Forum Activity for @zimtly

Hi Shannon-

I am wondering if you ever got an answer to your post- I, too, am in need of an extruder. Would need to get one for thick, firm caramels as well as our very dense macaroon filling.

Thank you so much!

Emma

Hi James. I'm interested in the x3210. Please email me directly at info@stcroixchocolateco.com and we can talk details. Thanks very  much. -_Robyn

So. did these items get purchased?@allan

For Sale: 1 Hilliard Little Dipper (analog) in excellent working condition (it tempers beautifully). I have closed my chocolate business and no longer need to temper chocolate . The machine weighs 45 lbs and is located in northern California. 

The asking price is $800 plus shipping. I'll calculate shipping depending on your choice of carrier and location. 

Contact me at 415-519-7155 or nicolegnutzman@mac.com. 

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Hi. I am interested in your caramel cooker. please email me at chapelcove@outlook.com. I am in the Northeast.

Still interested in the guitar cutter.  Can you e-mail me pics and price at preston@hellococoachocolate.com?

I have a 20kg for sale with depositor. has new PID´s and heating cable

send me a mail if your interested. metiisto.chocolate(at)gmail.com

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Savage brothers tempering machine still up for grabs. Its a 110v model and comes with a voltage converter so it will work in any country with 220-240v or 110v 

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Smoor Chocolates - www.smoorchocolates.com -  have brought to you an exclusive Chocolate lounge to buy chocolates and cakes online in Bangalore. Now shop for Chocolates and get it delivered at your doorstep.

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Buying Chocolates online in Bangalore have just got easier. Smoor has come up with a wide range of luxury chocolates to cater your taste buds. Now you can order chocolates online from our online chocolate store.

I'm looking for a cooling table. Are you try to get rid of one?

Crankandstein Cacao Bean Mill

Crankandstein 3 roll mill. Cost $230 new. The is made to sit on a 5 gallon bucket and includes the hopper to quickly remove outer husk from the cacao beans. Asking $125

Excellent like new condition. 

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Hello!  I was wondering if there are any recommendations for companies/websites that supply packaging?  I am currently a recreational chocolate maker (although affiliated with a food industry company).  We are looking to produce chocolates to give as gifts to our students/clients.  I had a beautiful mold made with my company logo and now I need nice packaging.  I am looking for a foil and/or sleeve (similar to the Ghiradelli squares).  Any suggestions?  Also, I need something to actually store my chocolate in (airtight containers perhaps?).  I have a large commercial kitchen refrigerator I can use (but high humidity). I do have access to a small dark fairly temperature controlled storage space as well.  Thanks for any help!

Hi, I am interested in your  Gold Metal karamel baby cooker for immediate purchase, please give me details at segun.adesina@helixenergysolns.com.Thanks

I'm Interested as well. moore.deanna@gmail.com

thank you

Hi Jay,

Im interested in the Crankenstein Grinder if your willing to ship to Ontario. Please email me phil@isaacs.net.nz

I read some of the threads about tempering machines,but still, I have to ask:
1. The definition of the tempering machine, namely, "semi-auto" means that it needs seed, but what avoid me to have a tempering plan of cooling to 2-3C below the working temperature and than to rise it again?
2. I'm looking for a 4-8 kg tempering machine that needs to be reliable and in reasonable price, I found that the "ChocoVision Delta" will satisfied the demands.
Any other suggestions? I heard that the Chocovision machines are very good, is it?

Appreciate any help!

Hi,

Please understand that I work in an operation making tens of tons of chocolate every week and I can offer very limited advice on how to use small scale machinery.

I am not sure if you can replicate "normal" chocolate making process in a Santha wet grinder and putting chocolate in the oven will not work.

"Normal" as what what is used to make most of the chocolate worldwide, using mixers, refiners and conches.

Process where raw materials are being dosed and mixed, refined to required particle size and loaded into chocolate conche as dry flake.

This flake in the conche is processed "dry and powdery" first to remove moisture, turned into "dry and pasty" phase to allow mechanical work and flavour development and at the very end cocoa butter and lecithin are added to liquefy mass and turn it into liquid chocolate with correct viscosity.

