Forum Activity for @Gap

This is geared completely to dark chocolate. I use a commercially made ghee that is 99.9% fat. 

How acidic are your beans / liquor?

Also, as Sebastian says you are going to want to heat the chocolate in the mixer and be able to control the temperature. And, having forced hot air is going to be a good idea.

The Kleego conche I helped develop for FBM can control the bowl temperature to 60C and the hot air (about 100 cubic meters/hour) up to 70C. It is vertical, has counter-rotating stirrers, and a pump to transfer chocolate from the bottom of the working bowl to the top so that all of the chocolate is processed. With the heat on high you can conche very acidic chocolates flat in under two hours. However, people tend to use them hot for a short period of time in the beginning and then cool things down when much of the acidic aroma has evaporated off. Typical conching times are under 2.5 hours for a 35kg batch. It has a melting capacity of 50kg and can also mix many recipes.

Sebastian - to reduce spam, you need to follow each other first.

Sebastian: I think others might want to know!

Thanks for the tip gap, but is that advice geared more toward a milk chocolate rather than a dark chocolate?

A quick search says ghee has 0.5 - 1.0% water content. Is that low enough that you add it straight without the need for other additives like lecithin? I vaguely remember hearing chocolate is around that range, but I can't find it in writing at the moment.

Hi there,

We are changing directions a bit and are trying to sell a few different pieces of equipment...  

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FBM Unica continuous tempering machine...

25kg working bowl capacity with full craft chocolate upgrade. This is a great machine that we would love to keep if we could. 

It is two years old and was minimally used for one of them. It is in excellent condition and a great buy for anyone ready to upgrade to one of the best machines in the industry.  

New this machine was available for 24k we are asking 18k obo.

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We also have a Kent three roll mill

This mill has 9" x 24" rolls and can grind down quite a bit of chocolate fast. . This machine is not ready for chocolate just yet but with very little work it can be. We got a great deal on it and changed directions before we got it grinding. Willing to pass the same deal onto some one that wants it. 13k  

________

We have a number of other craft chocolate making items and some great Beans for sale as well.

Please inquire via Email or Phone   -   info@starchildchocolate.com / 1-707-671-5778

It's a bit intimidating after that comment from Sebastian, but . . .

I would suggest adding some anhydrous milk fat (AMF). Adding 2% will start to soften the chocolate, but 4% may be necessary. 

If you don't have access to AMF (it can be tricky to get hold of) you can substitute ghee (often available from supermarkets or Indian grocers).

Correct on 900g + 9g of cocoa butter as approximation of 1%.

If you find the change of viscosity too much you may need to go to 0.5%.

You need to add the cocoa butter to hot chocolate and mix for 10-15 minutes.

@peter3: Thank you for the reply and sound advice! That's actual a great basis for a starting experiment to test and calibrate the chocolate viscosity without too much wasted product (if any at all!)

By 1 percent Cocoa Butter, I assume you mean to add an amount of Cocoa Butter equal to the entire batch of chocolate, seed and all? For instance:

900 grams chocolate (including seed) + 9 grams of cocoa butter?

The tip regarding the lowering of the set point is very useful and will be tried if the state of the tempered Milk Chocolate begins to lose its luster with the addition of Cocoa Butter.

The whole matter of viscosity control of tempered chocolate is very complex and many pages could be written on the subject.

You could try a much simpler approach.

If you are happy with the temper of the milk chocolate keep the tempering machine settings.

You can use a disposable plastic knife (something with repeatable shape and weight) and dip it in the tempered dark chocolate (use 10 pieces to get good average), measure and record weights.

Add 1% of cocoa butter (by weight) to your milk chocolate, temper and dip the plastic knives, measure, record compare.

Keep increasing the cocoa butter by 1% until you get the same weights.

You can scrape the chocolate from plastic knives, melt and reuse.

I would guess 1-3% should do the trick.

You may need to drop your cooling temperature set point on the tempering machine if your temper is getting worse. 

