Forum Activity for @Susan Van Horn

Freezing Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Lana & Ruth ~ When I have vacuum packed my finished rolled chocolates, the "vacuuming" has ended up cracking the shells. Now, I didn't have them in layers in a box, either. I am just wondering if putting them in boxes will help mitigate this problem. Do you stop the vacuum process when the bag is really tight around the box or ??? How can you tell when to stop so that I don't crack the shells? I would love to be able to vacuum seal my finished pieces. It would save a boatload of time and last minute orders would be so much easier to fill. Right now, I have opted to vacuum seal the rolled balls and that works fine.

Freezing Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Ruth and Lana, thank you both for being so helpful! I'll let you know how I go!

Freezing Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I also freeze finished chocolates. I use snap n seal containers. I freeze enrobed pieces with transfer sheets (not still attached) and molded pieces with no problems. One thing to consider, some flavors intensify when frozen, such as chili peppers. I do one piece that has habanero and I don't freeze that one as it is unpredictable.

Freezing Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Lana, thank you for your information, which is exactly what I was looking for. Could you clarify a few things for me. Like Gap, I have problems with the Australian heat and I am just a beginner, embarking on starting my small chocolate business - so proper freezing practice would be most helpful.

"I make several frames a week of the same flavour and then package them in bulk boxes. Each bulk box has 5 layers and holds a total of 244 chocolates"

- Did you freeze your 'frames' (I assume that these are slabs of ganache poured into frames?) without cutting into pieces, or are they cut into 244 pieces?

- If cut, are they also dipped into chocolate?

- I'm also guessing that you don't actually freeze the actual frames? I use plastic stackable frames.

-The boxes from Nashville that you use are strong enough to withstand the vacuum packing?

I have frozen slabs and balls (from silicon moulds) of ganache, so when thawed out 24hrs in fridge, then 24hrs in room temperature, I THEN cut and enrobe. I know that one can freeze enrobed pieces, but I am concerned with damage done to the surface or chocolate transfer pattern used. I would really be pleased if you have done so successfully! Thank you again for your very useful information.

Freezing Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Chocolate is the stuff of movies, music, dreams and many a midnight snack. For the cook, however, chocolate can be a conundrum, a difficult product to keep well and use properly. The first thing a good cook must learn is how to store their pantry items properly, and chocolate should always be in a good cook's pantry. The easy answer to whether or not you can freeze chocolate is no, but that isn't the complete answer. Freeze chocolate only if you must. Freezing can cause chocolate to have either Fat Bloom or Sugar Bloom.You've probably seen bloomed chocolate--it has a mottled gray appearance. Freeze chocolate chips for a more reliable and usable result. Bring the chips to room temperature and use unbloomed chips in any recipe. Brownies can be frozen, but you need to wrap them well. Fudgy brownies freeze without losing moisture (as long as well wrapped -- foil and then plastic), if you don't seal cakey brownies well, they will dry out in the freezer. Freezing air draws away the moisture.

Freezing Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Lana,What type of freezer do you have? I am "space challenged" but would like to purchase a freezer. Just wondering how large a freezer is necessary, in your opinion.

Freezing Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I don't do commercial lots, but I freeze my chocolates all the time. Just froze the 700 pieces for Christmas this year because we've started getting 30+C days in Melbourne.

Freezing Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank You Lana. Do you just wrap the boxes in saran wrap before freezing?

Freezing Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I know you can freeze chocolates, and I know the process. My question is if anyone here does it successfully for their businesses? Anything that really shouldn't be frozen?


updated by @George Trejo: 04/11/25 09:27:36

In search of a chocolate milk recipe

Posted in: Recipes

I've been experimenting with and looking for recipes for chocolate milk. Mostly for personal reasons -- I've been told to drink more milk but can't stand the taste. I don't like commercial chocolate milk either. So I've been resorting to making hot drinking chocolate with dark chocolate and warm milk and letting it cool before consumption.

I'm wondering if anyone else out there has a recipe for chocolate milk that will hold after you make a batch of it and leave it in the fridge to drink as desired. Thanks in advance for your time.

updated by @Vanessa Chang: 05/03/15 04:00:34

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

hi yes the ones i have are dryed and this has preserved them but not the colour

i only know one other way to keep the colour but i dont know anyone who can do it

i herd that after they are cut from the tree they are dipped in a lacquer but i dont know if it works

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

I was told some cocoa pods come in a jar filled with a liquid that preserves them. that way they keep their colour and do not dry out.Does anyone supply the pods in these jars?Laura did you figure out a way to preserve?

