Forum Activity for @Ruth Atkinson Kendrick

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Bud, I have a Hilliard 80#, and 3 Savage 50# semi-automatic tempering machines. I love all of them. I like the Hilliard for simplicity and for dipping. The Savage are great because I have dark, milk and white chocolate melted at all times and within 20 minutes, I have tempered chocolate. It will also hold temper (if I hit the right temp) for several days. With the Savage, I can open the gate and fill molds directly from the unit. Very simple. With that said, I don't trust anyone to temper but me I bought them used, but they have been trouble free.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Ian,I have a Rev 2 and would love to give the holey baffle a try. I am at the point of needing a larger tempering machine as well, and wanting to check out AMCM, etc...because the jump in price is quite a jump...but 1.5lbs at a time is just not enough for me...definitely interested in the holey baffle though.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Hi, Ian.First, to address Clay's questions... I am a hobbyist, and bought a Rev 2 about 18 months ago. During the holidays, I make loads of caramels, nougats and chocolates to give away - this Christmas it was over 35 pounds (somehow my list of recipients just keeps growing...). While I've always been fascinated by candy making and confectionery science, the Rev 2 improved my efficiency so much that I got serious about learning and doing more. Now I seem to be making chocolates, thinking about making chocolates, or taking pictures of chocolates... ALL THE TIME. It's been a great machine for me.Or, at least, it WAS... until this morning. I put the baffle in, added the chocolate, turned on the machine, and everything seemed to be operating normally, except there is no heat coming from the element. Very strange, since the machine was working perfectly when I used it two days ago. I will call the technical service number you mentioned to Andy above - thanks for being so available to us.I really do love the machine. My only real quibble with it to this point has been the noise, and I am delighted to hear about ChocoVision's efforts to address that. As for the baffle clip issue (with chocolate wafers climbing up out of the bowl), I've found that the spatula that came with my Cuisinart solved the problem for me - I just lay it across the top of the machine with the blade of the spatula resting right under the clip, curved side against the bowl. It fits the contours of the bowl very nicely, and the "climbing" chocolate wafers hold it in place until they're melted enough to stop trying to escape.Finally, I would very much LOVE to test one of the Holey Baffles for you, if they are still available.
updated by @Laurie Bergren: 09/09/15 12:02:28

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

I have a Hillard's little dipper, the Hillard's 240lb temperer and the Delta. You can't beat the Hillard 240 for when you need to really kick out the chocolate but you need to be comfortable with tempering. The delta usually produces a well tempered chocolate and my helper prefers using as it's more automated. I find that it's capacity is small and sometimes it tells you you are in temper and it's not. My baffle broke a couple of weeks ago but they replaced it for free (it was within warantee)I like the idea of the baffle and would love to try it sometime.I would love to hear if someone has a temperer that will be about the size of my big hillard yet has an auto-temperer and is not crazy expensive.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Hi Ian,I would love to try the holey baffle. I have the Delta, and it's been a great machine. I was surprised after hearing the complaints about noise on the smaller models, this one is extremely quiet.Thanks so much.Robyn

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Funny you say that....the engineers are also working on enlarging the baffle clip size, but so far only for the larger units. Until we possibly redesign the smaller units' baffle clip, your best bet may be to premelt in order to to avoid escapage, or melt a bit at a time rather than the full batch at once. The coins/discs are tougher to ocontain than block or chunk chocolate.I can definitelty send you a small Holey Baffle, just email your address to: ian@chocovision.com. You can be one of our first guinea pigs.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Ian, I would love to try the holey baffle. Do you have one available for the Rev 2 that you could send me? Also, one more product suggestion while we're on the subject. I've started using the valrhona and cacao noel disks and they tend to jump out of the tempering machine while they're behind the baffle waiting to be melted. Perhaps making the piece of plastic that attaches to the top of the baffle (not sure what the official name of this piece is) would solve the jumping disk problem?

