Sorry, another Shelf Life question

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Here's the blurb on the back of my box cards:

Our chocolates are freshly madeand best eaten within two weeks. They are crafted with fresh cream, natural ingredients, and real fruit, rather than the hydrogenated fats, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavorings used in chocolates made for a long shelf life. All of the chocolate we use is Organic and Fair Trade certified, and we utilize other organic, local, fresh and natural ingredients wherever possible. Our truffles are best stored in a cool dry place (60-65 F). If you need to store them longer than two weeks, they may be refrigerated or frozen. If you choose cold storage, put them in an airtight container (zip-lock bags work well) before chilling. When removing from refrigeration, let them slowly come to room temperature before opening the container, to avoid condensation and for best flavor.

All the best,

Dale

Sorry, another Shelf Life question

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks Nick. That's my next procedure to accomplish. John

Sorry, another Shelf Life question

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi John,

Don't underestimate the usefulness of freezing your confections too. If you've got Greweling's book he goes into detail in the procedure you need to follow to do it correctly. Particularly useful in the busy seasons and none of my customers have ever noticed the difference.

Nick.

Sorry, another Shelf Life question

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks Paul. Temperature and humidity have been a problem at my location. It's a fairly small site - I wish I could build a cool-room but the size is too prohibitive. I'll start paying more attention to temperature as I move forward.

One other question that just occurred to me: how do you advise your customers to deal with temp and humidity after the purchase (home-based shelf life issues)? Is that an issue you address?

John

Sorry, another Shelf Life question

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

A lot depends on the humidity and temperature of your shelf space and or storage space. Also some chocolates with inclusions may be more likely to cause potential health dangers. We store our chocolate in a "choclador" which is a walk in room like you find in a fine cigar shop. Creates an interesting shopping experience and keep the chocolate at the best temp and humidity for longer storage...our chocolate is still good after 6 months to a year. I think if properly stored you may be able to keep it good longer. Ours is usually sold much before that time.

Hope this helps.

Sorry, another Shelf Life question

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks Ruth. A few of the more delicate centers like Pumpkin and Raspberry ganaches will get moldy. Some of them will dry out - Dulce de Leche and Peanut butter. And some of my caramel pieces will just lose their flavor. It happens pretty consistently and predictably. I know that I'm not keeping the proper, constant temperature where I store the pieces (covered, on a bakers rack), but I hope to fix that over the next few weeks as my store is completed and I can control the air conditioning better.

Sorry, another Shelf Life question

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Yes, it is the Pawkit. I bought it on Ebay for $500. It is accurate +/- .02. I would also taste the sample. Taste can tell you a lot. Just curious, what happens after 4-6 weeks? Do they mold?

Sorry, another Shelf Life question

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks Ruth. I was looking at the Pawkit analyzer - is that the model that you use? If so, do you remember what it cost? I do keep samples out and look at them weekly; I just wasn't sure if there was anything else other than mold that I should be looking for. I'll have to improve my technique: on average, I get 4 - 6 weeks shelf life on ganache-type pieces. Once again, thanks for the help. John

Sorry, another Shelf Life question

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

The good news is you probably won't kill anyone with "old" chocolates I have a water activity meter from Decagon that gives me all kinds of confidence. If you are using GMP, and good formulas you should be ok. Mold is the obvious thing to look for. If you are careful, you should be able to get 6-8 weeks shelf-life. It isn't a matter of spoiling, but of the flavor fading or getting fat migration. Seriously, put some samples on a shelf and test/taste them every week to see what is happening to them. Our Land Grant College will test your ganache for you for a minimal fee. Make a bunch and take it to them for testing. Each test takes about 10 minutes. I did that until I got my own meter. You can also freeze your chocolates-Greweling explains the procedure. Good luck.

Sorry, another Shelf Life question

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I know this has been discussed before but this one keeps me awake at night. I'm a month or 2 from opening my shop and I'm looking for advice on how to tell if the pieces I made a week ago, a month ago, or 3 months ago are still good. The absolute last thing I want to do is make any one sick. It makes me very nervous just cutting samples open and looking at the center of the piece - for the most part, I'm not even sure what I'm looking for, other than mold which is obvious. I follow GMP's as best I can, I've read Greweling and Wybauw and anything else I can find for advice and I've looked for testing materials, but outside of some inexpensive water/moisture readers, I'm not finding anything. Is there any kind of realistic testing that I can do myself short of sending stuff out for analysis? How do Health Inspectors test your inventory when they inspect your site? Sorry for the basic nature of this question but I've been in the IT field for 35 years and only have only been able to pursue this endeavor for the past 2 years. Thanks in advance for the help. John

updated by @John Duxbury: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Keeping temper when melting a chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

