Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Thanks, Melanie, for the great advice.
Forum Activity for @Nicole Gnutzman
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Thanks, Melanie, for the great advice.
Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
There are a couple of ways to control the humidity in wine (and other) cabinets if you have a cabinet that does not contain built-in humidity control. MOST inexpensive wine cabinets do not have humidity control.
One is to use a product called PolarFresh . It works a lot like a box of baking soda is supposed to. While chocolate fridges don't have the issue of ethylene gas production that is part of fruits and vegetables ripening, PolarFresh also absorbs humidity, keeping it in a more acceptable range.
A more "professional" product - and one that works over larger volumes more cost effectively, is from Avive Technologies .
Finally, you can use a CoolBot to use a conventional residential through-window air conditioner into a cooler for a walk-in style fridge. Most AC units won't go below 60F; the CoolBot will let you go down to just above freezing.
Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Hi I use several wine coolers to store finished chocolates as well as my transfer sheets.It serves as backup storage in the retail store and works great. Sometimes you get some condensation in the back of the wine cabinet (do not buy a cheap one) so inspect and wipe regularly. This may be due to it being an undercabinet model with not great air circulation. I also built a closet in my manufacturing area. Its not that big but accommodates 2 bakers racks plus extra space..it is cooled by a small room air conditioner set at 62 degrees.
It keeps all our bulk chocolate and work in progress in good condition and is not that expensive to run.
Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
I'm also looking at wine coolers to store chocolate confections and would love to know if they work. It seems like a perfect solution to me although humidity level may be an issue as you point out. Thanks for posing the question, Omar.
Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Hello everybody,
First of all, I would like to thank Clay for this wonderful website. It is a great source of invaluable information for chocolate lovers.
I am located in Toronto, Canada, and have been looking at different options to store finished chocolate truffles and pralines, for a small scale operation. It is not easy to find climatized chocolate cabinets, and if I find them, they are very expensive.
I think one of the options would be a wine cooler. According to Callebaut, the ideal temperature for storing finished products is between 12C and 20C, and the maximum relative humidity should be no more 70%. Here is the excerpt from Callebaut:
'Humidity
Chocolate must be protected against humidity. As a general principle, the maximum relative humidity in the warehouse should be 70%. Storage of chocolate products on floors or against walls should be strictly prohibited because this greatly increases the risk of absortion of humidity.'
Based on this, wine coolers manage the ideal chocolate storage temperature range, and their humidity is around 70%, making them an acceptable storage option.
Has anybody used or tried a wine cooler to store finished chocolate truffles and pralines?
If humidity is too high, how could be reduced? Maybe loading a try with rice or salt into the wine cooler?
Thanks for your feedback.
Omar
updated by @chocochoco: 04/11/25 09:27:36
Sugar in Ganache
Posted in: Tasting Notes
If you want more sugar, use a 50 to 60 % chocolate instead, simple. You can't add granulated sugar to ganache. Also careful of other ingredients that contain moisture or water, as water is also an enemy to chocolate.
Sugar in Ganache
Posted in: Tasting Notes
That depends on how much sugar you added.
Sugar won't dissolve in chocolate, and if you added as much sugar as cream, you're pretty much out of luck. My suggestion would be to melt it all down and use a hand mixer to dissolve the sugar. It will incorporate air into the mix as it cools and solidifies, but you can remelt it again and stir the air out and let it set.
In the future, dissolve the sugar in the cream first.
Cheers.
Brad
Sugar in Ganache
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Hi,
I am new to chocolate but I love it!! I made a 2:1 ganache (70% chocolate and 35% cream) and I added some granulated sugar to it and now my ganache has undissolved sugar granules. How can I correct this? any help is appreciated.
updated by @Angel2: 06/05/15 06:02:43
Skull mold
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Hi,
I am looking for an anatomically correct 3d skull mold. I have looked around a bit and found a place that sells chocolate skulls, but so far no luck with a mold. Any ideas where I should start looking? Thanks in advance!
Jenny
updated by @Jenny Bunker: 04/07/25 13:00:14
Eye Candy !
Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself
Our rebuild is finished and our Butter press is coming on line as we speak!
We will be producing butter and powder from the finest Dominican organic fermented cacao if anyone is interested.
Best,
Daniel Preston
Cacao Prieto
updated by @Daniel Preston: 04/15/15 21:35:41
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Cargill, Callebaut, ADM, Belcolade. Only Cargill and Callebaut produce from the bean in Belgium. Belcolade buys liquor, and ADM uses its own liquor from other plants. OCG, now Cargill was started by a former Callebaut engineers. The three letters represent initials from their last names I am told.
With enough volume anyone can purchase a proprietary recipe from any one of these big companies, and voila, your own Belgian Chocolate is born.