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Hello fellow Chocolate Lifers.I work for ChocoVision and would like to address some of your collective concerns.The noise level of our tabletop Revolation 1 and 2 machines have always been a source of concern for many of our customers. The reverberation of the motor and fan off of the plastic casing seemed to be a consequence of a smaller, relatively inexpensive (plastic) unit. That said, our engineering team has been hard at work for the past few months modifying specifications of the tabletop machines in order to muffle the noise. This will be an uphill climb that may prove fruitless, but stay tuned.As for the capacitywe have recently introduced what we are calling the Holey Baffle which vastly increases the maximum capacity of our larger (Revolation X 3210 and Delta) machines from 10 Lbs. to roughly 18.5 Lbs. A smaller version of this Holey Baffle is being manufactured for evaluation in limited quantity for our tabletop units, and will increase the tabletop units from a 1.5 Lb. capacity to between 2 and 2.2 Lbs.If you would like to give a Holey Baffle a whirl, please contact me and I will send one to help you get more out of your unit.There are other techniques to be employed for more efficiency from our units. Feel free to contact me regarding that as well.As for Andys wifes machinefan problems are not the norm for Rev2s, let alone having two failures in just over a year. Please contact me and/or ChocoVisions technical team at (845) 473-4970 for further instruction or service.Thank you!Ian

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

My wife has the ChocoVision Revolation 2.The fan broke again last night, leaving her with a large number of Christmas chocolate orders to be tempered using a porringer with boiling water. Not an enjoyable evening.The fan has now broken twice in 14 months. We are buying a different brand.@Kelli - what brand do you use for larger orders?

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

I just bought the Rev 2 (my last machine was the sinsation) and I love it. It's good for small batches, with a 1.5 half pound capacity. Like others have said it's really loud, but it's the right capacity for me so I make due with the noise. I've also used one of the more professional grade chocovision machines which is also great, much quieter, but it's a minimum capacity of 3 pounds which is usually way more than I'm working with in the small batches I produce.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

I have a HIlliard's Little Dipper as well as two Mol'D'Art melters and I like all of them. The Hilliards is a little noisy with the fan and the motor, but built like a tank. It will run you about $1200 new last I checked. Great for a small operation. We also use a Prefamac with enrober (30Kg model)-great machine too for larger but still small-scale production. Can easily do 25-50 pounds daily or more on it depending on staffing and prep.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

I use the ACMC for personal use, holds a nice charge of chocolate. Oh, it does have a fan for the cooling stage. And 2 100w bulbs for heat. Simple, and stands up to a good bit of abuse.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Has this landscape changed any in the last year? Any new reviews or ideas? I was watching our process last night and we're losing a bit too much time getting chocolates setup for dipping etc.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

I wonder whether I can add my experience with Mol d`Art melter. I simply love its work.6 Kg capacity. I put the chocolate in the melter setting temp at 43degrees the previous night. Start my work in the morning after setting temp at 31 degrees and seeding it . Takes a little time. Looks like a simple box, quiet. liked it so much that thinking to buy one more for melting milk chocolate.I wonder whether melters are considered as tempering machines!!

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

LOL you're SO right Clay, on both counts.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Both of the small Chocovision machines (Rev1 and 2) are noisy. The ACMC machine is quieter because it doesn't have a fan. However, I don't see how they can charge so much for something that uses the same technological approach as an Easy-Bake oven.Unfortunately, there really isn't anything else in the under 10-pound range or for under $1500.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Debra:There is nothing special about the chocolate that Lake Champlain uses. It's standard stuff from Barry Callebaut, and made in the St Albans, VT factory. You can get many Callebaut chocolates in bulk from Chocosphere.com and ChocolateSource.comThe Sinsation is the same thing as a Chocovision Rev1 or 2 - it's just an old name.:: Clay

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

I use both a Chocovision Rev1 and an ACMC Table Top Temperer. Love 'em both, but the Rev1 is NOISY!