There really is no "lazy" way to temper chocolate. It requires a very precise methodology. It is highly doubtful that you could melt your chocolate and still keep it in temper without having to re-temper especially if you are doing it by hand (i.e. Melting by stovetop or microwave).I assume you mean you are using the milk chocolate to make a ganache filling for the middle of your bonbon (and not just straight milk chocolate)? My opinion is that tempering won't make a difference. There are people who swear by tempering their ganache. I've tried it both ways and actually prefer untempered chocolate in my ganache.Chocolate is a very fickle thing to work with and you just need to bite the bullet and do it the right way.Andrea

Keeping temper when melting a chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I have some solid tempered dark chocolate that I want to use as shells for some bonbons. If I melt it carefully, should I be able to keep it in temper so I don't have to do it again? My understanding of the science says I should if I don't melt the "good" crystals, but I'd like a second opinion.

Also, if I'm using a milk chocolate as a bonbon filling, how much of a difference will it make if it's tempered or not?

I'm trying to figure out how lazy I can be and still do a good job.

Thx.

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

How does a tempering machine work (Pomati)?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi, I also have problems with a batch tempering machine. I set the melting temperature to 45 C / 113 F and also set the other thermometer, to cool the chocolate, to 31 C / 87,8 F. However, my chocolate has full of white streaks!! I'm getting crazy!!!

I was trying with 6 kg of chocolate that all process last 1 hour. I also was trying different temperatures, but without success.

I'm very dissapointed.

Any, any help will be SUPER appreciated.

How does a tempering machine work (Pomati)?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Annika -

Most smaller continuous tempering machines are two-zone, some are three. In a two-zone machine you set the temperature of the working bowl and then the temperature of the cooling pipe. The temperature of the working bowl is set high enough to melt out all the crystals. The temperature of the cooling pipe is set to generate enough crystals so that the chocolate is properly tempered when it exits the spout. Any chocolate that is not used goes back into the bowl where the crystals are melted out before the chocolate re-enters the cooling pipe. The cycle is not interrupted which is why it's called continuous (as opposed to batch) tempering.,

The actual temperatures you arrive it will probably be different from the ones you use in a batch tempering machine like a Chocovision. You can use the high and low temperatures the manufacturer recommends as the starting points, but don't expect them to be right. You will need to experiment to find the correct temperatures. What those are depends on a complex set of factors - the viscosity/rheology of the chocolate, the overall size of the machine (capacity), the power of the compressor, and more.

Also, never expect the temperature of the chocolate in the working bowl to be even, or the same temperature from the sides to the center and the top to the bottom. What you care about is the temperature of the chocolate as it leaves the working bowl and if all the crystals are melted out. (Think about it - you are dropping chocolate from the cool point into the top of the chocolate in the work bowl, which is warmer, and mixing it up. It takes time for the chocolate to warm up, and that will be towards the bottom of the working bowl.)

In general, as you modify temperatures, you want to work towards the lowest temperature in the working bowl that works for you, and the narrowest range of temperatures between the working bowl and the tempering pipe. This will reduce overall energy consumption and mean that the compressor is not working harder than it needs to.

How does a tempering machine work (Pomati)?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you! I started with only two temperatures but since I wasn't satisfied with the result (after trying several different combinations of temperatures) I thought that mayby I had to make it in three steps like when tempering by hand.Now I know that I should use only two temperatures so I will keep on testing with that. I always get the moduled chocolates to look nice but I'm having trouble to get them out of the modulds (I suppose the chocolate doesn't shrink as supposed). Thank's a lot for your help. I appreciate it!

How does a tempering machine work (Pomati)?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

When you add your chocolate to the bowl, set the bowl temperature and the screw temperature to 45c. After the chocolate melts turn on the agitator and leaveuntil the chocolate reaches the set temperature.Once 45cis reached, leave for a short while to let the chocolate stabilize. If your are working withchocolate that is already melted then you can turn on the agitator right away and then let stabilize. Once the chocolate is stabilized then turn on the cooling, tempering side of the screw. Set this between 30 and 32c. When that temperature is reached leave it there for a short while to stabilize and then check for temper andmold. Setting the proper temperature for tempering is really a matter of what type of chocolate you are using. If you are not getting a nice temper at 32c then lower to 30c. In addition you might have to adjust the bowl temperature to slightly more or less than 45c to balance out the tempered chocolate. It really is a balancing act but if you lower the bowl temperature to much less than 45c you are going to over temper the chocolate. Hope this is useful information.