I'm going to refrain from answering as a challenge to those who have been taught this answer.  Yes, consider this a pop quiz 8-)

I'm still fairly new to making chocolate and extremely low volume, so please forgive any lack of proper terminology. And thank you to everyone that's already helped me tremendously as I read through older posts here.

I'm getting feedback that my 65% dark chocolate bars are too "hard", meaning they take too much effort to bite through, and even breaking the bars apart takes a significant amount of effort. I thought this was normal (many of the commercial bars in that 65% range seem similar) until I found a bar from my very first bean to bar batch from almost a year ago, and it is significantly easier to bite through.

My only recipe so far for bean to bar is for a 65% dark, using 35% sugar, 60% winnowed nibs, 5% cocoa butter (no lecithin since I haven't needed it for viscosity reasons). Assuming 50% cocoa butter in the nibs, that gives me a total cocoa butter content of 35%. My batch size is around 2.5 pounds, running in a home-sized Premier tilting melanger for about 36 hours (I haven't intentionally experimented with different grinding times yet - variation is purely a matter of convenience). The bars go into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes until they start pulling away from the molds. They are removed from the molds and sit at room temp 15-60 minutes before packaging. They are stored in a wine refrigerator at about 60 degrees F.

My first batch seems like it is grittier, so maybe I didn't grind it as long, and maybe that's why it is softer. It was also a different bean source, and probably a much lighter roast.

I've considered the possibility that I'm overtempering, but I'm not finding detailed advice on how to check for that other than "once the melted chocolate starts to thicken" (I can recognize and correct that) or using an expensive temper meter.

Any advice on how to create easier to eat chocolate?

Thanks,
David

Hello fellow chocolatiers! This is my first post here at this amazing website (which I've used to garner information from delving into prior forum posts a great many a time). Seeing as I had a somewhat specific question for which I couldn't find an adequate answer, I've decided to ask you, the experts, directly!

Here's the deal: My buddy and I, we like to hand-dip pretzels into chocolate which is tempered using a Chocovision Tempering Unit. We track data on the pretzels in order to learn about how time and type of chocolate can affect the coating that is applied to the pretzel itself.

When using a pretty high grade Dark Chocolate (from Germany), the chocolate tends to be of low thickness; viscosity, creating a coating on each pretzel of about 2.00 grams (with fluctuation from human-error in the hand-dipping process, of course.) This tends to work out fine, as we generally can finish our batch in a reasonable time before the chocolate thickens to the point of creating too gaudy of a coating.

We are currently now working on a Milk Chocolate coating from the great land of Norway (Freia, if you've heard of or tried it). Regardless of brand, we knew that Milk Chocolate would be a bit more difficult to work with due to its more viscous nature. After dipping and collecting the results, the average coating fell into the territory of around 3.11 grams; a more than 50 percent increase.

We have heard that adding cocoa butter to a batch will decrease its viscosity without too much hindrance to flavor or appearance (which we've also heard it can be a boon to...in that it can help temper the chocolate possibly!) So...

Questions!

1) We are fairly satisfied with the Dark Chocolate's viscosity, which again, yields an average coating on each pretzel of about 2.00 grams. With the Milk Chocolate's average coating of 3.11 grams, and an average batch size of 900 grams of chocolate, how much cocoa butter would you recommend adding to the Milk Chocolate to lower its viscosity to equal to that of the Dark Chocolate (recalling that the Milk Chocolate seems to be 50 percent more viscous, if the amount of coating were the judge.)

2) Is there a particular brand or type of cocoa butter one should purchase if its sole use was for lowering the viscosity of specifically Milk Chocolate?

Thank all of you in advance for any and all advice that you can provide; It is very much appreciated! May I also wish you a great day // night, whichever may apply!

-JesNES

I've never used one, so I don't know.  :)

What is a "normal" conching time with this?

It looks like there are many listed on Alibaba:

https://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=141607&SearchText=z+blade+mixer

Hi Clay,

I hope all good with you.  We are having a major issue at our chocolate factory at the moment and am feeling a bit desperate.  It is a small factory, and we just upgraded from a Selmi One to an FBM Unica with dosing head and line, which I heard about from The Chocolate Life.  

