretty tricky. We have tried that technique with our products that dont have inclusions and things got very messy. I would also thing that it would be hard to have a even spread of inclusions in the bar. 

Cheers

@chocotoymaker thanks for the response. Will look into the Selmi with removable a screw. We started off in one of their stores in Downtown LA as a trial, and have averaged 250 bars a month for the last 6 months. This is with at least one demo per week, but, only 7 skus. We anticipate the new stores to average 200 bars per month, as there won't be as many demos but 3 additional products. 

41*200= 8200 bars per month 

1. What is the process you are using now? What is your product?

2. What is the production capacity you are looking for? As in pieces (what size) per hour or per shift?

3. Will you need to pass an audit of the grocery chain?

4. You can buy depositors that handle large inclusions. Answers to the above questions will help to make a decision on this.

5. You can buy volumetric depositors that will handle small batch production.

6. You can but a mould with raised dividers (which go almost to the surface), fill it in one go and easily break into smaller bars/tablets/pieces that can be individually packed.

We use the last method: Add 18kg of tempered chocolate to a kettle with temperature control on the water jacket (set to 31C), add inclusions,mix for 2 minutes, deposit (manual operation of the valve) out of the kettle into a mould sitting on a scale, vibrate and cool.

After cooling demould, break into 4 x 100g pieces, pack and box (all by hand).

Team of 5 can make over 250kg per shift. 

Two points:

1. Dosing accuracy is not great resulting in large give away (not important in our case)

2. You have to mix small batches so the chocolate does not loose the temper.

Get your self a Selmi with a removable screw. You will be able to use small inclusions and that should alleviate most of your scaling up concern.

  Also, before you start spending $$$, I would suggest toughing it out for 6 months or so to get an idea of how many bars your new accounts are going to move. The bar market is ultra crowded and insanely competitive. 41 or 500 accounts does not necessarily mean several thousand bars a month or several hundred a day.

    Best

As do the Belgians. The French would use bon bon (good good).

look at fineeuropeanchocolate.com there is a video about panning

enjoy

In Germany we use the name Praline for confections enrobed in Chocolate.

Hi Everyone, 

After almost 4 years in business, we finally got our big break. Our 10 Chocolate bar skus have been picked up by a grocery chain in Southern California (41 stores) . As exciting as it is, we are scrambling to figure out how to increase production while staying true to our product/process which has got us here in the first place. 

Our biggest shift is moving from pouring bars by hand to using depositors. The issue is that most of our bars contain larger inclusions ( almonds, hazelnuts, etc) which of course aren't depositor friendly. 

We believe there is only 2 options: 

1. Sprinkle inclusions on back

2. Deposit 1/3 of chocolate into mould and then sprinkle inclusions then top off with chocolate. 

Any Ideas/help would be greatly appreciated  :)

Equipment currently have:

- 120 lb Auto Savage Bros Tempering Machine

- 200 lb Auto Savage Bros Tempering Machine

- Savage Bros Vibrating Table

- 100lb Stonegrinder

- 60lb Stonegrinder

Dears,

We would like to sell Firemixer-14 that we used light at beginning of 2015, more information please find below:

This FireMixer-14 Table Top Cooker / Mixer is a very popular all-in-one electric mixer and cooker for producing confections. Perfect for Artisan confectioners and R & D labs, allowing one person operation from start to finish.

Ingredients are automatically mixed inside the all stainless steel FireMixer-14 Cooker Mixer, and the kettle can be tilted and locked into place for enhanced mixing action while cooking. It's built in agitator incorporates spring-loaded scrapers for fast heating without burning, and its touch control screen allows you to easily control all functions; batch and kettle skin temperature, agitator, temperature alarm, and water-flush cooling.

• Easy PLC operation touch screen
• Stainless steel construction
• Designed so that outside water source can cool product
• Kettle temperatures up to 450° F

The FireMixer-14's unique Water Flush feature prevents burning or temperature overshoot by immediately releasing heat from the kettle when desired. Flowing tap water flushes the heat from the cooker at the end of the cook cycle, allowing time to remove product without temperature overshoot. 

• Kettle locks into place, either upright or at an angle
• Tilt kettle to pour out batch, or add optional sanitary valve
• Optimum batch size is 20 lbs / 10 Kg (depending on recipe)

The FireMixer-14 is all stainless steel construction. It uses 1 phase electric power with a 16 Amp line, and requires a source of cold water with a drain.

• Made of stainless steel
• Requires 208/240 V, 50-60 Hz, 1 phase electric power

you can email me on kunoozbh@outlook.com

Hi Adir,

Molds have been discussed on this forum many times. I'd suggest doing a search for 'molds' here on TCL and reading the existing threads. There's a ton of great info here, including discussions on where to get them, materials, cleaning, and more.

I don't have any insight on which refiner to use. I use the original Premier Wonder grinders for test batches and they do very well. The Chocolate Refiner is an upgraded version of that, so I'm sure it'll be good, too. 

-Ben

Hello everyone,

I'm about to purchase some chocolate making equipment, before I start I'm looking for molds to buy, mostly interested in flat bar designed molds.

I've found a few websites but they aren't cheap, where do you guys buy your molds from? And what type of material is the best choice?

Next I'm about to buy a melanger, I'm considering between either the original Chocolate Refiner or the Tilting Chocolate refiner. Which one would be better? Is the tilting ability really that useful? Any other advantages over the non tilting version.

Thanks a lot, much appreciated

Glad to hear it helped.  :)

Tried it once and it seems to help, thanks.

3'x3' beautiful marble slab. Currently located in San Diego

$75

 marble_slab.jpg - 108KB

I made this machine on a budget and have tweaked and fine tuned it to the point of winnowing perfectly clean nibs every time.

$400

Transportation on this machine would be rather awkward, so sales within California would be preferred, we are in San Diego

 winnower.jpg - 416KB