I think however Belgian Chocolate, as a association or tag or description for your finished products is stale and now so diluted, it has lost it's identity. I believe strongly in the trend of artisans starting their own bean to bar production and standing proud of ones own chocolate creations. There is a real trend out there now and more and more small equipment suppliers are facilitating this bean to bar dream.
The Qzina Institute in Irvine Ca will begin working with bean to bar training and process development starting January 2012, where craftsmen will be able to come and discover the various processes and equipment used for artisanal bean to bar chocolate production.
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
I just had to take a moment to second Clay's note with a big thank you. It has been totally incredible for a newbie like me to have my question addressed so graciously by industry pros/rockstars : ) Thanks, everyone, and thanks, Clay for making a discussion like this possible.
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
i can pretty confidently say that the scenario you suggest isn't what happened, at least prior to the acquisition 8-) Post acquisition, absolutely Cargill personnel spent time there to ensure things were smooth. In fact, the US based president of the company temporarily moved there during that time.
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Sebastian, I got a laugh over your reference to OCG (old callebaut guys...). Interestingly enough the jury is still out on what the acronym stands for - officially their name is only OCG 
OCG was started by several people who broke off from Callebaut, but I am fairly certain thatCargill funded theendeavorand sent a guy(s) over to see OCG have a successful launch. I know this information is pretty accurate, but I wouldn't go quoting me on it. The best way to find out would be to call them. I am sure they would take the time to tell anyone who was curious. After all, who doesn't love to talk about themselves to anyone who will listen and why would a company be any different? :D
BTW - Clay, what a great company name, The Chocolate Life ~ La Vida Cocoa... Brilliant!
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Thanks to everyone for contributing here ... and to Braun for being so open and for making the special offer for his chocolate.
It's discussions like this one that form the reason for my starting TheChocolateLife in the first place: collectively, we know far more than any one of us can.
:: Clay
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
I'd developed fountain chocolates before 2003 - i'd say sephra was the first to really embrace it on a larger scale however.
Also, OCG (old callebaut guys...) has been owned by Cargill for a number of years 8-)
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Amber, I have appreciated your post regarding "Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?" Also, Brad is right about our manufacturer, it is Callebaut. However, our recipe isproprietaryso you will only find it being distributed through Sehpra or an authorized dealer. We don't tout this nearly enough, but Sephra was the first company to ever develop a fountain ready chocolate. Prior to 2003, when people wanted to use chocolate in a fountain they either added vegetable or canoil oil or added cocoa butter to yield the right consistency.
Ruth, thank you for taking a stab at what we would consider the big four Belgian Chocolate manufacturers. Since you took a shot at it I would love to send you 6lbs of Sephra's chocolate . Tell me what types of chocolate you would like to try, 3 bags makes up 6lbs and they can be different types, whatever you would like. I will also offer 4 lbs of Sephra's chocolate to everyone who commented on this post If you commented prior to this post and would like 2 bags of Sephra's chocolate please send your contact information to marketing@sephra.com along with what two types of chocolate you would like and I will ship them out immediately free of charge. This offer is limited to US based addresses, no PO Boxes, sorry if you are out of the country 
And if any of you would care to share your thoughts on our chocolate we would love to hear about it through The Chocolate Life.com ~ good or bad, we listen and always do our best to take care of everyone we do business with! Thanks Amber, keep up the great work :D
P.S. - Big Four Belgian Manufacturers: Schokinag/ADM, Belcolade, Callebaut, OCG... there are others, many of whom seem to be a close second, but those four are what we would consider some of the biggest in Belgium.
Enjoy your chocolate!
Braun Ehman
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Sephra's Premium Dark Chocolate is made by Callebaut.
Cheers.
Brad
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Braun,
Thank you for taking a moment to drop a note and for your gracious (and very fun) reply. I'm on pins and needles to see who gets to take home the Sephra!
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
I'll take a shot---Callebaut, Belcolade, Dolfin, Cote D'or.
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Sephra's imported Belgian chocolate is made up by one of the four big chocolate manufacturers in Belgium! To make this fun, if someone can name the big four I will happily send them 6lbs of either Sephra's Belgium Semi-sweet Dark or Milk chocolate free of charge, you choose whatever type you would like. Sephra is one of the only US based companies to import couverture chocolate from Belgium. Couverture chocolate is chocolate that contains at least 32% cocoa butter making the chocolate viscous enough that when melted it will flow through the fountain perfectly and produce a smooth cascading curtain over each tier. Also, Sephra doesn't seek to hide who manufacturers our chocolate, it's out there if you search a little. However, we have developed our own recipes for each of our chocolates so even if you were to try the manufacturers brand, it would not taste like our signature brand. Thanks for the interest and we appreciate your post! I do work at Sephra and . along with everyone else here, we absolutely love what we do and would be happy to answer any questions you may have about anything so please don't hesitate to contact us any time. We look forward see who can name the big four first! Thanks again!
