Forum Activity for @Daniel Haran

Roaster review

Posted in: Opinion

25% increments sound like too little control. I get very different roasts with each 10-20 degree difference, which is trivial to accomplish with the Gene Cafe. Are you supposed to cycle up and down between 50-75% to get a desired temp between those 2 points? How do you then map that to a convection oven?

Makes me want to shake the Behmor makers until they promise to learn about PID controls. No one really cares about *power in*, we only care about *temperature out*.

Roaster review

Posted in: Opinion

I was recently emailing with another small chocolate maker who told me about an upgrade to the Behmor that gives a lot more control (although not complete control). You can set the power to the heating elements from 0% to 100% in 25% increments as well as switch the drum speed between 8 and 16 rpm.

I believe that the new Behmor 1600 Plus is basically the old Behmor with this upgrade already installed. I think this would be good for doing tests on bean samples or small batches.

Roaster review

Posted in: Opinion

I've used a Behmor for a while - what's frustrating is the lack of control. I'd read about roast profiles in forums or books and be unable to apply it, so Iresold mine to a friend and got a Gene Cafe. It's a lower capacity but much higher control, ideal for nailing down roast profiles before going bigger.

Dedicated roasters resell well since there are a lot of coffee enthusiasts; you can try that option and resell if you don't like or outgrow it.

Roaster review

Posted in: Opinion

Hi there,

I am looking into some small scale home roasting roaster options. I've narrowed it down to about 3: Behemor 1600, CocoaT Junior Roaster from Cocoa Town, or a stainless steeldrum (RKdrums) hooked up to a rotisserie on my BBQ.

From what I've read, the Behemor is decent and not without its quirks, and only roasts about a lb max. $299 Reasonable price for the beginner.

The CocoaT Junior Roaster seems like a great option. 4-6 lbs at a time, beans rotate slowly in a stainless steel drum under convection heat. $450 Reasonably priced as well.

BBQ drum (depending on size) holds the largest capacity of beans for a home roaster. Depending on where you purchase, it can be quite expensive...upwards of $1000 for asmall size drum, including motor and rotisserie rod. You also need to modify your BBQ somewhat to ensure even heat distribution.

Has anyone used any of these 3methods? Is there another option im not exploring? Any insight would be valuable. Im especially interested if anyone has used the CocoaTown roaster. Thank you.

Donny

updated by @Donny Gagliardi: 04/10/15 17:19:23

Need some advice on milk chocolate...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Crystals won't form at 118. They'll just melt. However you may get some benefit from holding it there for a bit to ensure complete melting of the crystals. - Think ice cube in boiling water. Even though the water is boiling, there can still be ice. But with a little bit of time the ice will melt.

Taking the chocolate to 118 will help ensure you have melted all the pre-existing crystals.

The crystals will form at lower temperatures. The link I posted above really helped me to understand tempering. Take a look.

Need some advice on milk chocolate...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I do believe that my room temp is the major issue here. But I also have a feeling I need to play with my temperatures a little bit more. For example leaving it at 118 for maybe 10-20 mins to make sure the maximum amount of type V crystals form? And then bringing up the temperature to 88 or 89 degrees.

I'll be making a batch in the next day or so, I'll keep everyone posted on my results.

Thanks again.

Need some advice on milk chocolate...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Matt,

Thanks for the additional information. What is the temperature of your room?

One of thethings that will take your chocolate out of temper can include the temperature of the room/environment the chocolate is in. If it is too hot, the chocolate will not set quickly enough and lower forms of cocoa butter crystals will form before it sets.

The x3210 puts out a lot of heat. That could bring the temp of your room up.

Do you have any air movement over the cooling chocolate? - This will help pull heat out of the chocolate and preserve your temper. Not too much movement though. A small fan on low should suffice. - Play with it.

Is the thermometer on your machine accurate?

Also you could try raising the temperature of your chocolate on the last step a few degrees. Say to 88 or 89. The chocolate we use does best at that higher temp even tough it is a milk chocolate.

Is the chocolate melting immediately upon touching it or after several seconds of holding it?

I'm a novice too, but have learned a great deal from the generous members of The Chocolate Life.

