Forum Activity for @Magrietha Hendrika du Plessis

How many per hour

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Sorry to be impatient, but does anyone have an answer for me here?

How many per hour

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I think I have too many questions, but will you please help me AGAIN. I need to know how many "balls," whether it is truffles or fudge balls, can reasonable expected from one person to roll and dip in 1 hour? I'm finding that it does not take me any longer to roll a bigger ball than a smaller so I think on average a 30g ball should not really take longer than a 15g ball. Is my argument correct here or not?

Thanks

Magriet

updated by @Magrietha Hendrika du Plessis: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Industry standard wholesale discount percentage for chocolate confections?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks, Ruth, for confirming my hunch. It seems to be the standard across industries, but I wanted to check and make sure it applied in the chocolate world.

Industry standard wholesale discount percentage for chocolate confections?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

It is up to the retailer, but my experience has been that most double it.

Industry standard wholesale discount percentage for chocolate confections?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I'm a new chocolatier and have an opportunity to sell my chocolate confections wholesale. Is there an industry standard wholesale discount for chocolate confections?
updated by @Nicole Gnutzman: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Cocoa Town Melanger - Sugar sticking to granite grinders

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

hi there, I am just finding your post and would love to talk with you about your current experience using coconut sugar. I am also using it and have learned the hard way to either dehydrate the sugar first or use dessicant to get the humidity under control. I have experienced exactly what you are talking about with my cocoatown melanger, and wondered if you have upgraded to a better machine? I am looking to buy something in a larger capacity that won't break!

It has been hard to find anyone else using coconut sugar to discuss this with. thanks, Beth

Cocoa Town Melanger - Sugar sticking to granite grinders

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi There,

have you checked the Humidity and the temperature?

sometimes a bit of rain or too low temp may give you problem with sugar. Have you tried to grind the sugar first to turn it into powder?

Ciao

nino

Cocoa Town Melanger - Sugar sticking to granite grinders

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hello!

I Have been using a Cocoa Town Melanger for a few months now, to produce cacao paste and grind coconut sugar with chocolate. I am having issues with the sugar sicking to the stone grinders. Does anyone have any experience & suggestions as to why this is occurring?

The strange fact is that my machine was producing perfect chocolate for about 2 weeks and then the sugar started sticking to the granite grinders. I have not changed any aspect of the way I am processing the chocolate. I have also experimented using different brands of sugar - the same problem occurs.

Here is a set by step as to what my process is like - 1. I add melted cacao paste to grinder 2. Add melted cacao butter 3. Add vanilla bean & salt ( I let this mix together for about an hour before I start to add the sugar) 4. Slowly add the sugar, 1 tablespoon every hour.

I would really appreciate any advice you can give me! Thank you!

~ Jade

updated by @Crucial Jade: 04/11/25 09:27:36

chocolate fountain

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Sorry I just want to ad to this question. If I use a blend of two Valrhona chocolates, the Equatoriale Noire as well as the Equatoriale Lactee that both have 37% fat, will it work in a Sephra fountian? Another possibility is another 50/50 mix of Guanaja and Guanaja lactee. Will it work, they have 42% and 41& fat in them.

chocolate fountain

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I have just asked a question, but forgot about this one. When I read another post (Sephra chocolate) it reminded me. Can I use any chocolate for a chocolate fountain? We want to have the taste of all our other chocolates which are going to be Valrhona. Will it work? The idea is to draw people to our stall with the fountain where they can dip something of their choice in the chocolate. Using it in the fountain it will obviously not be tempered. I hope we have not wasted a lot of effort on this one needlessly!
updated by @Magrietha Hendrika du Plessis: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Tempering for dipping

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Clay, I have a very primitive setup here. I heat the chocolate in an improvised bain marie and temper it by hand with the seed method.

The market is outdoors in the morning and in the evening. No way to control the temperature. If the weather forecast can be trusted the morning temperature should be around 20C and it also looks as if humidity at about 37%. The evening is going to present a problem as the temperature is sure to drop to about 12C.

So, my chocolate is sure to go a little out of temper as the day goes. Hopefully the truffles will be consumed quickly, but I am scared it will not set soon enough.

The other night I tried to temper Valrohna for the first time, previously I have used Callebaut, and I had a serious problem. The chocolate was ice cold yet it would not set, it would have been ideal to serve as it is as a colc chocolate drink, serious! So, advice please.

Tempering for dipping

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Magriet:

You may have answered this in another post, but what method are you currently using to temper your chocolate, and if you are using equipment, what equipment (specifically - company and model) are you using?

