Forum Activity for @shadowmeister

Good day to you all.

Newbie to the forum here. I am just curious to know if there are any Kinder Surprise collectors out there? Their chocolate might not be the finest when compared to others, but the kids love them (why wouldn’t they, two 4 one).

I have collected the toys inside the eggs for many years now, and have a huge collection stored at my folks house. Living in the states, I am restricted to our annual Canada trip to stock up.

Anyway, hoping to get the ball rolling on a conversation.

Regards.

Shadowmeister

David - is this recipe in Peter's book?

Ian -

I can make your life a little easier, maybe, experimenting with Option 1. Put the chocolate you want to conche into a stand mixer. Get one of those new scraper paddle blades that scrape the entire bowl. Use a hair dryer for the hot air source. This is going to be a lot easier than the drill method you're suggesting.

Option 2 is a non-starter for lots of different reasons.

There are two processes during conching. One affects texture and the other flavor. To affect texture you need shear force that will break of small clumps of particles and coat every particle with cocoa butter. You won't get that with an air bubbler. The part that affects flavor is about evaporating volatile aromatics you don't want (mainly acetic acid) out of the chocolate. This can be done by blowing hot air across the chocolate and stirring the chocolate to make sure that all surfaces are exposed to the air blowing over it.

If you wanted to experiment with making a small home conche, I would suggest that playing with stirrer/scraper designs that were more effective and efficient would be the way to go. You could also experiment using a dough hook. The reason why no-one has created a small home conche on the scale of the small table-top grinders is that the market is too small.

So maybe I am going out on a limb here but I am looking to create a dedicated conching machine for home use. I have looked at possibly doing a metal bowl with a drill over the top pointed down with a baffle attached at the end to agitate the chocolate. I am sure this will work with a pod pad to provide the heating element, and a stand to hold the drill and keep pressure on the trigger.  

Option 2 which is the one I am more interested in to see if it works. Imagine a glass or plastic container, taller than wider, filled with chocolate. Through the bottom and possibly the sides if need be there would be air nozzles through which air would be coming out of. Think an aerator in a fish tank, I would probably use one of these to make a easy. The air would be passing through at a near constant stream going through the chocolate and in turn, I hope, agitating the chocolate.

Would this agitate at the required force to actually turn over and coat the cocoa particles for a noticable different?

Would the chocolate fill with so many micro air bubbles that it would be a major pain to release them all when it came time to mold into bars?

IF this seems like a crack-pot theory/idea, has anyone made conche machines? I am having a hard time finding any at the home level (I doubt they exist) and as for commerical grade (even large ones) I am having a hard time finding them.

Suggestions, comments, all are welcome.

Can't wait to read what you taste on in Washington State!

Paul - I will get you info and we can take a look at your needs over the next few months.

Dave, you are right. There are other factors at play. One of them is the shape of the working bowl. The bowls on FBM machines are narrow and deep, whereas others tend to be wide and shallow. This bowl shape makes it easier to melt crystals out of the chocolate while reducing heat loss and energy consumption.

You are right when you say that the machines are more efficient when you keep the working bowls full, but that's a matter of organizing work and scheduling production.

I am still working on it. I will let you know when it is fixed - if I fix it for one person I fix it for everyone. Need to get the attention of the developers.

Sarah -

I am excited, too. I am also excited to find out what members like you are going to do with it. TheChocolateLife is a platform for anyone and everyone interested in chocolate ... it's not (just) about me.

Hi Clay,

I would be interested in looking at a catalog and price list. I should mention that I'm hoping to have the shop open in October, so I'm not in a great hurry to buy a machine. I'm also on a bit of a budget and might have to start with a cheaper, used unit to get up and running until I can afford a nice unit.

I'm experiencing the same thing ari-salomon is.  The "Profile Active" and "Profile Quota" fields aren't visibile to me.

I'm excited about this new format and looking forward to seeing what Clay does with it.  

that 'profile active' field is not visible to me.

Going with an FBM would also get you Clay's expertise, as continuous enrobers must be by nature finicky machines. I do believe that the increased mass of a larger bowl helps to keep bowl temp at the target, especially as less chocolate is typically added to top off. I realize other factors are also in play, from agitation to even where the thermocoupler is located and the temp in the enrobing area.

On the other hand a capacity of 30 kilos is a lot of chocolate for a boutique operation and it's best to keep the bowl on a continuous machine full. It seems that a nice working belt width requires a larger top of the line machine. FBM may be different, and Clay's familiarity with the entire line also means choosing a machine sized to your particular operation.

G -

I see that you have created a blog post already, however the body of the blog is empty, but you have added a comment.

I would go back and edit the blog (click on the gear icon) and write in the body of the post why you are moved to create the blog. At least a paragraph or two - 100 words or more. You're starting to tell a story here and you want to let us know why we want to enjoy your California Dreaming of Chocolate.

Then - as you are motivated to add things to the blog, you add them as comments rather than updating the main post. The things you add can be written but they can also be photos or a combination of the two.