Thanks!

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Hi all, in Ecuador we have cocoa beans fine aroma of high quality, we can supply cocoa beans, cocoa pods, cocoa nibs or chocolate liquor cocoa coverage, send an email to dissupp@yahoo.com with your request and we will be happy to serve you.

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

hi ning i just recieved some pods a few days ok but if i need more i will keep you in mind

do you have a way that the pods keep their colours ?

kind regards laura

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

hi Pierre,

you can find jeff on this site Jeff Stern is his name

he works from this email

cocoapodman@gmail.com

here is the info he gave me

Experience chocolate in its original state-The Cocoa Pod. We are the world's only supplier of dried cocoa pods. The pods come in three forms:

* Whole Dried Pods ($5.99)
* Open pods with Seeds Inside ($6.99)
* Open without seeds ($5.99)

These are a great novelty item for a chocolate shop or specialty coffee shop: customers also like them for purchase, especially children. Fun and educational, they make a great conversation piece as well. We ship worldwide and offer quantity discounts. We also sell traditional jute sacks for transporting cocoa beans at $6.50 each.

Shipping starts at about $16 for one pod, but goes down in price substantially the more you order. Shipping is based on weight, as pods can vary in size. Shipping times are approximately 10-15 business days, give or take 5.

he is very good he gave me a tracking number so i was able to track the pods in the mail. jeff was very helpfull and was happy to help if i had and qus. australian customes where a bit tricky and took a long time (3 weeks ) to fumigate the pods but it all worked out in the end the pods are truly amazing all the best to you and i hope you hcan get some soon too !!!

p.s you may be able to help me i would like to know if you know what is the best room temp to make chocolate in and to store it in ??? also i would like to hear about your shop

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Hi Laura,
I'm in Malaysia and have pods that I may be able to ship to you.
Im saying this in no certain terms because the Australian government has very strict control over all organic matter that is crossing into Australia.

If you can sort that out I will be able to ship some pods to you in a condition that you prefer.

My trees produce bright yellow to orange pods when ripen, some trees produce pods with a smooth surface and other trees with a rough surface.

true_1@hotmail.com

Ning

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Laura,

Just saw thisdiscussion and had to contact you.

My wife and I have just opened our chocolate shop in Arizona and were looking to bring in some cocoa pods for display. If possible could you relay the info on the company you used. I don't see any contact information on Jeff's response.

Any suggestions from you will also be great as you just went through the process.

Thank you,

Pierre

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

hi all well i would just like to say a big thank you to jeff for making this all possible !!!! i have now got my very own cocoa pods and they look amazing thank you all who replied kind regards Laura

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

ok this sound good i think it would be best is i talk to someone who has had them sent over here befor as i am not sure if i need to apply to quarantine befor or after purchese from you but i am very happy that you replyed to me sorry about my email it is block up i need to clean it out thanks kind regard laura

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Hi LauraGot your email but my response was bounced back, here it is:I have sent to Australia and can give you the names of the people if you wish to contact them about their experience. I know they had to pay some extra money for the quarantine and wait several weeks before the pods were released, and also that they drilled a hold in one of the pods. Below is the general information. Look it over and let me know if and when you'd like to proceed. Thanks!JeffExperience chocolate in its original state-The Cocoa Pod. We are the world's only supplier of dried cocoa pods. The pods come in three forms:* Whole Dried Pods ($5.99)* Open pods with Seeds Inside ($6.99)* Open without seeds ($5.99)These are a great novelty item for a chocolate shop or specialty coffee shop: customers also like them for purchase, especially children. Fun and educational, they make a great conversation piece as well. We ship worldwide and offer quantity discounts. We also sell traditional jute sacks for transporting cocoa beans at $6.50 each.Shipping starts at about $16 for one pod, but goes down in price substantially the more you order. Shipping is based on weight, as pods can vary in size. Shipping times are approximately 10-15 business days, give or take 5.