Is the market indoors or outdoors and is there any temperature control?'

:: Clay

Tempering for dipping

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi everyone, Please some help! I have solved some of the above already, but I am still worried about the dipping of the chocolate at the market. How do I keep chocolate tempered under such circumstances? To be honest I have trouble keeping it in temper in the kitchen! What am I doing wrong? When I start working with it it is fine, but after a very short while it is out of temper.

Tempering for dipping

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Me again, I have actually a few related questions. OK, first, if I am going to offer clients at a stall freshly dipped truffles rolled in whatever they want. Must that chocolate be perfectly tempered? I think, if not, it will not set fast enough even though we are not worried about shine as it is going to be rolled in something as well, but it still needs to set in a reasonable time. The idea for this is to try and find out what is popular for a future line we want to offer, so it is a little research as well as an effort to get some cash flow!

How do I keep sufficient chocolate hot and tempered (if I can get it in temper to start with as I am not good with it yet!) under the difficult conditions of a stall at a food market? We want to do that market as our target market goes there for entertainment.

Most important! I am so new at tempering I do not know what properly tempered chocolate looks like. I do it religiously according to the temperatures, sometimes it is not so bad and then, like last night, I end up with a fluid mass of chocolate that was only properly set this morning. My family thinks the truffles are divine, and they are difficult to please, but I cannot offer them to customers!

So, I hope you guys understand my questions as I am not very good at explaining myself.

Thanks

Magriet

updated by @Magrietha Hendrika du Plessis: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Insurance

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Most larger insurance companies have an in-house commercial broker. Unless you are actually setting up a manufacturing facility with large automated equipment, don't mislead them with the term "manufacturing". If your sales are under $1,000,000 gross per year, you're a small chocolatier and need liability insurance. That's it. It's a low risk business, and shouldn't cost you any more than around $1200 per year for as much as $5,000,000 liability.

Insurance

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Did anybody go through this process in the state of FL? Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks

Insurance

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Farmer's Insurance was very responsive to my needs and even has a special package just for chocolatiers.

Insurance

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I just used my regular insurance broker. He shopped it and gave me my options. Actually very reasonable.

Insurance

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

We just went through this and it took several months to get a simple quote out of a company. You're supposed to go to an insurance consolidator or broker who then shops your requirements around to different companies for the best quote. You could try someone like Pyramid Insurance or http://www.mutualunderwriters.com/ .

They'll ask you all kinds of questions about your company like income, employees, equipment, etc. to get you an appropriate quote.

Good luck!

Insurance

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi everyone!

I am new here, but I just wanted to ask those of you with small businesses where to get liability insurance? I did an internet search and so far havent turned up much info on this. Is there an insurance company that specializes in confectionary manufacturing? Thanks so much for any information you can give.

updated by @Krista2: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Colombian Chocolate

Posted in: News & New Products Press

If you need high quality chocolate or chocolate products Colombia is the place to look. Colombia is emerging as an industrial powerhouse. It's economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

The quality of the chocolate in Colombia rivals any in the world. COINEX is a company in Colombia with offices in the United States. It specializes in sourcing products and contract manufacturing for many different products including chocolate. You can contact COINEX at info@coinex.com.co or telephone at 954-354-9155

Eddie Hernandez

updated by @Eddie Hernandez: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Melted Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks, I appreciate the info. That makes me feel better. Was afraid I lost a lot of product.

Melted Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

If it was bars for eating you bought, they're ruined (but just for immediate eating! They can still be salvaged for working)

If it's for working with, no problem. Just re-melt and temper. Should be good as new.

Melted Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I just received an order through UPS and half of the order was melted. My question is; will refrigeration bring it back to normal, and will the chocolate still be usable.
updated by @Richard Firstner: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Tim -

I don't have any connection with Thermalrite and from a quick glance at their web site all they are selling are the Desmon pizza prep tables so I am not sure there is a fit there.

Irinox is gold standard - very expensive, but they do the job very well. They are expensive like a cooling tunnel is expensive but the footprint is a lot smaller. The Desmon products are less expensive but not all of them have humidity control, which is important in most parts of the country for at least some of the year.

In the end it all comes down to airflow, cooling load, and "recovery time." Airflow is about the ability to remove what's called the latent heat of crystallization, the heat that comes off the chocolate as it cools. You want the chocolate in the mold to cool consistently and evenly to ensure proper crystal formation and to reduce the likelihood of de-molding problems.