The problem is that we were told that it would dose with inclusions up to 7mm and 10% inclusions in the chocolate.  Our inclusions are under 5mm (we use a colander to make sure) and 5% inclusions in the chocolate and the dosing head works for less than 30 seconds before it gets blocked.  We spent $30,000UAUD on this machine because we thought it would make us more efficient, yet two thirds of our bars have inclusions, and we are finding that it is faster to hand mould the ones with inclusions (we have tried sprinkling them in by hand as we go with the moulding line and it is taking ages).  Sorry to rant, but I know you really believe in FBM and have a lot of experience with their machines, so I thought maybe you could help us in some way?  It is really damaging our business, we are weeks behind on orders because of these issues.  We are in contact with FBM, but we have tried everything they suggested and it doesn't work, so are feeling at a loss.  Any ideas welcome.  Thanks for your time.

I am interested in a z-blade mixer but don't know where to start looking. Can someone help me out with a company that makes them. I would prefer somewhere in China since the tax would be cheaper for me.

and, how long does it usually take a z-blade mixer to conche?

I am interested in a z-blade mixer but don't know where to start looking. Can someone help me out with a company that makes them. I would prefer somewhere in China since the tax would be cheaper for me

You are certainly more up-to-date than I am:)

Ruth,

I think AquaLab is/was the name for certain models of Decagon devices, so I should have referred to Decagon. In any event, that info is out of date because, in my recent email exchange with the company, this note was included at the end:

We are excited to let you know that we have changed our name from Decagon Devices/AquaLab to METER Group Inc.  All content will gradually migrate to our new website at METERgroup.com.  The current website www.aqualab.com will be available for the foreseeable future.

Jim

Jim, I think Pawkit is made by Decagon rather than AquaLab, not that it makes any difference in the answer.

There you go.  There are many different makes/models out there - towards the turn of the century is when the technology to differentiate/compensate began to be used, but not everyone chose to include it in every model.  Know thy model and it's limitations 8-)

Hi Chocolate Lifers!

I wanted to make sure you all know about The Slow Melt podcast. Hosted, written and created by author and journalist Simran Sethi, with guests including farmers, conservationists, manufacturers, tasting experts, scientists, social justice advocates, chocolate purveyors and, of course, award-winning chocolate makers.

Listen to the first 3 episodes on our website and please share if so moved. We welcome your feedback!

https://theslowmelt.com/

An update:  

I wrote to AquaLab asking about the issue of volatiles (such as alcohol) in the sample being measured and got this reply:

"The statement [included in my previous message] was quoted from the 4TE manual that used the chilled mirror sensor. I've attached the link to the manual, this statement is on page 51 section 8.4."

I replied to them, asking specifically:  "But does the statement also apply to the Pawkit, meaning that it too may not give accurate readings with high amounts of volatiles in the sample?"

And the reply to that was:  "Not at all James. Pawkit uses the capacitance sensor, there is not a chilled mirror on the Pawkit. Our Series 4TEV instrument uses the same sensor as the Pawkit."

Clay, were one to run a single phase and three phase tempering machine side by side, would you expect to see any difference in operation? 

As you say 'robust' and 'energy efficient,' are we only discussing the cost of electricity and length of life in the motor? Or is the usage affected in some other way? 

I replaced mine directly from the manufacturer in Italy.

see below.

good luck

Cecilia Garozzo garozzo@venanzettivibrazioni.it

VENANZETTI VIBRAZIONI MILANO srl SOCIO UNICO

Via Ghiarola Nuova 22

41042 Fiorano modenese (MO)

Tel.: 0536/832300

Fax : 0536/910462

www.venanzettivibrazioni.com

I don't think that adding too much cream will affect your dish, but it will add more rich taste. I am also a very big fan of caramel and chocolate and try different varieties of dishes at home. Recently, while surfing on the internet I came across a blog here , which have many chocolate desserts. I always follow such kind of blogs for making deserts so that I don't get confused while making the dish.

