Forum Activity for @Dirke Botsford

Temper, temper!

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Great information thanks. After reviewing the clearly marked information on the package that I missed (thank you Melanie), I was way off on the tempering temperature by about 15 degrees, that's what I get for reading a book instead of a package. So from what you are saying is that you heat up, and don't mix all the much until it gets to the tempered state? which is the enrobing temperature on the package? Starting to feel I need a degree in chemistry to understand how tempering works. Any idea how a Crystallization curve works? I see that on the package but don't really understand it? or do I really need to?I'm curious, why does a certain temperature range for enrobing give you a the desired effect and not higher or lower?I'm sure once I've done some training through ecole chocolat I'll understand it better but I sure seem to have a lot of questions. I'll just have to play some more...I will try the microwave approach as well. Thanks again

Temper, temper!

Posted in: News & New Products Press

As someone who enjoys chocolate, but is not an expert, and decided to start making my own with very mixed results I feel your pain. I can share what I have 'learned' in my attempts to temper dark chocolate. I have been eating Valrhona Quanaja every day for years. I recently lost my inexpensive source for finished product here in Hawaii and started buying the Le Feves by the 3 kg bag to make my own. I am also using Des Alphes 72% because Vahrhona is sometimes difficult to buy here.As Ms. Boudar says, each manufacturer gives their recommended temperatures for tempering and working their product. I have found this info on the package or online. I read a couple books and was very careful in what I thought was the correct technique for tempering. Living in Hawaii, even in air conditioned comfort, may contribute to my past issues of sugar and/or fat blooming. I had very limited success going with the books. I'm sure it was my shortcomings and not the books.Here's what I do now that works for me. I put the chocolate I'm heating in a glass bowl. I put another quantity of chocolate which weighs approximately 1/4 of the quantity in the bowl on the side....chopped. I put the bowl in the micro.....this was actually recommended by someone on this site and I poopooed it until I tried it......and begin heating it somewhat slowly. I zap it for 30 seconds, stir a little, zap it again stir it and measure the temperature, zap it again, etc. It usually takes 4 or 5 zaps to get it at the right temperature as recommended by the manufacturer. Working with a micro you have to be a little careful as the temperature will keep rising if you're not careful because the bowl gets too hot. I find Pyrex works best for the bowl. I keep a sheet of ice pack close if I want to stop the temperature peak in an emergency. When the temperature is correct .......I find that it's ok to go over the temperature 2 or 3 degrees.....I throw in the chopped chocolate and stir a little. I let it sit as the chopped chocolate melts into the heated chocolate.....it takes quite awhile for the chocolate to cool to working temperature. I stir a little more. Don't over stir. I used to stir constantly, but I think over stirring disturbs the little crystals that are trying to form. Keep measuring the temperature until it comes down to the working temperature as listed by the manufacturer.... I find working with the chocolate at a temperature a couple degrees higher than recommended is ok. Do whatever you want to do with the chocolate. Then, I put it in the refrigerator on a cookie sheet. Yeah, I know.....the refrigerator??.....but here in Hawaii even in air conditioning I get sugar bloom if I leave it out to cool. I think it's a combination of humidity and temperature.I make chocolate covered mac nuts and plain chocolate pieces this way and it works every time. Go figure yeah? I hope this helps, at least until you can find a better way.Aloha

Temper, temper!

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Funny you should mention Ecole Chocolat, I just registered for that yesterday, in the hopes of learning all the trick and tips. I appreciate your comments greatly. I much prefer working with Dark chocolate, in some way it is sexier? is that a good description for it? the milk chocolate I find dull, does it lose a little color when tempered? I found the finished milk chocolate was a little lighter than it was before. Is that normal?I definitely won't give up as I'm just starting and would like to leave the high tec industy to do this instead one day. thanks for the inspiration!

Temper, temper!