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

thank you all who made replies i will let you know how i got one thanks laura

preserved cocoa pods how do i get one

Posted in: Chocolate Education

HI all

i am in australia and i would like to know if someone knows how i can get a preserved cocoa pod.

i would like to know who to call to get one and how much they cost and how long it will take to get one into australia i hear is take 6 months or more and dose anyone know if you can preserve them and keep the vibrant red or yellow or purple colours

thanks all the best laura

updated by @Laura Marion: 04/12/15 11:35:32

cracked shells?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

You can always just coat them a second time and they should be fine

cracked shells?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Also uneven thickness of the shell contributes to this cracking...and the difference between the outer and inner filling too..

cracked shells?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

they felt a bit cold, oh well if was only a small test batch at least. thanks for the reply Kerry.

cracked shells?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Cold soft centers are the most common culprit.

cracked shells?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Just made two test batches of new truffles recipes, just dipped them and the shells are already cracking????? This has never happened before, any idea's? Maybe the centres are cold? It's snowing here? so it's a little cooler then normal. but it only happened on some of them and not all.

I'm baffled. So any suggestions or idea's would be great.

Thanks in advance

updated by @Dirke Botsford: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Objective evaluation of chocolate quality?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

I wonder if someone could enlighten me on the latest developments in the field of objective evaluation of chocolate quality. Is there a commission of recognized experts somewhere? What happened to the Academy of chocolate - do they still give awards? What is the situation in Europe or USA?

Your feedback would be most appreciated.

updated by @Anna Bonavita: 05/04/15 00:46:52

Problems with chocolate molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Tien, you might also want to have a fan blow room temp air across the molds to help them cool off. I have found this to be a great help in getting the molds to set and release properly.

Problems with chocolate molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks Ruth and Nat! I got the humidity in my working area down to 52% and tried again. Between Ruth's hint to increase the working temperature and Nat's to lower the humidity, the molds came out perfect and the chocolate stayed fluid while dipping.Muchas gracias!!

Problems with chocolate molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

You may be getting over-crystallization of the chocolate. After about 10 minutes of you working, raised the temperature on the machine 2 degrees. This will keep the chocolate from thickening too much. Good luck.

Problems with chocolate molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks! I'll look into getting a hygrometer and maybe pick up a cheap dehumidifier today. I make my annual batch of chocolates (about 60 lb) over Thanksgiving weekend, so waiting for a better time doesn't really work for me. I live in the San Francisco area (actually on the SF Peninsula about 40 miles south of SF), so our climate/humidity is pretty dry most of the time - except for a few rainstorms in the winter. This weekend's weather has been most unusual - heavy rain and thunderstorms, which are practically unheard of here - so it sounds like I've just been hit with bad timing!Thanks so much for your help!

Problems with chocolate molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Tien,Yes, raining outside with no AC is definitely a problem with both molding and thickening in the temperer. I'd suggest getting a cheap $20 hygrometer online and don't temper if it's ever above 50% humidity if you don't want to chance it. Where are you?Space heater won't really help, but a dehumidifier or AC set on a higher temp (at which it still dehumidifies) are good for lowering the humidity. A temp of 70-79 is OK, but since most temperers use passive cooling, it goes a little faster if the room temp is closer to 70.

Problems with chocolate molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Nat,Thanks for the references! They were really helpful.I'm using Tomric polycarbonate molds (which I gather might be part of my problem) to cast shells for some bonbons. The molds are at room temperature and being cooled at room temperature. (I'm not a professional chocolatier, so I don't have climate control, though I could perhaps try to contrive something with a space heater and fan). What is the optimal temperature for casting bonbon shells?But I think part of the culprit might be the humidity! It is pouring rain outside and is expected to pour all weekend, so we have very high humidity. I will try again later this week when it's a bit sunnier and drier out.Could the humidity be causing my other problem, which is the chocolate thickening too fast? I am tempering by heating the chocolate to 120F or so, then dumping it into the tempering machine, putting tempered chocolate on the other side of the tempering machine, and allowing the machine to cool to the proper temperature. Then I leave the machine on and the bowl rotating while I dip the chocolates.In the past this has worked OK, but this year I'm lucky if I get 20-30 minutes of working time before the stuff thickens and I have to temper again. Any suggestions?

Problems with chocolate molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Tien, what kind of molds and cooling are you using and what is your humidity? With larger masses of chocolate in molds vs. thin layers in dipped chocolate, large flat areas on the bar can easily have release marks or problems cooling evenly. This post and this post describe release mark problems with some of the thinner, cheaper, or badly made molds. If you're tempering at a time of year where it's more humid, the tempering that worked fine before may become much more sensitive to any minor problems. I can temper fine all winter with no dehumidification or AC, but come summer and higher humidity, everything goes to pot without climate control.