Sebastian,

You said "as long as the Aw meter was made after 1999, that is, after which point they began including compensation to correct for the fact that volatiles such as ethanol impact the humidity and the humidity sensor."

On eGullet I posted on what I learned from your previous statements on alcohol and aW. Were you referring to any specific models of meters? I ask because I received a reply from Kerry Beal (she and I both have the Pawkit from AquaLabs) stating "A standard dew point  Aw meter without special filters doesn't recognize the Aw lowering effect of alcohol. From the Aqua Lab manual - ‟Samples with a high amount of volatiles condense on the mirror during the reading process, but do not evaporate from the mirror as water does. As a result the reading on samples with volatiles may not be accurate with the dew point technique.”

I would like to clear up the apparent discrepancy.

Hi Clay,

      Where did you find this portion of the info ? I followed the link to the FDA website, but must have overlooked where they discuss " the size of the packaging" 

 " However, if the total is over 100,000 then each size of the product needs a nutrition facts panel — unless the total area is less than 12 sq in, in which case you need to indicate, on the label, a way for the customer to get the information should they so desire" 

     Thank you

  Best

Hy,

Can some one please tell me what brand does Selmi uses for vibration motors ? 

Thanks for being our eyes and ears on the show floor, Clay!

There is a persistent belief that white chocolate isn’t actually chocolate. Few places serve to perpetuate this myth more than the twin temples of the Internet: Twitter and Facebook.

The most commonly mentioned argument raised in any discussion of whether white chocolate is or is not chocolate is that it doesn’t contain any cocoa solids — what’s left over after the fat (cocoa butter) is removed from the paste made of ground up cocoa nib. Even though white chocolate does contain cocoa butter, somehow it’s not chocolate.

Let me set the record straight for anyone and everyone: white chocolate is chocolate. Really. Legally. This is not an alternative fact and it’s not subject to interpretation or subject to your personal feelings about taste or texture.

The proof can be found in Title 21, Volume 1, Subchapter B, Part 163 Section 124 (21.163.124) of the US Code of Federal Regulations, which contains the definitions (also called standards of identity) for Cacao Products. The very fact that there is a specific section in CFR 21.163 defining what white chocolate is should be all the proof anyone needs to realize that white chocolate is really chocolate.

§163.124 lays out the rules for what ingredients can - and can’t be - in a cacao product for it to be legally labeled as white chocolate. If a product conforms to the specifications listed in §163.124 it can be called white chocolate. Conversely, if it does not meet the definition it cannot be called white chocolate.

That naming bit is explicitly spelled out in CFR 21.163.124.6.C. Nomenclature: The name of the food is “white chocolate.” 

There are no ifs, ands, or buts. §163.124 is the definition for white chocolate and it is not open to second guessing.

Unfortunately, there is no entry in Snopes on this topic (though I have brought it to their attention), for those who are still skeptical.

You may not like it. You may not agree with it. But you are wrong if you persist in your belief that white chocolate is not chocolate. The only way around this is to change the law.

Ironically, most people don’t know that there is actually no legal definition for dark chocolate. What is referred to as “dark” chocolate falls into the category of “sweet” chocolate (§163.123). Unknown to most, §163.123 allows sweet chocolates to contain dairy ingredients, including:

• Cream, milkfat, butter;
• Milk, concentrated milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, dried milk;
• Skim milk, concentrated skim milk, evaporated skim milk, sweetened condensed skim milk, nonfat dry milk;
• Concentrated buttermilk, dried buttermilk; and
• Malted milk.

And, just to make things even crazier, there is no formal legal distinction between semisweet and bittersweet chocolate.

Take a look at the front label on a bar of Hershey’s Special Dark® (45% cocoa content) Chocolate. You will notice that “Special Dark” is a trademarked term. Elsewhere on the front label you will find the phrase “mildly sweet chocolate.” This is to let regulators and inspectors know which section of CFR 21.163 the chocolate falls into. If you take a look at the ingredients list you will find milk fat and lactose (milk). Lactose is a milk sugar.