I also noticed that your blog is in the "default" category. While you are adding text you can add a category for the post to belong to. As it's kind of a diary, it could be "Chocolate Diary" or it could be "Musings" or whatever strikes your fancy. Default is not very poetic and I don't think that it captures what you are trying to do.

Piotr -

You are the second person to point this out to me. Let me ask the developers what is going on. Thanks for posting the screen shot. I will get back to you ASAP. I will set the quota to something usable in the meantime.

Dear Clay,

In the e-mail you ask us to choose a quota. In my Profile tab there is no such option. Did I miss something?

I buy my cello bags from Flora Designs in Burlington, Ontario - they have flat clear or can make them from prints.  Website is kind of useless but contact through e-mail and they should repond and be able to help you figure out what you need.  http://floradesigninc.com

Paul -

As you may know, I represent FBM machines here in the US and to ChocolateLife members around the world and ChocolateLife members are entitled to a 10% discount. [THIS DISCOUNT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.] Most FBM 220V machines can be purchased in either single- or three-phase. Smaller machines can be run off 120V with a step-up transformer and there are step-up transformers we recommend. While you can use phase converters to turn single- to three-phase, because of the reactive load (compressors cycling on and off) you can't use static phase converters. Rotary or the much more expensive digital option.

That out of the way ...

One of the misconceptions out there is that throughput, when it comes to an enrober belt on a continuous tempering machine, is dependent on working bowl capacity. It's not.

Time to do some math.

Let's say you want to enrobe 250 pieces an hour. If each piece has 10 grams of chocolate on it, then you only need to temper about 2.5 kilos of chocolate per hour. You should not have to purchase a tempering machine with a 25 kilo working bowl just to be able to kit it out with an enrober belt. (The general rule of thumb for continuous tempering machines is that they will temper about 3x the capacity of the working bowl per hour. So if you need ~100 kilos of chocolate per day and are actually working 4-5 hours per day, a continuous tempering machine with a working bowl capacity of between 7-12 kilos will do the trick. Of course, if you are doing molded work and bars as well, you may need a larger tempering machine.

Let's get back to that 250 pieces per hour. That's only about four pieces per minute which is trivial for a 150-200 mm-wide belt. The real gating factors on throughput are how the pieces are going to be decorated. If you are going to be putting transfers on or hand decorating, a single operator should easily be able to do 250 pieces an hour, even if the work is not well organized. As you need to increase your throughput, organization becomes more and more important - how the work is organized before it goes on the belt, how it is handled to decorate it, and what happens after it gets decorated.

Maximum throughput is going to depend on the sizes of the pieces. If you are doing, say 40 mm-square pieces, then you can comfortably get three across a 180 mm-wide belt with lots of room between them. As the operator becomes familiar with the operation of the belt, they might be able to get four across. Keeping in mind spacing, I would estimate that an organized operator could get 10-12 rows of three pieces in the length of a sheet pan. You'd run those pieces through, take the pieces off, decorate, and then start the process over again. That's with one operator. If you have two you can have one put the pieces on and another take them off. So, ultimately, throughput is dependent on the number of people operating the line.In order to know what size belt and tempering machine is right for your production situation, it's important to know how many (number of pieces) of what kinds of work you plan to produce, on average, and during peak production seasons. From there it's possible to size the machine that will fit your requirements.Hope this is helpful. If you have any more questions about tempering machines and enrober belts I will be happy to answer them. If you are interested in getting catalog pages and pricing, please let me know and I will send them to you via email.

Peter, I totally agree with you! I'm an IT project manager, so I know first hand how frustrating implementing new computer systems can be. (They're are never quite as simple to implement as glossy brochures make it sound.) I'm sure that Clay has put in many hours that he could have spent tasting chocolate bars.

Thank you Clay! I really appreciate the rich resource that is TCL! I appreciate all of the time and work you put in to babysit it.

Here is a screen shot of the PROFILE settings page of your account.

Hope this helps.

Living in the land of sunshine, enjoying the Chocolate under the nearest Palm Tree  :)

The thermometer shown in the Amazon link seems to use 9V battery.  Typically 9 V batteries are expensive compared to AA batteires.  It may not be a big deal since the thermometer does not use much power.  Something to consider for a long time use.

It is important to know how these thermometers work and what their limitations are.  There are lots of information in internet.  The temperature reading depends on how you point the thermometer, how far is the object form the thermometer and the angle etc.  Of course, like others have mentioned, you have to keep stirring while you are making the measurement. 

These need to be calibrated with ice or boing water or comparing with another thermometer that is NIST referenced.  It may not be critical if you are not planning to follow other receipes that requires accurate temperature information.  For day-to-day use where you are trying to repeat your own recipe developed uisng your thermometer, it may not be critical.

I would sell my NovaChoc TE3, it has the 10-inch wide enrobing belt as well as a vibrating table. It was Jacques Torres’ machine, used before he went with the larger Sollich line. I’m in it $17,500 plus freight.