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Dirk,The answer to your question is more than just giving one specific temp. Most chocolate manufactures list a recommended tempering curve on the box which can vary by several degrees. Also, your room temp and speed of cooling can affect the temper of the chocolate....it could have been in temper when you enrobed your piece and a warm room and too slow a cooling took it out of temper. Milk chocolate with its various solids can be more difficult than dark. Sounds like you would benefit greatly from some hands- on type of class or an environment like ecolechocolat.com where the therory is mixed with practical work and observation of the results. Many peoples first tempering results are like yours- not sure what went right or wrong. Maybe practice with dark at first to gain more confidence and most of all don't give up!

Temper, temper!

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I just tried tempering for the first time, I followed a book but it doesn't explain to what degree chocolate comes out of temper nor how to get it back into temper. I assume trying to keep Milk chocolate at around 30 degrees? would that be safe? I did three different flavored ganache all with the same coating and got all different results. One was perfect ( pure fluke ) and the other two...well not bad I guess.I did milk chocolate, am I right to have tempered it from 27 degree up to 30 several times? what temperature does it come out of temper? Any help would be appreciated.
updated by @Dirke Botsford: 03/11/26 06:20:34

The Holidays Are Upon Us - What Are YOU Making Special This Year?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

The Holidays Are Upon Us - What Are YOU Making Special This Year?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Oh its happening....damn things are flying off the shelves again... I will be doing a demo of these on halloween at the chocolate show in NY.....

The Holidays Are Upon Us - What Are YOU Making Special This Year?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Actually, it is gooey caramel colored an icky gray so that it looks like eyeball goo:-)

The Holidays Are Upon Us - What Are YOU Making Special This Year?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Now I really do hope that these are white chocolate shells that are filled with a gooey runny caramel center (colored red) so that when you bite into them ... well, you get the idea.

The Holidays Are Upon Us - What Are YOU Making Special This Year?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

OK the gore is coming out now...bring it on.

The Holidays Are Upon Us - What Are YOU Making Special This Year?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Wow, Robert...never mind dessert, whats for dinner at your place?

The Holidays Are Upon Us - What Are YOU Making Special This Year?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Here are my eyeballs.

The Holidays Are Upon Us - What Are YOU Making Special This Year?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Get your camera out - sounds great fun

The Holidays Are Upon Us - What Are YOU Making Special This Year?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I was hoping Jeff and his crew would post some gory stuff...this is your time to shine! with the gore!I made bloody finger pops with purple , black and green fingernails. Also dipped dried bananas and we call them skeleton fingers, packaged in a little cauldron or pumpkin. Sorry no pics yet.

The Holidays Are Upon Us - What Are YOU Making Special This Year?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Halloween, Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Christmas - the holidays are fast approaching. What special items are you making for the 2009 Holiday season? New molds, flavors, packaging concepts?Please feel free to post photos (no more than 640 pixels wide and no more than 100k file size) using the camera icon in the formatting toolbar (this is the preferred method) or you can attach them to your reply.:: Clay
updated by @Clay Gordon: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Chocolate and wine, my two favorite things

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I am a newbie into the world of making chocolate, I have been reading about making chocolate, playing and experimenting and lovin every minute of it. As a new found passion and a great lover of wine I would like to pair the two and do tastings with friends and family. Now I have read there are people out there doing tastings and wondering what is your best approach. ie. What kind of wines go best with what kind of chocolate? Any flavored truffles that go nicely? I believe the sweeter the wine the darker the chocolate? Please correct me if I'm wrong.Any advice or idea's would be appreciated. this is my first experience with this site and am glad I found it to bounce my million questions off.
updated by @Dirke Botsford: 05/12/15 05:20:17