How does a tempering machine work (Pomati)?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you both! So you are saying that I do not need to change the cooling temperature during the tempering process? Just let it go up to the max temperature (45 or above) and then push the button for entering the cooling phase and when it reaches the lower temperature the chocolate is tempered and ready to use?If I set the working temperature (30-32c) as the "cooling" temperature, will the machine then cool it more than that inside in order to get it tempered correctly? Or should I set the cooling temperature to the lowest (under 29c for dark chocolate)?Should the bowl temperature and the archimedian screw temperature be the same or not?Where is it best to check the temperature manually, in the bowl or the chocolate coming out of the processing pipe? The temperatures shown on the display doesn't seem to be that correct...I really appreciate your time. This is drivning me crazy... :-S

How does a tempering machine work (Pomati)?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

The machine tempers using a two stage process and works quite nicely when you figure out the proper temperature settings for the bowl and the spout. The working bowl should be set at 45c or there abouts depending on the chocolate you are using. The tempering setting should be between 30 and 32c depending on the chocolate. Everything that comes out of the spout is tempered chocolate. The bowl is kept at 45c and therefore takes the tempered chocolate out of temper. The chocolate then cycles through the screw area where it is tempered again. You might have to adjust the temperatures until you get the combination that works for the chocolate you are using.

How does a tempering machine work (Pomati)?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

The T5 is a continuous machine, in that it takes care of the heating/cooling/heating inside a set of coils. IIRC you only need to set the high and working temperatures.

How does a tempering machine work (Pomati)?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi,
I have a Pomati T5 tempering machine, but I can't seem to get the tempering right. I'm used to temper in three steps, heat/cool/heat, but with this machine I can only set one heating temperature and one cooling temperature. How can this work? Or does some magic happends behind the scenes so the chocolate tempers even though it seems like the machine only uses two steps, heat/cool?

The chocolate manufacturer told me to use the following temperatures for tempering their chocolate: 50 C / 26 C / 31 C. Does this mean that I should use 50 C / 31 C with my tempering machine or should the three steps be translated in to something else when I should use only two steps?

I really appreciate your help. Thank's a lot!

updated by @Annika von Schlieben: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Champagne Truffles

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hello from Singapore,

I am still in the start-up phase of my business and trying to build awareness for my brand, which I am marketing as a luxury, hand-made chocolate business. I am going to be making champagne truffles to give out as door gifts at a high end fashion show here (tickets priced at $210 per head). Most people here prefer dark chocolate. I am a little nervous and could do with input from the more experienced. I am planning to use Moet & Chandon. How dark can I go with my chocolate? I don't want to kill the taste of champagne. Also, any suggestions on presenting single truffles will be very welcome.

Thank you,

Anjali

updated by @Anjali Gupta: 04/11/25 09:27:36

In case anyone is interested, here is the link to the main GrainPro bag page . There are many other interesting products here, so I encourage people to take a look at them.

I've had excellent results in storage, but in shipping they have a tendency to open. But in terms of preserving cacao, I think they work very well

Question on Top Chocolatiers?

Posted in: Opinion

I think what you are saying is correct. Everyone says it but I've always had a hard time believing. I thought there was a "best" chocolate but it seems to be its all personal taste. There are rankings online and I seen that Teuscher was ranked #1 as a chocolate company. I did try their champagne truffle and it was amazing.

There is a video from Malcom Gladwell I just seen that mentions how this one person was hired to figure out the "best" spaghetti sauce. After many many experiments, he found out there was no such thing. He mentioned that spaghetti sauce, mustard, etc do not exist on a heir achy but instead on a horizontal plane (also called Horizontal Segmentation). There is no good, bad, or perfect mustard. "There are only different kinds of mustards that suit different kinds of people." There is no universal flavor of any product that is perfect for everyone. It is a flaw to think of it this way.

The link to the video is:Choice, happiness and spaghetti sauce | Malcolm Gladwell

(its only 18 minutes long)

The reason I'm writing this is because it related to others responses as well as Jeff's recent comment. I like how you mentioned that we should be original instead of creating a me-too product and play it safe.

Thanks

Question on Top Chocolatiers?

Posted in: Opinion

I had no idea anna was still in business. She makes beautiful chocolates and is a sweetheart to boot.

So yeah...its really a matter of taste. Some poeple swear by one or the other but having eaten everyones chocolate on every top 10 list I couldnt say who was the best. Each chocolatier has a specialty that discerns their work from the others. Each one has something great they bring to the table. Julien is an excellent chocolatier but he is hamstrung by being part of a large corporation where shelf stability trumps taste. You see this alot. Mass production need not kill the quality but it can.

when I made one of those Top 10 Lists I was flabbergasted to be up on stage with jaques, and norman and michael reccuitti and norman and jen and julien....but then I thought about it and realized my work is just as good even if not as widely known. I keep it simple and small and do what needs to be done to stay original. Thats what you should look for, originality and balance. The chocolate still needs to be the star---not the pretty colors or the exotic flavor combo....