Need some advice on milk chocolate...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hey Larry,

Right now it goes to 118 for a few mins, then it cools to 90 degrees then the machine beeps till I take out the seed chocolate (usually its all melted) then drops again to 83.4 then goes up to 86.6 and says its ready.

Thanks for all your help I really appreciate it!! And I apologize if these questions are novice.

Need some advice on milk chocolate...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

What temp are you bringing it back down to? How long is it stirring at 118? How long is it at the lower temp before using the chocolate?Finally, what is the temp of your room?Thanks

Need some advice on milk chocolate...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Interesting...

Right now I am tempering using my Chocovision X3210 that I bought, I have been using about 8% seed chocolate and on temper 1 phase. I figured that it would temper it for me (I have set to 118.5 melting temp which was recommended on the cocoa butter bag I purchased from DeZaan).. Where could I be going wrong?

Need some advice on milk chocolate...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Without knowing all the details, i'd agree lack of proper temper is the likely culprit.

Need some advice on milk chocolate...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

No, the meltage is probably due to the temper (or lack therof) of the chocolate.

There are 6 types of crystal structures cocoa butter can form.

Type V is the 'desired' crystal that results in shiny, snappy chocolate that won't melt immediately.

The crystaltypes I-IVmelt at lower temperatures, and thus if your chocolate has lots of those crystals, it will melt very quickly.

Please check out this tempering explanation on the chocolate alchemist website. http://chocolatealchemy.com/illustrated-tempering/

Need some advice on milk chocolate...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Thanks Sebestian..

That leads to another question.. Before, when I was not calculating my percentage of fat in my chocolate, it would melt once I picked it up. Now was this a result of having a fat content greater than 35%?

Need some advice on milk chocolate...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

You'll never achieve 25% fat in a spectra - so plan on a recipe of 35% total fat. Assume your liquor is 50% fat. For ease of sourcing, just use whole milk powder and assume it's fat content is 26%.

Part of learning how to make great chocolate is learning how to do the formulation math 8-) Homework assignment #1 - using the above formulation %'s and ingredient fat levels - calculate your formulation requirements for a milk chocolate that has approximately 35% total fat. You should also include 0.3% fluid lecithin if this is your first time. You may even wish to leave it in there forever.

Need some advice on milk chocolate...

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hello All,

This is my first blog post so I figured I would give you all a little introduction. I am 27 years old living in the greater Los Angeles area and recently taken on the challenge of learning how to make great chocolate.

Currently I am reading, "The Science of Chocolate" by: Stephen T Beckett. And although it has been very informative and I have no complaints about it, its been difficult not to have someone to bounce off questions I have. So, with all that being said, I'll start to get into what I'm doing and where I'm running into difficulties.

I have a Spectra 11 melanger that I am using and my problem is I don't know how much cocoa butter I should have in my recipe? I have read that my total fat content should be in-between 25-35% but what does that mean with my cocoa butter. Right now my recipe is 25% butter, 19% cocoa mass, 19% milk powder (I'm using a combo of non-fat and whole milk to keep my fat content down), and 37% sugar.

Does anything stand out thats wrong with that? Is my butter content too high?

Thank you!

updated by @Matt4: 04/11/15 11:28:08

Research on Chocolate - I want to speak to 100 chocolate lovers. Any idea how?

Posted in: Opinion

I would suggest going to a chocolate store, talking with people who ran it about what you are trying to do and asking permission to interview their customers. If you offer to share your findings they may agree.

Research on Chocolate - I want to speak to 100 chocolate lovers. Any idea how?

Posted in: Opinion

Hi guys,

I'm a new member of this community. Great website. I look forward to visiting and contributing to this community. I'm studying a Marketing course at the university and my research topic is on what makes people love chocolate and how the experience of having chocolate could be improved. I am happy to share the final research paper with you all.

I'm looking for a way to speak to about 100 chocolate lovers to learn more about their experiences with chocolate, what they like, what's missing, etc.