How To Search for Patents

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Due to Travis the Xocai rep taking his thread and running, some of what I posted about how to search for patents was lost. The reason this was posted was because I went looking for the Xocai (MXI) patent on cold processing and couldnt find anything. This is strange as patents are by their nature publicly available. So if anyone ever claims to have a patent you should be able to get hold of it. This can be tricky for those who dont have access to extensive scientific databases. Here are two sites and instructions on how to download any patent you like.Firstly to check http://ep.espacenet.com/ and go to advanced search, there you can search patents via key words and importantly company/institution. If you do pull up a patent you want to read click on original document and it should give you the option to download a pdf of the entire doc.The other place to check if you have the patent number ie EP1894473 the patent I suspect Xocai refers to in its media about cold processing. It is titled Method to increase the antioxidant activity of chocolate and is the only one I could find that remotely fits the bill. The patent is owned by Puratos a Belgian chocolate giant that owns Belcolade. This fits the MXI claim that it out sources chocolate production to a large Belgian chocolate manufacturer that holds a patent on cold processing of chocolate to maintain high antioxidant levels.You can compile the patent directly, for free, using http://www.patentfetcher.com/ just type the code in to the search engine and it will do the rest.Temperatures used in this process are far from cold!
updated by @Tom: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Help support local business

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you. I may do that although I am kind of shy to-especially long distance abroad calls!!Thanks though!!

Help support local business

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I would give them a call and see what they can do about referring you to a good source. You will want to talk to Nicole at the Ponte Vedra location. The number there is 904-829-5790.Good Luck!

Help support local business

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Looks very nice! I like the bars- the packaging is very nice. I have been searching for a source for those gold inserts that are a base behind the bars. I need them for chocolate teaspoons that will be in a cello bag like your bars. Is it possible to refer me to a source for these gold card sheets?Anyway, best of success!

Help support local business

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hello,I wanted to let everyone know about a kick-butt local chocolate shop in St. Augustine Florida. You can view their selections here Claudes Chocolate .They have a great selection of bonbons and truffles, and ship anywhere in the United States. Check them out and thanks for your time!
updated by @Mark Mahon: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Chocolate Packaging...

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Working in the Print industry there are many paper suppliers you can buy direct from or whom have off cuts of a variety of papers stocks they either can't sell or are end of stock pieces. you can get them rather cheaply. You can even go to a local printer who has end of run stock that just sits idle that they would be happy to unload, sometimes free. Trick is to be creative in finding your sources.Good luck

Chocolate Packaging...

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Thanks Clay, you're right...ecovintagevegan.etsy.com.

Chocolate Packaging...

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

There doesn't appear to be an ecovintagevegan.com. You can visit them on Etsy to see their line.

Chocolate Packaging...

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Hi Justin, I did exhaustive research in this area as I planned all along to use only recyclable/recycled packaging as an extension of my organic, fair trade, sustainable & feature locally grown ingredients theme. Nashville Wraps and their Green Way Packaging subsidiary are fantastic, not too bad pricing for us DIYers; Fetpak (free shipping), you may want to look at Paper Mart..I know they had reasonable prices for kraft boxes but I cant recall whether they offered recyclabled materials, you may want to ask. A good place to search is the crafters website etsy.com..I found my handmade origami giftboxes there at ecovintagevegan.com. I already ordered my Christmas boxes from the artisan named Mickey, she made the boxes out of recycled Christmas cards, just fantastic! I have found the etsy artisans are very easy to work with quite willing to provide you with what you need. I found quite a few who made origami boxes from recycled cards and recyclable paper, but none photographed as sturdy and professionally as ecovintagevegan.com. I have been very pleased with her work and speedy response.

Chocolate Packaging...

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

I see alot of the new organic chocolate companies using recyclable packaging (ex. Kallari) I've done my due dilligence but was struggling trying to find companies that provide packaging using recycled goods.Any of your "DIY" ers come across these resources?
updated by @Justin Brooks: 04/07/25 13:00:14

Writing Ingredient labels

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you very much for this information Clay, it is a big help.Carol

Writing Ingredient labels

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Carol:On a separate but related note, I am pretty sure you qualify as a "small business" so you can take advantage of the small business exemption that applies to nutrition labeling .:: Clay