Problems with chocolate molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi all,

In years past I have been able to use chocolate molds successfully. This year I am having problems, possibly because I switched tempering methods? (I was tabling the chocolate on a granite slab, now I'm using a tempering machine.) The chocolate does not set up correctly. I have tried it using freshly tempered chocolate, and while the knife-dip test sets correctly, and the chocolates I dipped immediately before AND after casting the molds set up correctly, the mold cavities are full of streaky chocolate that doesn't look tempered at all.

My room temperature is 70F, and the chocolate is at ~89F (as far as I can tell; my thermometer appears to be "off" despite calibration and despite being approved for industry, so I have been using the lip test more than the thermometer to determine tempering). I'm working with Valrhona, a mix of Alpaco and Extra Bitter. And, as I said, dipped chocolates seem to be coming out fine with the same bowl of chocolate, it's only the molds that are going wrong.

Any thoughts on what I could be doing wrong?

Tien

updated by @tienchiu: 04/11/25 09:27:36

To freight or not to freight...

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Thanks Brian, I suppose the purpose of my post was for people like myself who are still going through the learning curve of importing cacao. Thank you for you reply. I cannot answer it cause for the most part, what you ask would be location specific. But your questions do serve as a guide as to the TYPE of questions, people like myself should be asking when considering the import option. Thanks again. T

To freight or not to freight...

Posted in: Chocolate Education

My reply is humbled by your response. Wow, Jim. Your post deserves a couple of 'exalts'. Thanks. T

To freight or not to freight...

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Anthony,The single largest problem I have is "Transportation". In addition to the items you listed, you need to exploreCost of staging to the point of FOBIf you are considering bean shipment, the point of FOB is normally remotely located from the origin of beans and can be substantial. Shipment in excess of 20kg are not normally handled by postal services and requires alternate types of commercial movement. This entails additional steps which include added paperwork and possibly government regulations. Free movement of goods are normally controlled by lots of forms, inspections and controls $$$$$Fees and TaxesThe simple act of commercial transfer between parties brings out another host of 3rd party blood suckers that add to the misery of buyers/shippers. In Brazil, you must have an official "Export Specialist" (Despechante) in order to process a shipment through the Government Export Process. On reality, you must prepare all documentation and possess an export license prior to submitting goods for export. This "rubber stamp" process cost 1 minimum salary (Today is +- US$ 300. You are also legally bound to contribute 1/2 minimum salary to the union to which the 3rd party "Export Specialist" belongs.Sanitation ControlAll goods shipped normally require "Inspection and Certification" that the goods are free of diseases and are worthy of shipment. This requires plastic pallets or fumigated wooden pallets. another +- US$150. Inspection and subsequent documentation adds another +- US$ 50.00. Specific types of packaging normally apply which in the case of beans, include requirements for unused sacks with very specific information printed ( Origin, product enclosed, Tax ID number, weight and Shipper name). Depending on the importing destination, possible fumigation and other tasks)Costs of commercial transport....Expensive!!!!Depending on Origin and Destination and method of transport. Typically out of Brazil this amounts to +_ US$ 1.00 per kg and Full container 20' (15000kg} +_US# 4500.Since most bean sources originate in 3rd world countries the options for undeclared costs to remove "bumps in the road" from corrupt officials depend on the location and whether the inspector needs additional cash for vacation expenses.Without any doubt, this subject is well worth extensive research before seller or buyer enters into an agreement. Most of the hassles encountered by individuals are avoided by multinational giants as they maintain large staffs and bank accounts to subvert the problem.In all cases...BUYER AND SELLER BEWARE....Jim Lucas

To freight or not to freight...

Posted in: Chocolate Education

That my dear friends is the question.
I'm sure a lot of people on this group have come across this problem and I suppose It would have helped me I had read something like this (and I'm speaking under correction here)

Courier service - Fast and very expensive and limited to +_ 25kg, depending
Freight Air - Slightly cheaper - but takes over from courier 25kg to 1000kg, depending
Shipping
LCL - Less than Container load - Group Stuffing (beware of other goods)
FCL - Full Container Load - Its all your stuff

FOB - Free OnBoard
EXW - Ex Works
CNF - Cost Insurance and Freight

See attached chart.

Which do you use? If anyone has anything to add to this it would be appreciated
Tony

updated by @Anthony Lange: 04/10/15 13:41:58

Amma chocolate

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

Hi Christopher,

Have you been able to find an importer of Amma yet? I would like to carry it and am looking for a wholesaler...

Best,

Tessa

Amma chocolate

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

any news on how to obtain Amma chocolate in the states ?

christopher carlson

updated by @christopher carlson: 12/13/24 12:16:07