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Hi Kelli,Thanks, I have the sinsation and it has a small capacity also. I am wondering do you blend your own chocolates together to arrive at a taste that you like? Where is a good place to buy bulk chocolate? I really like Lake Champlain chocolate have you ever tried or used it. I don't know if they sell in bulk.Debra

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

I own the Rev 2. I really do like it, except during the holidays. I find for large production or large molds, it's just not quite enough tempered chocolate.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Hi Clay,I am just a hobbyist. I temper only around 2# at a time.Debra

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Debra:To help set the stage for this discussion can you let everyone know something about what your requirements are?Are you a hobbyist so that you only need to work with a few pounds at a time, or are you producing hundreds of pounds of chocolate a day in a mix of dark, milk, and white and need something that can handle those demands? Or are you somewhere in between?This will help us know what kinds of machines to talk about.

chocolate tempering machines

Posted in: Opinion

Does anyone own a tempering machine and if so which one?chefveggi
updated by @debra kleiman walter: 11/21/15 17:09:56

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Signature Fine Foods in Toronto has the guitar sheets.

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks for your help. My family owns a screen printing shop. I own a chocolate shop. After reading your adventure it has inspired me to play around with it myself. Where can I buy proper sheets?

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I do have some of the 'proper' sheets, but tend to do use the overheads most for the experiments.I add white coloured cocoa butter to some colours - ie titanium dioxide - to make them opaque rather than white chocolate.

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Kerry,Are you using colored cocoa butter for every color or do you have to add white chocolate to any of your colors? Are you still printing on overhead projector acetate sheets or did you find a source for the thinner sheets?

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks curt. Yes I looked into it and it is really expensive, especially if you want to do multiple colors. Probably just cheaper to have someone make the transfer sheets for you. Can try the new Chocolate Artist program from Chocolate World as another option.

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

HI Christina: I am not sure about the food safe issue but I do know that making silk screens requires substantial equipment. The biggest in terms of price and space would be a vacuum table(for holding the screen flat) and high intensity lights(to set the emulsion film) . If you are committed to making your own screens I would suggest enrolling in a silk screen(serigraph) class at a local art center or college. Not only will you have access to their equipment, I'll bet they help you research the food safe issue....curt

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Irma,I really haven't found anybody come out and say that their products are FDA approved. I looked at the YUDO machine too. Very cool. I think this machine can also be used to make photopolymer plates for making raised/embossed chocolate molds.As far as the screens, I think the best choice is to buy them made from someone like Chef Rubber or just use acetate stencils or some other food safe stencil.Thanks,Christina The Chocolate Mold Factory

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Christina,I too have been trying to figure out how to make my own custom screens for cocoa butter. Have you found food safe supplies yet? I came across what's called YUDU which is a silkscreen machine. It uses emulsion sheets instead of regular liquid emulsion. I was just wondering if those emulsion sheets are or could be food safe after washing the screen before using it for printing. Any thoughts on this? I wonder where we can obtain info on the food safety of emulsion sheets. Does anyone have any ideas?

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I have the food safe emulsion for silk screening.Check out my experiments in silk screening here

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Clay,Thank you for contacting Mr. Edwards. I sincerely wish he would consider selling the emulsion. It is really scary to know what to use or not. It would be a great relief to have a trusted source.I appreciate your time.Thank you,Christina

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Christina:Actually, in speaking with Paul Edwards about this, I do believe that Chef Rubber makes the screens. By this I mean they buy the frames stretched with the mesh from someone else but then apply the emulsion, expose and develop the image, and then do the actual screening. Also from that conversation, I got the impression that the emulsion they use (they have it made for them) IS FDA approved - they just don't sell it.If the company advertises as non-toxic when dry you can count on it. Their lawyers would not let them say it if it weren't true because of insurance liability issues.You do want to check into the material many of the transfer companies are using for their "ink" - many (if not most) of them use partially-hydrogenated fats as the carrier for the pigments. Chef Rubber uses cocoa butter.The semi-automatic machines from decotechgroup.com you refer to in your blog - RokuPrint? Systematic Automation - systauto.com - Model F1?Also - take a look at the stencils like the ones used for cake decorating - e.g., designerstencils.com. There is a lot of stuff you can do with those, including getting some very interesting textures. There is a simple way to make a jig for each stencil set to ensure precise registration. Laser-cutting thin sheets of rigid acetate makes this very easy.In the end, I agree. If you are using lots of multi-color transfers then having them made is the way to go. If you want to experiment with single-color short run then finding an inexpensive way to make them offers lots of flexibility. Cost saving is another issue - they're less expensive only if you don't pay yourself to do the work.There is wallpaper out there that can cost hundreds of dollars per roll so I think there is an interesting opportunity for someone willing to push the envelope on transfer sheet aesthetics.