I am not making these things up. Go look them up for yourself. All of the above information about white chocolate is objectively factual. It has nothing to do with taste or quality, or whether you like it or not, §163.124 covers what can, and can’t, be in white chocolate as well as legally naming foods that conform to the regulation.

I won’t disagree with the observation that a lot of white chocolate is not worth the calories. What determines the quality of a white chocolate is the quality of the ingredients. What most people are thinking of when the think of white chocolate is the cheapest form of white chocolate imaginable, or a chocolate-like white-ish substance where some or all of the cocoa butter is replaced by another fat.

I agree. Ick.

Much of the appeal of white chocolate is the texture. Because there are no non-fat solids (the brown part), white chocolate is basically just smooth sweet fat. As a species, homo sapiens is genetically programmed to crave sugar and fat. When you add the experience of the way chocolate melts in the mouth, you have the potential for a perfect edible trifecta.

I can tell you from personal experience that white chocolates made with undeodorized cocoa butter (cocoa butter that has not had the flavor and aroma chemicals removed) will change your mind about white chocolate. They did mine.

I can tell you from personal experience that white chocolates made with exceptional dairy will also change your mind - assuming you are open to the possibility. Try white chocolate made with goat milk. Or white chocolate made with full-cream dairy produced by cows eating tender grass growing in sun-drenched alpen glades in early Spring and undeodorized cocoa butter.

But please don’t judge all white chocolate based on your {{ shudder }} experience with drug store easter bunnies.

In closing:

• Yes, there is such a thing as white chocolate.
• Be open-minded: don’t assume every white chocolates sucks just because the ones you’ve eaten suck.
• Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet. (But you can believe this.)

Mitch -

The regulations acknowledge that creating nutrition fact panels and designing packaging to accommodate them can be an onerous financial burden for small businesses, especially if they have lots of different products, each in different sizes.

Sebastian's lowering barriers to entry and complexity for startups and small companies are aspects of what I refer to as onerous burden.

The NLEA was enacted back in 1995. The tools to calculate the nutritional components of foods has improved a lot since then and the cost of generating the panels has come way down. There are now online services that will generate nutrition fact panels based on recipes you upload for $20 or less each.

So, I don't see that costs associated with generating the nutrition facts panel can be called onerous in this day and age, for many startup and small chocolate makers. 

If a chocolate maker has been in the market selling for a couple of years, I have trouble buying into the complexity argument as well. As I mentioned in the original post, if the recipes are substantially similar, a single label could be used for many products.

That said, if I were a confectioner with dozens and dozens of different pieces, some seasonal maybe never to be produced again, and which are produced in the low hundreds or thousands each, the complexity argument is very much in force and the economic argument becomes more compelling. In this case I don't see a problem with filing for the exemption if the company is eligible.

One possible motivation to consider is branding for a company whose packaging aesthetic is a large part of their appeal. Nutrition fact panels are ugly and putting one on the label (even on the back!) would interfere with the company's carefully crafted corporate identity. I personally do not buy that as a legitimate excuse.

Again, the operative point here - as I read it, and remember that I am not a lawyer - is that if you qualify for the exemption you must file for it to be in compliance with the law.

Lower barrier to entry, less complexity.

What is the motivation for a business seeking to avoid having a nutrition label?

Hey Clay

Located in Montreal Canada

Can pickup anywhere in North America

Thanks

Virgil

Where are you located? How many arms?

Thanks.

Pulled from a production line. Fully operational.

Water double jacketed, stainless steel, unit. 

Includes PUMP. Manufactured by Perfect Equipment.

Asking 4,500 usd. obo. 

 Chocolate Machine additional photos 001.jpg - 77KB

REVISED PRICE 8K USD - SHIPPING INCLUDED FOR ALL EAST COAST CLIENTS.

150Kg (330lbs) wheel tempering equipment. 
Model Air-15 - 110V - 60Hz, 15A/w, 1ph, in °F 
Includes vibrating table. 

Equipment in mint condition. 

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