Question on Top Chocolatiers?

Posted in: Opinion

I'm afraid what i make is only for my personal consumption, or gifting at this point 8-)

Question on Top Chocolatiers?

Posted in: Opinion

I really look forward to trying out all of these chocolatiers. I've checked out their websites and the chocolates look amazing. Thanks for all the references.

Question on Top Chocolatiers?

Posted in: Opinion

Artistically, Anna Shea.

Question on Top Chocolatiers?

Posted in: Opinion

Sebastian, I read so many of your posts, I'm always impressed.

I would be most interested to know who your favorite chocolates come from And more importantly how the rest of us can try YOURS!

Question on Top Chocolatiers?

Posted in: Opinion

I recently sampled Rick Jordan (St. Louis) and Christopher Elbow (Kansas City) - both are world-class chocolatiers, but to my preference Jordan was the best I've had in the US. I tried to discern why considerings CE's reputation and it came down to this - I found CEs to have a more factory or large scale feel, v. Jordan's which were clearly handmade. I could see the hand made flaws v. the machine made perfection (I don't know if either uses enrobers and such) but at some point the flavor difference between making a 450g ganache v. a 5000g ganache becomes more discernable. Likewise the flavors felt more natural and fresh in RJ's v. CE's. So as someone said before its all a matter of taste and I know CE sells a lot more than RJ but I preferred RJ.

Question on Top Chocolatiers?

Posted in: Opinion

check out Grewleing, Notter and Anna Shea as well

Question on Top Chocolatiers?

Posted in: Opinion

What differentiates them? Advertising and personal preference. I know all of them personally - they're all fine chocolatiers. I also know plenty of folks who's names you've likely never heard that make comparable product.

Question on Top Chocolatiers?

Posted in: Opinion

Hi. I wanted to get everyones opinions on the top chocolatiers. I came across Jacques Torres, Norman Love, and others but I'm not sure what's different between all of them. What makes one better than the other in general?

Also, I just recently discovered Julian Rose. What do you think of Julian specifically? Is he considered one the best and if so why?

updated by @John E: 04/10/15 15:08:49

Looking for a mold of a dj turntables

Posted in: Geek Gear - Cool Tools (Read-Only)

ha ha that's awesome, are you looking for the source of the picture? I see them here at hiphopchocolate dot com. ha, they even have a chocolateMPC 2000. They probably make the moulds themselves with food grade silicon.

Looking for a mold of a dj turntables

Posted in: Geek Gear - Cool Tools (Read-Only)

Someone shared a picture of a chocolate turntable. I have no idea where it came from. Google only comes up with a silicone ice cube mold and that's not it. Can anyone tell me where it came from?

updated by @Greg Gould: 12/13/24 12:15:15

Unknown machine

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Ben,

Indeed, it must be the ECGC-SS mini-grindeur from cocoatown. Thanks you very much for your help!

Unknown machine

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

This looks like the ECGC-SS mini-grindeur from cocoatown. Andal from cocoatown mention it in this old thread:

http://www.thechocolatelife.com/forum/topics/wet-grinders-in-the-uk

I've seen one in person at a couple events where they were using it to show what their larger grinduers looked like. It appears to use the same bowl and conical stones as the older model of their melangers, which were a little larger than the current model. I'm not sure if they ever got into real production on them. The one in the video looks like it may be a demo unit, since it has a cocoatown sticker on it showing several of their products.

Unknown machine

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi,

Somebody filmed at the Four Seasons hotel where they have their own chocolate events. In the clip you can see a "metal cased" stone grinder/melangeur (looks like a small Cocoatown ECGC-65). Enclosed you will find two screenshots.

Does anyone know this machine? Is it any good?

Youtube: Four seasons chocolate making 041410 2

Thanks!

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

Hello Morena,

I have both beans and nibs. I live in Matagalpa, Nicaragua (our cocoa is entirely Nicaraguan) and can ship either LCL or air freight if you would like. We can do anything from one sack to one ton. www.cacaobisiesto.com

Thank you,

Giff Laube

Matagalpa, Nicaragua

Hello Morena,

Would be glad to help you out. Email me at ddomingo@ecomtrading.com

Dan

Crevices in panned product

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks so much for this Marc. Received with enormous thanks!

(For the benefit of Ruth and others...) Reading through your document it seems that the initial issue is that of pre-coat. Although I am concerned to do this with freeze dried products as they may well go soggy instantly. I shall test...

There HAS to be a way...

Colin

Crevices in panned product

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

It is a document that I need to send.