I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions on how I can get in touch with people who love chocolate and are willing to give 15 mins of their time over the phone to me.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Bryan

updated by @Bryan Shah: 04/13/15 05:16:13

Using leaves as template for chocolate

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hello All. I've just started making decorative leaves and I'd like to get some feedback on my selection. I'm using Lemon Leaves (Salal leaves), and have been told that they're non-toxic. I wash and rinse them before covering with chocolate. When the chocolate dries, I peel away the leaf and have an edible, chocolate leave. Any one else using Lemon leaves for this process? I just want to double check with the group for any safety issues that I may not be aware of? Thanks for the help, John

updated by @John Duxbury: 04/18/15 18:08:49

chocolate brand to choose, pricing vs taste

Posted in: Opinion

For something like a bar, use NV every time - especially if it's a plain tasting bar. If it's for enrobing or recipe making, use the Van Leer...

You can immediately tell the difference when opening case of NV - the aroma is fuller and rounder, as is the taste

chocolate brand to choose, pricing vs taste

Posted in: Opinion

make chocolate bar. need low viscosity easy to handle

chocolate brand to choose, pricing vs taste

Posted in: Opinion

What do you plan to make with it? Is viscosity a factor?

chocolate brand to choose, pricing vs taste

Posted in: Opinion

I am deciding which chocolate to bring in..

Callebaut 823NV milk (more expensive)or Van LeerBel Lactee Milk.

Callebaut 70-30-38NV (more expensive) or Van Leer Bel Noir 73% Dark

Cangeneral public really tell one is better than the other?

updated by @Susie2: 04/11/15 15:40:49

Why does My Cocoa butter chip?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

No worries Keti and good luck

Why does My Cocoa butter chip?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Gap,

Thanks for your reply. I will try your advice and spray a coat, let it dry and then a 2nd coat. I have not tried making my own colors yet, I purchased them from Chef Rubber. I may have been using too much color. The ones that turned out were beautiful and as you said, you can pretty much see your reflection in them. I read some posts on here about the clear but couldn't find a product named such, so it probably is just cocoa butter. Thanks for your help

Why does My Cocoa butter chip?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

It's hard to know from your description - many things could be at play. Your cocoa butter should be approx 32-34C when going into the sprayer. Try not to have too much colour on the moulds at once (it shouldn't be "running" into pools and leaving streaks) - do two coats if you want extra colour.

Hold your moulds about 20-30cm away when spraying. Ensure your work enviroment is in normal chocolate working conditions (approx 18-22C). Let your moulds dry after spraying, then put a thin coat of chocolate on the moulds (you can use your finger), let that dry and then mould the cavaties as you would normally. The chocolate should be correctly tempered so that it doesn't affect the coloured ccb.

Are you making your own colours (ie., ~10g fat soluble colouring to 100g ccb) or using a commercial product?

I've never used additional ccb for "extra" shine on my moulds and I can practically see my reflection in my chocolates. If you're spraying colour, it already has a lot of ccb in it. That said, I have heard of it done and I'm pretty sure its just standard cocoa butter they use.

Why does My Cocoa butter chip?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I guess i should clarify that it is my colored cocoa butter that is chipping. I am trying to put a nice color on my molded chocolate and when the chocolate releases from the mold some of the chocolates have portions of the paint missing/chipped off. I buff my molds thoroughly with cotton balls before i spray them.

Why does My Cocoa butter chip?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I have been having a problem with my Cocoa butter chipping when removing it from my molds. I have tempered it and it has a beautiful shine when it comes out but some of them have portions of the cocoa butter chipped off. I am using a spray gun when applying it to the mold. Is it possible that I am applying too much?

Also, I have read in some forum posts that people have used a clear cocoa butter to give a greater shine but can't find anywhere to purchase including chef rubber. Does this product really exist?

Thanks for your help

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

Questions about cocoa beans

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hey Sebastian, thanks for your reply, it seems to be more complicated than we had thought I guess I'll just try to get more information on import and maybe I will start to contact small manufacturers. Thank you so much!

Questions about cocoa beans

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hi Franzi - you're going to find that most cocoa beans are sold in bulk by large exporters, as they've got the advantage of economics of scale on their side, and understand the various trans-country regulations. You're going to need to first identify your market - i'm assuming you're scale will be quite small, so i'd recommend targeting premium, smaller manufacturers as you're not going to have the volume to do anything but that. Next you'll need to understand the range of flavor profiles you can generate - this answers the 'why should they buy from you' question - if you can deliver a premium product consistently, you've got something valuable. You're going to need to spend some time understanding import/export regulations, as transporting raw agricultural commodities between countries can be a tricky business i'm afraid ("I'm with the government, and here to help - please fill out these 13,456 pages of information. in triplicate. in a language you don't understand. and get back to us"....)