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Sebastian,
That's totally fair, and a good point! (though you are killing me, you know : ) I just might try actually calling Sephra, which I somehow had not thought about. It won't hurt. And I just might start sampling a little more callebaut than I have in the past.
Thank you!! I so appreciate the note.
Amber
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Yes, but I'm not going to tell you 8-) That's for the company to decide if they want to release or not.
Keep in mind that with an outfit the size of callebaut (any of the large industrial chocolate suppliers actually), a technical person may have no idea whom all the commercial contracts are. It's quite unusual for a single person to have complete knowledge of the entire company's customer list...
Where does Sephra Chocolate come from?
Posted in: Tasting Notes
I had a bag of Sephra's milk chocolate (Sephra the chocolate fountain company ) and decided I'd try it out on a couple recipes. I found it was extremely easy to work with and tempered really nicely.
I would LOVE to find out who Sephra has making their chocolate and then find out what else they offer. The Sephra bag I have claims they have a Belgian chocolate maker who makes their signature formula for them.
I thought it might be Callebaut, but after speaking with a technical advisor there who had never heard of Sephra, and then sampling Callebaut's own fountain chocolate, I'm pretty certain it is someone else. Any ideas would be so appreciated!
updated by @Amber Fawson: 04/17/15 06:09:19
Good Quality Cocoa for chocolate fudge centers
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Thanks Antonino, I have sent you an email.
Good Quality Cocoa for chocolate fudge centers
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Hi, come and see us at cocoafair, the first company in SA to produce bean to bar to pralines 100% organic.
we are in Cape Town @ the Bisquit Mill.
not only we can offer you chocolate, but also customer support.
you can contact me via this message or at antonino@cocoafair.com
Good Quality Cocoa for chocolate fudge centers
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Hi, can anyone tell me where I can buy really good quality cocoa in South Africa? I feel as if I am on a different planet and I do not even know what a good quality cocoa would be. I want to use it to make a soft fudge centers. I find that using chocolate with my recipe makes the centers hard and I think that if I replace some of my flour with cocoa I will get a softer center.
It may also be possible that some of you have a better idea for making a soft chocolate fudge center. I have a client that wants it, but I am not too sure how to go about it
Thanks
Magriet
updated by @Magrietha Hendrika du Plessis: 04/07/25 13:00:14
Buying large transfer sheets (uk/Europe)
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Here's another option for you.... http://cheaptransfersheets.com/shop/
Buying large transfer sheets (uk/Europe)
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Thanks Clay - I'll go take a look and compare with current charges from PCB.
Many thanks
Katy
Buying large transfer sheets (uk/Europe)
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
US sources for transfer sheets include:
- Chef Rubber ( catalog index page )
- American Chocolate Designs ( home page )
Many other sources are going to be reselling PCB, etc. Sourcing from the US might not be such a bad idea as the Pound is so much stronger than the USD at the moment. Plus, there are probably going to be some designs you won't find in the stock European catalogs.
Buying large transfer sheets (uk/Europe)
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
HiI use a lot of transfer sheets to make cracked transfer slabs and am looking around to see if there is anyone else I should be trying.I buy mine from Keylink in Sheffield and PCB Creation from France but the latter is proving v expensive because of taxes and carriage.Does anyone have any recommendations of other suppliers and how much they cost per pack.Thought about maybe getting some from America but no idea where to start!
updated by @Katy Weddell: 04/07/25 13:00:14
Cacao Prieto
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
http://www.joe-ray.com/work/published/cacao_prieto/
Fun article in the Daily yesterday.
updated by @Daniel Preston: 12/13/24 12:16:07
Chocolate/Pastries in Romania
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Hi!
Does anyone know of any chocolate/pastry/bread shops to visit in Bucharest or in the Transylvania area? I am going there the end of July. Thanks in advance for your assistance! 
updated by @Victoria Atfield: 04/21/15 00:12:26
material
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Hi Omar,
I actually never use them, I just test them, and the run pretty well
kind regards
Javier
material
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Hi Javier,
Did you have the opportunity to try them?
How do you like them?
Thanks,
Omar
material
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Hi Omar,
I buy these machines, as a compressor, two stainless steel tables with marble moldes, ........ to open a chocolate shop in Texas, but it does materialize, so I try to recover my investment.
kind regards
Javier
material
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Hi Javier,
May I ask why are you selling the tempering machines?
What country were they manufactured?
Thanks,
Omar
material
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Hi Clay
I have 2 brand new stainless steel
tempering machine, capacity 30 kg ,
110 volts.
Each one for US $ 5500-
maybe you know some one interesting
kind regards
material
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
I may have just the units for you (company is in Florida). It's the holiday weekend so nothing is going to happen until Tuesday. I will check in then and let you know.
material
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Hi Clay,
I think one with 5 celcius with between 10 and 20 trays
and one with 15 cecius with also 10 - 20 trays
budget: +/- 8000$ for both
thk