By controlling a range of variables like temperature, time, speed and direction of rotors or level of ventilation in the "dry and pasty" stage we can create a very wide range of chocolates from the exactly same mix of raw materials.

Conching is the magical part of chocolate making as we have a good idea how to do this but very little understanding of what exactly is happening.

I'm also interested - carl@altuschocolate.com

I'm also in Virginia and interested if it is still available. 

thank you,
I didn't fully understand the process..
I just put the cocoa liquor in my Santha 11 and let it grind. Undoubtedly, the temperature inside can not rise over ~60C because of the epoxy.
I can put the chocolate in the oven but what does it mean "before liquifying the chocolate?"

Used Chocolate Melter in excellent condition 400.00

Table top melter for up to 6 kg chocolate. The chocolate is melted evenly at low temperature. Temperatures can easily and accurate being set by an electronic thermostat. The heating is provided by an induction heating device. This guarantees a perfect preservation of all the characteristics of the chocolate during the melting and tempering process.

http://technobake.com/products/6kg-mol-dart-chocolate-melter

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Chocovision Revolation x 3210 Tempering machine
Extra bowl, works good its about 10 years old
Will take 900 OBO

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You can develop a very strong caramel flavour in milk chocolate if during chocolate making process.

Typically you would want to keep the mass temperature below 55C for first 2 hours to remove the moisture and then raise it to 75-78C for 2 hours while it is still dry/pasty. Drop down to 65C and continue normal way. All before liquifying the chocolate.

Trying to do the same with already made/finished chocolate will not work.

How do I order this?

Hello.  

Building a production space for Bean to Bar production.  Looking for ideally second hand equipment when possible, but new in some circumstances will also be an option.  Have been producing small quantities with wet grinder, etc but now looking to scale up and make it a full time business.  In terms of production capability I would like to be able to do 60-80 kilos a week to start with and be ables to grow from there.  

So anyone who may be looking to sell equipment, let me know.  Also would appreciate any insights into distributors in Europe to provide more options.  So far I am mostly familiar with CPS or FBM and not any others.  I appreciate all the help.

Thanks!

Hello everyone,

I'm Ricardo and I am in Spain. I've been making chocolate a bit now on an amateur scale, and now I planning to start my own business. I've trained many years in pastry and have a shop as well and finally looking forward to dedicate more time and energy to bean to bar chocolate!  

Looking forward to reading more on the forums and hopefully contributing when I can.  Also starting to look for equipment so anyone with any insight into the market in Europe would be of great help.  Thank you.

Cheers!

Yes. Precisely.
You mean making regular milk chocolate and then heat it to 75C? it will not burn the chocolate? I suppose that this process caramelized only the milk powder because caramel stage in sugar is higher than 160C.

I have 2 and am looking for a couple more.  I can't even find any on line to buy new.

If you're wondering what they are:

http://consciouscat.net/2013/10/08/katzenzungen-unique-candy-cat-lovers/

Love to see what you come up with!

I am very confused about what are you actually asking about?

How to make chocolate with with caramel flavour/taste?

This can be achieved in the process of making chocolate with normal milk chocolate recipe. Best method is to keep the mass at dry stage at 75-78C for 1-2hours.   

According to "Hotel Chocolat" recipe for the "caramel" bar, there is barely 10-15% of caramelized sugar. I tried my caramel milk chocolate recipe:
20% cacao nibs
28.6% cacao butter
15.4% caramelized sugar
27% skim milk powder
9% Cashew nuts
0.37% lecithin

What I found is just a slight hint for caramel flavour.
I carmelized the sugar on a pan, the color changed to caramel color and the temperature was higher than 160C. By all parameters it was a good caramel.
I also think to caramelized the milk powder but its time consuming and the flavour is approximately the same (according to previous experience).
I is noteworthy to mention that I mix 50% of Hotel Chocolat caramel with 100% dark chocolate and I could still sense the caramel.

So, What is the secret?

If it doesn't work out in LA, I'm still interested in one  to start with.