Cooling load is a measure of the amount of heat that can be removed. Think of an air conditioner and a room. A small AC unit might be able to cool the room but it might take a long time. Put four or five people in the room (or a window) and it might not be able to keep up. So, you need a cooling unit that is sized to the amount of heat that will be added to the system (in the form of warm chocolate).

Recovery time is important for cooling units with doors on them. As most doors are hinged and swing open, that action extracts a lot of cool air from the unit that is replaced with warmer air from the room. The question is how long does it take for the unit to return to the set temperature?

There are many different ways to approach cooling and it all depends on throughput and space. If you have the room and you need to move a lot of product, cooling tunnels are very good solutions. Lots of people I know build cabinets or even large rooms. You can use household AC units (split systems are good) and the CoolBot [Note: that's an affiliate link] will enable you take the household AC units below 60F, which is normally their lowest temperature.

There are a couple of ChocolateLife customers who are also building "static cooling tunnels" that I came up with the idea for. These are enclosed wire shelves (e.g., Metro shelving) under positive pressure from a cooling unit. The nice thing about these is that they can buy wheels for the units and move them around as needed.

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Clay,This thread has been quiet for a while. Do you have contact with Thermalrite, Desmon's current US distributor? Also, what is your latest thinking of Desmon vs Irinox vs other options for crystallization cabinets?Regards,Tim

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Omar,

I guess the question really is how long are you needing to store your chocolates? We store chocolates in wine coolers for a max of about a week, restocking our store inventory from them (which are kept in confectionary showcases) If I overproduce I freeze chocolate to stop the shelf life clock as they can easily be defrosted in a few days. We have never had any problems with either solution. I use wine coolers in the $500 range quite successfully.We are constantly producing and turning over the inventory, I don't think you want it in storage too long with freezing.

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques


updated by @Clay Gordon: 09/09/15 05:57:44

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I am going to be taking the Quality Assurance class at Ecole Chocolat, Pam Williams school. When I'm done with that I should, hopefully, be more informed about this whole process. Perhaps the info got lost somewhere in my brain but, I don't put my finished truffles in the fridge to shock them as I didn't think this was a required step in the process. Is it and I just missed that? Mine come out fine but, I have also heard this will give the truffle coating more snap. Since I get a good snap now, will this be even better for it? Is this what you mean by crystallization?

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

The major difference is that Irinox has invested a great deal of money in sophisticated electronics that go into every unit they sell - you can't buy any units without the electronics.

Desmon has chosen to go a much simpler route in the controls it builds in to its cabinets. This accounts for most of the difference in price.

In some respects, the Desmon cabinets are actually better built ... in their 20-pan lowboy cabinet, the door hinges are much sturdier for example.

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Clay,

I strongly agree with you in regards to what it matters is the consistent throughput and quality. In the mid and long term, the Irinox cabinets will allow to increase productivity by maximizing throughput and minimizing waste, at the end becoming affordable and even cheaper than other short term budget solutions.

Desmon seems to be a good alternative to Irinox. How Desmon's quality compares to Irinox? 60% less is a big difference. Is Desmon's quality not as good as Irinox?

Once again, thanks a lot.

Omar

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

If you're looking for a simple STORAGE option (i.e., you're not going to be using this for crystallization), the absolute least expensive option is to buy an inexpensive chest freezer and use an external thermostat like this one to control the temp between 0C (32F) and 27C (~80F). You can easily get 7 cu ft of storage and the thermostat for under $300 (not including tax/shipping).

This is a no-frills solution (i.e., there are no shelves), but it works and it has the advantage that the entire inside of the chest is usable for storage.

If humidity is an issue, you can use the PolarFresh or Avive panels.

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Omar:

I understand completely the question about reasonable risk. What I do know is that many people make decisions based on the price of an item and not the TCO (total cost of operation) of an item.

For example, the smallest Irinox cabinet has a list price of over US$11,000 the last time I looked and is worth every penny. (I've sold two TP-20s to customers who swear by them - one of them works in an open market and could not be in business without hers.) The cabinets are purpose-designed to crystallize chocolate.

The units hold 20 full-size pans and will keep the internal temp and humidity to within .5C even with the door open for a minute or longer.

What this translates to is consistent throughput and quality. If you put items on trays in a speed rack in the ambient environment of the kitchen (or in a wine cooler), crystallization times will be uneven, can be fairly long, and there is the risk of humidity in the room damaging work. In the Irinox, crystallization is consistent - quality and timing. While expensive, if you could triple production (or more) just by using a proper cabinet - making no other changes - then the price tag could actually be very affordable ... if you focus on total cost of operation, not price.