Writing Ingredient labels

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you very much Andrea

Writing Ingredient labels

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Unfortunately you have to list every single ingredient that goes into the chocolates. The reason is quite important though. Many people have severe allergies to odd ingredients that are not covered under the main 8 common allergies that you must also list separately after the ingredient list.I feel your second example is a good way to do it but you only have to list an ingredient once; Cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla, skimmed milk powder, full cream milk powder, lactose... if space is your issue then this might be a better way to go. http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/FoodLabelingGuide/default.htm "Do ingredients of standardized foods have to be listed when the standardized food is an ingredient in a non-standardized food?The ingredients of the standardized food may be declared parenthetically following the name of the standardized ingredient or may be declared by dispersing each ingredient in its order of predominance in the ingredient statement without naming the standardized food."Aren't the many FDA rules fun?Andrea

Writing Ingredient labels

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I am meeting with the Agriculture and Marketing person in order to get my license to sell at markets and shows.I understand most aspects of writing the ingredient label (list ingredients in the order of amount etc.) Here lies my problem: In doing an assorted box of six different flavors, the list gets so long it barely can fit on my label. Also, I make handmade chocolates with fine ingredients and no preservatives but when the label is complete, it looks like a "tome".This is how I would like the label to look:Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, fresh purees, buttertoasted nuts, colored cocoa butterDo I need to do this:Dark chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter,soy lecitthin, vanilla); milk chocolate(sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, skimmed milk powder, soya lecithin, vanilla)white chocolate( pure cane sugar, cocoa butter, full cream milk, lactose, soya lecithin, vanilla beans).......and the same for each other ingredient.I would appreciate any advice aon this.I am in NYS, I produce in a rented commercial kitchen and will sell via internet, flea markets and possibly wholesale.Thanks,Carol LangCibelli Chocolates
updated by @Carol: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Dried Cocoa Pods

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

HI David:I know this message is from a while ago, but I have dried cocoa pods, as many as you need. you can see my store at www.shop.cocoapodshop.com

Dried Cocoa Pods

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Thanks Carli will call them tomorrow as they don't seem to be on the websiteDavid

Dried Cocoa Pods

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

David,Swiss Chalet Fine Foods in Miami has available the following: Cocoa Items for display and decoration.#70525 Cacao Bags, Empty 1/1 ct /ut $14.00#70526 Cacao Bag W / 2 Kg Beans 1/1 ct /ut 83.00#70527 Cacao Pod - Closed 1/1 ct /ut 22.00#70528 Cacao Pod - Open 1/1 ct /ut 22.00Call Toll Free: 1-800347-9477Or visit the website at www.scff.com I hope this was helpfulCarl

Dried Cocoa Pods

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

thanks Brendan, just looking for wholesaler, i need lots of them

Dried Cocoa Pods

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

L.A. Burdick in NH/MA sells these. I don't know if the price is good, but I'm sure they have plenty on hand. http://www.burdickchocolate.com

Dried Cocoa Pods

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Does any one have a good source for dried cocoa pods. They are sometimes used for Flower arrangements/decor...Thanks!
updated by @david castellan: 04/07/25 13:00:14

Chocolate Technique: What would you like to learn more about?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Is this e-book now available?

Chocolate Technique: What would you like to learn more about?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Molding, definitely molding chocolate. I can make hand rolled truffles by the tray full, I can make slabs of centers, cut them and dip them in chocolate, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to do molded chocolate. Everything I try, the chocolate goes out of temper.

Chocolate Technique: What would you like to learn more about?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Small business idea's to start your chocolate making adventures.How to make a Mold.Why do you use some ingredients, ie, corn syrup, butter over none. what are the advantage or disadvantages?What not to do....LOLLet me know when this comes out, I'd love to see it being a newbie to making chocolate, all I am doing at this point is reading and drooling about making them.

Chocolate Technique: What would you like to learn more about?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I've been looking for a hands on workshop about how to roast and prepare the bean

Chocolate Technique: What would you like to learn more about?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I didn't see a discussion of 'conching' mentioned anywhere. That still is a bit of a mystery to me.Also, how would you handle blending chocolate to dip biscotti in?