• 250 new molds;  all same style (Chocolate World Polycarb #2166)
• outside measurement:  10.75" x 6.875" x 1" deep
• 32 cavities per mold (4 x 8)
• finished piece is approx 1-1/4" x 1-3/8";  tray cavity should be 1-3/8" x 1-1/2"
• Paid $25 USD each
• If buying less than 50 molds - asking price is $10 USD each + shipping FOB Austin, TX
• If buying 50 or more - asking price is $6 USD each + shipping FOB Austin, TX
• If buying entire lot of 250 - asking price is $3 each + shipping FOB Austin, TX

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• French stainless steel trolleys from Bourgeat; purchased from Chocolate World in Belgium; 15 shelves each, grills included.
• 8 trolleys available for sale
• Paid $690 USD for each trolley with grills
• Asking $195 USD each + shipping FOB Austin, TX
• If all 8 are purchased, asking price is reduced to $145 USD each + shipping FOB Austin, TX 

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• Reconditioned Walker Tank, model PZ-K, 25 gal stainless steel double action and water jacketed.
• Only in service since Oct 2015, very lightly used
• Swept surface agitator with scrapers and counter rotating x-mas tree style agitator
• 21" diameter x 23" deep; 1.5" dia bottom discharge
• Tank mounted on load cells with scale
• Scraper motor mechanical variable speed; 1-hp, 3 phase, 60 cycle, 230 volt motor
• Counter agitator driven by a 2-hp, 3 phase, 60 cycle, 230 volt motor
• Electric hot water jacket system with thermostat
• Comes with a Savage multi-product metering pump; model 1300-09-40 
• Paid $14,500 for tank + $4,800 for pump
• Asking $9,500 for tank & pump + shipping;  FOB Austin, TX
• See attached photos 

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Hey I don't see the private note anywhere I was looking. Can you just send me a direct email?

stevenshipler @ g m a  i   l

Thanks! I spread it out so it doesn't get caught for spam.

Hi Steven. I think the logistics of the LA offer is better for you. I really only wanted one to try out making my own from the nibs. I am actually in eastern Canada, so god knows what the customs people would do to me, not to mention the exchange rate which currently changes the price of a machine from $300US to $450 Cdn.

Remember, if you find you have an airflow issue, it's really very easy to add a small cooling fan(s) (similar to what computers use to cool their processes) to existing cooling cabinets.  Might be a more budget friendly option than buying new units.  Good luck!

Thanks for the input folks.

My feeling is, it's the inclusions, we are doing some tests as you suggested.

Fridge - we purchased from Vantage House in the UK, this is a fridge designed for chocolate work. We have been using it for years and still, to this day, have never had a problem with hand ladled bars. The only difference is that instead of mixing through the inclusions and hand ladling, we are dousing straight from the machine and sprinkling the inclusions on the back. That's what makes me think its the inclusions. 

Calum - I am taking a look at the specs on the fridge and it's not clear to me what the capacity of the fans is. Air circulation is an important consideration when cooling molds. I've been a fan if Irinox cabinets for a long time but they are really expensive. A good alternative, I have found, is sold by Angel Refrigeration in the UK (ask for Julie Croker and mention my name) – Everlasting. They make temperature and humidity-controlled cabinets specifically for crystallization and holding chocolate.

It's not enough to get the right temperature, you need airflow and to remove the latent heat of crystallization that the bars give off and the airflow need to be top and bottom - under the molds is just as important as over the top.

One test is to use exactly the same chocolate in two different bars – one with and one without inclusions. You'll see pretty quickly whether or not the inclusions are the problem or contribute to it. This will either eliminate the inclusions as a source of the problem or give you a clue that there is something about the inclusions that you need to look at. Temperature could be a factor. I am not sure you have to get them up to 29 ...

10-12C is a little cold. I would start at 15 and then work down by degrees.

I've reduced the price....  

Call with any questions

well, not knowing your chocolate recipe and not being able to see exactly what you're doing, or  how you're doing it - makes it difficult to say what you must do.  I would say that adding cold inclusions/toppings certainly would be one of the things that i'd assess, as from here it appears that it certainly could be a factor.  Whether it is or not, or if it's the largest factor, remains to be seen...

Edit - do your bars tend to warp more if they're towards the top, mid, or bottom of that unit?  Or does it not seem to matter?