This is a continuous temperer, like the Selmi. The TE3 is the current model in the NovaChoc lineup. http://www.novachoc.fr/static/media/uploads/products/TE3%20ang_1.pdf

The Hilliard and Perfect machine mentioned are batch temperers, “quirky”. The continuous tempering makes all the difference, which is why everyone moves to the European machines.

The European machines use three phase refrigeration units for proper crystallization. A phase converter to change your 220v single to three phase runs about $1,200.

Dave

Hi Clay.  Thanks for doing this.  I know how difficult it can be to transfer applications to new platforms / software.  I'm also having dificulty completing steps 10a, 10c and 10d.  If you can find the time, screen shots would be great.  Once again, thanks for taking your time with this project.  I know we all very much appreciate it.  John

Katherine

I can help you out with your printed bag situtation. What exactly are you looking for?  What kinds of quantities?  What sizes?

Thanks

Paul DeFruscio

pauld@pour-n-pack.com

[ Moderator - Edited to remove off-topic solicitation. ]

I am also looking for an infrared thermometer.  Anyone have a brand/model that they have had good experience with?

many thanks

I'm in the same boat and have been looking at the "perfect equipment" line, I bought the tempering machine and just waiting to afford the erobing portion. Very resonably priced $14000 compared to $25000+ starting every where else I've seen. Check them out -  http://www.perfectchoco.com/en/perfect-equipments

Peter -

Thanks for the kind words. It means a lot. The new Admin tools here will make it easier for me to know what's going on and keep in touch. And there are lots of new capabilities to add over the coming weeks ... I am excited about the possibilities.

Lorraine oils has a champagne oil that tastes very much like champagne -  http://shop.lorannoils.com/chocolates/super-strength-flavors

Watching the process of the new site and being someone who has been frustrated many times with computers and software, et al I want to express my gratitude to Clay who has created the incredible resource that The Chocolate Life is. Yay Clay!!!

one last question...i hv found ths below thermometer on amazon..looks gud by d reviews..

http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-Digital-Infrared-Thermometer/dp/B00837ZGRY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422158285&sr=8-1&keywords=infra+red+thermometer&pebp=1422163384212&peasin=B00837ZGRY

any idea hows it? 

TIA

wow..great to b a member of ths lovely group...

i was planning to buy a thermometer as i ll b starting working wid chocolates soon...n i got ths thread frm ths forum...

i hvnt tried my hands bfr..curious to work...but as sumone suggested bfr,small qntty wont work to temper...so will buy sum more n start...

thnks all..

i looked at your 11 step email about account set up and it all seems fine - i am here so that's a good sign. but i dont see anywhere to do this step

10a) Make sure your Profile is ACTIVE.

Perhaps you can share a screenshot of what it looks like?

anyway, good luck with the new site. sounds like you've been real busy with it. did you compare it to buddypress? I have used that a little.

hi colin please can you share it with me? the chocolate date filling?

thanks..

mrs parnell belliappa

If you are ever in Jamaica and would like to visit a cocoa farm, please come to Restoration Village Farm where we offer tours of the farm and a taste of authentic Jamaica.  My husband and I have owned the farm for 3 1/2 years and grow cocoa among other tropical fruits and vegetables.  We currently sell our raw cocoa beans to the Jamaica Cocoa Farmers Association who ferment, dry and export the beans abroad.  However, we envision making chocolate from tree to bar on the farm one day -- God willing!  Visit our website for more information:  http://restorationvillagefarm.com

 130830 Taste fresh cocoa pulp on the tour.jpg - 1.2MB

Hi there,

I'm transitioning from doing craft fairs to opening a store front. In the past I rented time in a Hilliard line, but that's not really a viable option for an on going venture. So I'm in the market for an enrobing line. The Hilliard is ok, but quirky, I like the look if the Selmi, but doubt I could afford one. I don't need huge capacity; I could probably get by with a 6" belt. I need what ever unit I purchase to run on either 110 or 220v single phase as that's all that is available in my building.

So who has experience with what machines? What are, in your opinion, the pros and cons of the unit you use? What are the cost, and where would I find one. Ideally I would like to find a used unit to save money as I'm spending most of my budget buying the building and build out the kitchen.

Thanks for what ever help you can give me,

Paul
Bramosia Chocolates
Oakland, CA

The "2014 ChocoFiles' Bar of Excellence Awards" have been posted at ChocoFiles Reviews.

Let me know what you think.

What were your favorite chocolate bars in 2014?

2014 ChocoFiles Awards.pdf - 30KB

Following

I agree that this would be very useful. I will ask about this. Seems like a big hole in the UI/UX.

Following: on my profile there is a tab for "Followers", but is there any functionality you can set so that we can also see a list of who we are "Following"? This would be like twitter.

Currently I will use a Following list to more quickly see who I still need to add here from my old TCL list of Friends.

Classifieds

That's true. Classifieds is closed, but it will be back as soon as I can move the development site to a production server, my goal is before the end of the month. In the meantime, this request is from last October, which is one of my issues about trying to manage Classifieds using software not designed to do that -- the posts never disappear if the person who posts them doesn't manually delete them. In the new Classifieds, posts will automatically age out of the system after 30 or 60 days.