Maroun:
I have to counsel you again here on the way you represent your machines and business. You have a particular type of batch tempering machine - one with a wheel. You do not have the best machine for all startup businesses.
:: Clay
Maroun:
Your English here is not correct. Your recommendation to Sabrina is just that, a recommendation - it is not that she "must" buy from you the machine you advise her on. Also, other people in the future may be interested in what you recommend to Sabrina, so I would appreciate your keeping the answers public - and not asking members to email you privately.
:: Clay
Hi Sabrina,
You might want to try Andy Greenberg" at unionstandard@unionmachinery.com
They usually specialize in larger usedequipment, but may have some smaller items around.
Good Luck,
John R.
send me your email to advice you which machine you must buy and will link you to picture dessertshouse@live.com
Hi I'm starting a small home business and would like to by a good used tempering machine! Not looking for any particular kind just a good one to start. Any recommendations are accepted.
Thanks
Call the fine folks at Cargill or Blommer and they can walk you through what their current offerings are..
Do you know which chocolate would be in that range?
most of your standard milk chocolate is going to have about 12% liquor by default. you want a milk chocolate that has 1/2 the fat of standard milk chocolate? if so, while it's technically feasible, you're simply not going to find any supplier who has the knowledge or desire to do such a thing i'm afraid. about the lowest commercially available milk chocolate - finished fat level - that your'e going to find (assuming you want to enrobe or mold with it) will be about 28% ish.
Luis,
Saludos! Me encantara tener la oportunidad de conocerlo! Gracias! Ac a tus rdenes!
Jos
Hola Jose.
Hace 2 a-os atra yo abri una tienda en Milwaukee WI d chocolate (chocobella in bayview) cuando mi abuelo se entero me envio unas bainas d cacao d unos arboles qtiene en su patio d su casa en Bayamon PR. yo quede encantado mi abuelo a sido agricultor toda su vida el tiene 98 a-o s pero siguie sembrando auque no lo creas, yo creo q el t puede ayudar en el 2010 yo fuy a PR y el tenia secandos unas planta d tabaco q el no ve en PR asia 30 a-os como el masca tiraba las sobra en una parte del patio y se le dio la mata. estoy seguro q es el agricultor Puertorique-o mas viejo q queda en la isla y un consejo no vendria mal, espero q puedas sacar adelante esta gran cosecha, the life is better with CHOCOLATE !!
Hello everyone,
For quite some time now, Ive been in love and fascinated with theobroma cacao, the plant. Whose seed was once used as currency in pre-columbian civilizations in South America I live in Puerto Rico, one of the places the Spanish conquistadors brought seeds and and started commercial production in the 17th century. Historical records show that along with ginger, cacao was the main agricultural crop at that time.
In that same century, the archipelago was hit by a hurricane that affected the crops. Because of food shortages, farmers had to abandon cacao. Almost three centuries later, generations of those original trees, (some people speculate that some naturalized varieties are related to Venezuelas porcelanas), remain hidden at old farms.
It is a fascinating story, but not the one we would like to read on history books and remember with nostalgia. Together with other initiatives, we would like to be part of the resurgence of cacao production in Puerto Rico.
Not any cacao, but one of the finest, social and environmentally responsible in the world.
Ive setup a kickstarter campaign to help us accelerate the plans to bring back Puerto Ricos cacao heritage and reboot commercial production. In addition to the traditional ways of helping us we also are accepting the most popular cryptocurrencies.
We've set up a series of rewards for different pledge levels, including final artisan bars, dehydrated cacao pods (for souvenir or educational purposes) , adopt-a-tree program, and other items that you may find of your liking.
Were open to suggestions and any questions you may have.
You can find more details of the story and our plan at the official campaign clicking the image below :
I agree with Miguel about buying used equipment. Unless it's refurbished or I was planning on refurbishing it, I wouldn't buy used. This is the "rough service" stuff like a melangeur or conche/refiner. Basic chocolate equipment like tempering machines and such I believe it's OK (and have done so) to buy used.