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks for the reply Clay. I think you hit the nail on the head.I was, and still am, in the process of locating supply sources for making the screens. I understand that there are many sources for ordering custom transfer sheets, but was looking for a method to actually make the transfer sheets or print directly on chocolate. I have found different sources for equipment ranging from hobby to commercial. See my blog entry for complete info. I found several different solutions, but as you say, nobody who has FDA approval on the emulsions. The companies just say the emulsions are non toxic when dry. I don't know if that is a good enough answer.As far as Chef Rubber, I do believe that they can get the screens made for you ready to use. This is the only food related business I have found that sells them. Bakedeco used to sell screens, but the item has been discontinued. Maybe there are different sources, I just can't find them.I don't think the folks at Chef Rubber are making the screens themselves. As you said, it is alot of work. Time being money $180 is not that bad; however, you need a different screen for each color, which isn't a cost effective solution except for big jobs. If you are going to do that, you may as well order the transfer sheets already made. It would be alot cheaper too.

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Christina:There are several companies that will make custom transfers for you, but I know of no company that sells the supplies necessary to make screens for custom screening. The challenge as you note is finding materials that are food safe - most notably the emulsion. There is one, I think, and it is GRAS (generally recognized as safe) NOT certified food safe by the FDA. So, there is a food safety/liability issue to consider.Even if you order custom transfers from Chef Rubber I don't think they will sell you the screens. I know Paul Edwards, the owner and can ask if you like.Even though the $180 sounds like a lot, it's not when compared with the cost of doing it yourself because you can't do this in a screen printing shop because of all the nasty chemicals everywhere.You need to balance the cost against the cost of all of the equipment to do it - screens, a darkroom, the equipment to process everything, the light source for exposure, and the jigs to hold the screens - very important if you are doing multi-color designs that need any sort of precise register. You also need a way to keep the ink (the colored cocoa butter) at the correct temperature/consistency throughout the printing process.If you are still interested in doing it yourself, here is the only reasonably in-depth article I have been able to find on the process in the five or six years I have been searching: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=105238 :: Clay

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Can someone please help me locate a source for chocolate/pastry silk screen supplies. I want to make or buy custom screens. I saw that Chef Rubber will make them for you, but it costs $180. Do other companies make custom screens? If I want to make my own screens, where can I buy food safe supplies? Thanks in advance for any advice.
updated by @Christina Durta: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Good Brazilian Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

Jim,I'm planning a trip to Brazil towards the end of August and have been trying to research cacao farms.We'll have from the 22nd of August about 4 days, and need to be in Rio for work on the 26th.Where are you located exactly?Best,Kaminikamini@bittersweetescapes.com

Good Brazilian Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

Oh interesting. I've never had a really good alcoholic truffle, will have to keep an eye out for that.

Good Brazilian Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

One thing I love about some European brands is the quality of their alcoholic ganaches or fillings. I am not a big drinker, but when I get a champagne truffle, I love really tasting the champagne - or any other liquor for that matter.I believe there is a law (per State) in the US that does not allow for a chocolate to contain above a certain quantity of alcohol. Not sure how it works, though.

Good Brazilian Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

I will certainly take you up on that offer for next time, I loved Brazil and am planning to return. I didn't go to any cities Bahia like Salvador.

Good Brazilian Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

Sarah,Although there are many chocolate shops and manufacturers in Brazil, some of high quality, 99.9% are users of Cargill, ADM, Nestle or Callibut products. Bean to bar is not in existant. There are currently several small attempts to start-up but have not formally begun to operate.The cacau producing region is in the Northeast and very warm and humid, Not very conducive for producing high end chocolate. Most known brands are produced in the South or Mid-south, i.e. Sao Paulo. In addition, the economic level of Brazil's population does not support bean-bar prices.I wish you would have contacted us before your travels in Brazil as it would have been a pleasure to have you visit our cacau farms and the regions that produce. Next time!Best regardsJim Lucas