There two other company making units like the Irinox, both Italian. One is Koma and they are more expensive than Irinox. The other is thecompany I referred to above, Desmon. At the moment they do not have a North American sales agent. The Desmon equivalent of the Irinox TP-20 costs 60% less.

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks a lot for your feedback Melanie.

What price range for wine coolers would you consider cheap? I am looking at this two units (please follow link below). The first one is $755.00, and the second one, which has twice the capacity, $895.

http://www.rosehillwinecellars.com/vintage-keeper-wine-cabinet-110
http://www.rosehillwinecellars.com/vintage-keeper-wine-cabinet-220

How do these two wine coolers look compared to the ones that you have?

Thanks,
Omar

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks a lot for your feedback Clay.

You have a very good point about buying something that may not do what we need it to, but unfortunately chocolate equipment is so expensive that makes me willing to take the risk within reasonable limits and whenever it is possible.

Do you know about other companies that offer chocolate coolers like Irinox?

Thanks,
Omar

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Fantastic! Don't know if I can do it yet but, you never know. And besides, I would really like to see what they have + pricing.

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Last year I was introduced to refrigeration produces from an Italian company, Desmon. I have been trying to work a deal with their US distributor and just got off the phone to discover that they are no longer the US distributor.

That said, they have about 70 pieces of equipment in inventory they are looking to sell at deep discounts. All of the humidity-controlled units went first and there are none left. However, the Avive panels I mentioned would address this issue without any problems in any of the units. Some are under-counter lowboys with marble tops, others are one and two door display cases.

I am expecting pricing information and brochures in the next few days and I will post in Classifieds. The company also makes humidity-controlled walk-ins just for chocolate and I will be getting more information on those as well.

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Great help, Clay. I appreciate the clarification. Thanks so much.

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

There are many, many different brands of wine coolers, I don't know them all, and many have angled shelves. They tend to be expensive for what they are, and they're not made to handle chocolate, so they are expensive - and may not do what you need them to.

The real issue in cooling is moving heat away from the chocolate. With wine, we generally don't care how long it takes to get to temp from whatever temperature it's at when it goes in the fridge to storage/serving temp - usually overnight or longer is okay. Bottles already in the fridge have a pretty good thermal mass and are not likely to warm up by more than a fraction of a degree when opening the door of the fridge and adding a bottle or two.

With chocolate we do care about the speed of removing the "latent heat of crystallization" (the heat given up by the chocolate as it cools and crystallizes) - too fast or too slow can result in sub-optimal results.

Therefore, we do care about temp and volume of airflow and "recovery time" (how quickly it takes the fridge to return to the set temp after the door is opened) and other variables. There is a reason why cabinets made specifically for chocolate crystallization and holding (e.g., Irinox) as expensive as they are.

In general, the larger the volume of the cabinet, the better the recovery time is. Airflow needs to be controlled and directed to remove the heat added to the cabinet, which can vary widely. If you're molding 500gr blocks of chocolate and put 50 of them into the cabinet you have to move a lot more heat than if you put 20 bonbon molds in to crystallize.

General rule is make it larger than you need it so that you can use the volume of the room to help you. One confectioner I know in NYC set up a cooling/storage room in their facility that measures 10x20 feet. Everything comes in on trays on speed racks. The room is set to about 62F and airflow is relatively modest. Not everyone has this luxury, of course. But you can do use the same concept in a much smaller space.

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Many thanks, Clay! Am I correct in my statement about Wine Coolers? Or is there a type I don't know about?

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Susan:

I don't see why not ... keeping in mind that they are really for converting a room into a "walk-in." You wouldn't use one in a cabinet. Keep in mind that you can also use the CoolBot on a split AC unit (not just thru-wall), where the compressor is physically outside and the blower unit is mounted inside the room. While AC units are also dehumidifiers, you may need additional humidity control (as in a real dehumidifier) not the PolarFresh or Avive products depending on where you are located.

The CoolBot site does have a page that gives the BTU rating for an AC unit for a given sie of room - assuming that the room is adequately insulated.

Wine Cooler/Cabinet for Chocolate Truffles/Pralines Storage

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi, Clay ~ do you think that I could use something like the CoolBot here in California? The Wine Coolers sound great but, the ones I have seen are really expensive and the shelves are angled. Plus, they don't seem very big.