For starter operations, Chocolate Alchemy has a decent array of equipment.
What machines are you looking for specifically? What is the hourly or daily production you are expecting to get with it?
To tell the truth, buying used chocolate machinery is very tricky and you need to check very deeply on your purchase.
Right know I just know of two companies that would sell used equipment.
- MTE Bifaro in Italy.
- Union Machinery in the States.
many thanks, Miguel
Hi thanks for the reply, I'm starting on this issue and I have many doubts. another question where I can get used machines?
Hello Mariano,
You can find some directions and basic recipes on this link at the ChocolateAlchemy .
Hey Jim,
I did sell in a small fair once and it was terrible for me, I was not prepared and some of my chocolate melted. The cooler idea might work, you could use a wine cooler, make sure it has temperature and relative humidity control and of course include an estimated electricity consumption for the wine cooler to your costs.
Good luck 
I have a question, I'm new to this and want to know what the standard chocolate recipe, percentage of sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa liquor?apology to put me in your conversation jim!
Hello Miquel,
Thank you for your help. There certainly is plenty of Palm oil in the area, the landscape is ugly with palm plantations for the oil.
I am very newly into this and do see farmer's markets as a possible outlet as well as a source for locating wholesale accounts. I will work on my "tempering" and experiment with shelf life. The good news is it really seldom gets over 80 degrees Fahrenheit here.
I thought if I did fairs, farmer's markets I might keep it in a cooler. At the moment, I am thinking about using a mylar packaging that I use for my freshly roasted coffee. I can seal it tight and then keep it out of ANY sunlight.
Again, thank you kindly.
Jim
Not really. Cocoa Butter will actually make it be more unstable. What big companies do is that they add a little bit (maybe no more than 5%) of palm oil to increase the melting point, but I don't see that as an option.
I live in Dominican Republic so I face the exact same problem and I have noticed that if WELL tempered the chocolate could stay hard for quite a while, make sure it doesn't have direct sunlight tho.
Are you considering to sell your products in fairs or some other outdoor activities?
I'm not sure how many stupid questions we are allowed? But here goes. Does the amount of Cocoa Butter added make a difference in the stabilization of the chocolate in warm weather? I live in Costa Rica, will be making and selling my chocolate here where it is always warm (thank God). Any other tricks for making chocolate less susceptible to heat?
Thank you all for your help, I ordered some cocoa butter on eBay and will try using that in my next batch. Lots of experimenting but all good! GO Costa Rica in today's world cup game!!
In case you want to know about getting your own cocoa butter in future. To do that you need a press that basically pushes the cocoa liquor extracting the greasy part which is cocoa butter and leaving a cocoa cake that is actually broken into pieces and pulverized to get cocoa powder.
Thank you Sebastian, it's a learning curve buit lots of fun.
Jim
You'll want cocoa butter that has been taken from someone else's liquor to add to your own.
So, I made my first couple batches of Chocolate a week ago and even with all my mistakes, it was GREAT. Maybe like a hot dog when you are camping...better than a rib eye at home. Anyway as I move forward and plan for my next batches, I was going to make cocoa butter to add to my chocolate. I was surprised to find that the information on making my own cocoa butter was basically extract it from the chocolate I was planning to return it to.
Am I missing something here?
Cocoa butter for chocolate, the other colorings for airbrush contain water and are usually used for decorating fondant. You can also temper your own cocoa butter and add the fat-soluble coloring of your choice
Cocoa Butter. The other stuff is for cakes mostly.
Hi Larry,
If you insist on chipping in for it I won't hold you back. If you have some friends on this site that you think would appreciate a bar let them know a free bar is headed their way for commenting
Chris
.Clay, Sebastian, and about 10,000 other chocophiles are better qualified than I, but I've been reveling in some Amano bars and can finally pick up on the fruitiness in their Ocumare bar.I'm currently a chocolate melter. once I get more equipment ill toy more with learning about chocolate making.I'll IM you to set things up. Thank you!Larry