Questions about cocoa beans

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hello,

I am new to this forum and have a few questions to all the bean-to-bar chocolatiers. I have a friend in Trinidad & Tobago who knows several cocoa farmers and would like to start a little trade business selling the beans to chocolatiers. I live in Germany and would like to help her.

Now I don't really know how to start. Where do chocolatiers usually get their beans from? Should we start a website, and then people find us and order from us? How many kilos or pounds does a chocolatier order on average? Should I import a large amount of beans to Germany, store them here and then send them to our costumers, or do most chocolatiers order directly from the country of origin?
How much do you pay for beans on average? (we want to sell organic beans)
Should I simply send small samples to different chocolate manufacturers?

Any kind of help would be highly appreciated.
Thank you in advance!!

updated by @Franzi: 04/11/15 22:06:12

Chocolate Delivery by Courier

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Any suggestions on packaging for Courier of Chocolates in country like India so that quality is maintained.

updated by @Amit Arora: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Refrigerated Chocolate Display for Chocolates

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Can you suggest a company which can supply Refrigerated Display Unit for Chocolates available in India as we require it for our new store. Display should maintain required Temperature and RH.

updated by @Amit Arora: 04/07/25 13:00:14

Flat printed cello bags

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

HiI've been using flat printed cello bags from Chocolat chocolat in Canada for the past 7 years. The flat bags really suit some of my products, and I prefer cellophane for its clarity. Unfortunately they have discontinued most of the printed ones, and although they have a terrific range of clear ones, I still like the added pizazz the prints give. I know places like Nashville wraps have a good selection of gusseted bags, but can anyone suggest a source of flat ones?Thanks in advanceKathryn
updated by @Kathryn Holt: 04/07/25 13:00:14

private label bars

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

I do custom candy bars. Please check out http://www.bigfootchocolate.com/.

I can have molds made (any size) to your designs and have the wrappers to match. I do milk and dark chocolate with flavors. Please let me know if you have questions or need samples of my bars. You can contact me at sue@bigfootchocolate.com. Thank you!!

Sue

private label bars

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Hi there,

We create custom candy bars for various businesses and events. Please check out this link http://www.mayanachocolate.com/custom-candy-bars.html . Our work has been featured in Food & Wine Magazine, Epicurious, Candy Industry Magazine, and various other trade magazines. Let me know if I can help. Thanks!

Daniel

private label bars

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Hi all

I am looking for a company to make some private label bars for all our restaurants. We are looking for approx 3oz milk and dark . Does anyone know of a company that can help.

Thx!!

updated by @Bill3: 04/07/25 13:00:14

Melanger

Posted in: Opinion

Hi Sebastian ,Is what cocoatown used to describe the coaching machine.Ismael

Melanger

Posted in: Opinion

I'm not sure it is an advantage at the scale you're looking to produce at. You'd indicated it was a feature that you liked, i was trying to get you to consider why that was important. Or rather if that was important...

Melanger

Posted in: Opinion

Hi SebastianI don't know. Can further my knowledge.Ismael

Melanger

Posted in: Opinion

let's ask this question - what advantage is there in continuously exposing the liquor to air without grinding it further? WHY is that important to you?

Melanger

Posted in: Opinion

Hello everybody

I'm in the process of getting equipped for some home chocolate production. Regarding melanger, I have to products in mind: The Spectra 11 and Cocoatown ECGC-12SLTA . Both products seem to be very similar. What I like about theECGC-12SLTA ist that one can completely release the tension from the stones for the conching cycle so the cocoa liquor is continuously exposed to air without grinding it further. Any reviews on these products would be appreciated.

A next question would be how do these two melangers compare to the cheaper option Premier,

Regards,

Ismael

updated by @Ismael Neggaz: 04/10/15 09:15:28

Enrobing /coating help

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

hand roll them in chocolate first (like truffles), let them set, then put them on the enrober.
Should work better