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We like this Primer chocolate Refiner - Melanger it's an upgrade of their other wet grinder to withstand chocolate a bit better.
http://chocolatealchemy.com this guy has some good videos where goes through the process from start to end... he also sells all the ingredients you need. We started with roasted nibs and will eventually get a roaster.
This is the one I got. Shipping took forever, but it works well enough. You have to clean it really carefully after, and having a mold with a removable back helps a lot.
This video has the tutorial on the basics. And I used this style of mold, although it wasn’t this exact one.
Wow. Thank you so much for all of this information! What an amazing way to welcome someone to the board :D.
I love their chocolate and I really recommend that you try, for instance, the pink Marc de champagne truffles.
As the filling is also quite thick (rather than a caramel or light filling), I actually love the fact that the wall is thick as I can savour the taste for longer, hehe.
I’m glad to hear that the ingredients are quite clean.
What would you say are the top 2-3 chocolate reselling/making companies which achieve a 4 on your scale, in your opinion? Also, what’s your personal favourite in terms of British chocolates? How about Swiss and Belgian ones?
I have a colani airbrush0.8 mm and a cheap master g37 airbrush
I use this for my compressor.
I was using my master airbrush and wanted something a little nicer but it gets the job done pretty well. The compressor puts out enough psi to spray evenly. You need a way to keep the airbrush warm so your cocoa butter won't solidify in the gun. I use a heat gun but you can use a low setting oven hair dryer or anything that puts out heat.
This is the one I have:
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Premier-Litre-Table-Compact-Grinder/dp/B006QKRO48/
The other model might be similar, but I don't know. I can guarantee this one can make smooth chocolate, though!
I’m not sure honestly, I’ve only worked with more or less one thickness. I would go with the thicker kind if I had a choice. It would be easier to manage and less likely to snag. I linked some below for under $20 bucks.
Another option would be to add more cocoa butter to your caps layer and make the chocolate more fluid. If you don’t want to buy anything.
Here you go. It took 4 seconds to find on google. Ultra Chocogrind Chocolate Refiner Cocoa Grinder Melanger https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07R6V2Z5Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6QFQVQEAHK0AP1NHRVEF?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Is this the right one? Premier Wonder Table Top Wet Grinder (1.5 L) - 230 Volts https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B004OPIBV2/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_SNZR8HZH4VFQN5ZGKG5V I asked the seller and they said it works for chocolate grinding but I noticed it doesn't say chocolate grinder on it.
Do you do winnowing with a hairdryer? I dont have the space for it. I'm in a unit so I can't do it outside.
I presume the nibs have already been winnowed?
Thanks for your help!
Thank you for your help. I was thinking of getting this melanger Premier Wonder Table Top Wet Grinder (1.5 L) - 230 Volts https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B004OPIBV2/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_GH7TKXQWD063WR3KYPEJ would it be suitable? How long would it need to run, is 12 hours long enough?
Would cacao nibs be ok to use instead of beans or cacao powder? I'm trying to work out a way to avoid the winnowing process. Would I need to grind the nibs into liquor in a juicer or could they go straight in the melanger? If I need a juicer would the omega 8006 be ok? I already have that.
Would the same method you outlined for the melanger hold true for adding nibs? I was also thinking of adding milk powder.
Apologies if it's too many questions but I want to work out if it's possible to make without the winnowing before I buy the melanger. I dont have the space to winnow with a hairdryer and have husks go everywhere so I'm trying to avoid that step. Your help is much appreciated!
Mine are all fine, I do agree that many seem smaller than in the picture. They're pretty inexpensive, I'd say pull the trigger and take the small risk to find out for yourself... I got this for a few valentines day shapes and haven't had an issue despite the cost... though I've only had them for 45ish days so far so good. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09KV8SPBS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Couple questions.
>Any recs for where to buy laminator foil and learn more about making sleeves with it?
Just search “foil transfer sheets” or “foil transfer rolls”. Here’s an example. They have these at craft stores too I think.
As for making the box sleeve - Let’s say for example your box is 6.5” x 3.5” x 1.25” and you want the sleeve to cover most of the box (like the one in the first photo you shared). You would design a piece that is the width of the box (6.5”) by the sum of 2x the length and 2x the height + a little extra so you have something to glue or double stick tape (let’s say 0.5”).
For this example that would mean your sleeve would be 6.5” x 10”. You would want the main image or design to fit within a 6.5” x 3.5” footprint (the top of the box). Of course you can design something for the edges and back too if you want.
After you laminate the foil, you could score it wherever it needs to fold and then secure it with glue or double stick tape then slide it over your stock box. If you have a cricut or something like that you could cut and score them on that.
> Also, how does the laminating sleeve not just fuse with the paper, since it melts in the laminator?
Once you print the file with black only toner, you would place the foil on top of anything you want foiled and then sandwich it between two sheets of thinner paper. I think parchment paper would work well for this. You could just cut a big piece of parchment paper and fold it in half. This would be your laminating sleeve.
You don’t want to use plastic laminating sleeves for this project.
The main one that I've been using is Peter Greweling's Chocolates and Confections.
I borrowed it from my local library via ILL. I planned to just read it and take notes, but it had so much good info that I ended up holding my nose about the price and buying it.
This kit is food grade and comes with the air compressor and it is $100 for the whole kit with 3 air brushes. The colors you will not want to use for chocolate tho.
We went with something similar that is specifically food grade and designed for food use. It also comes with the air compressor designed for airbrushing.
I use a Ryobi. This one is compact and battery powered, but depending on how many molds you plan on airbrushing and your technique I might suggest going with something that is slightly larger and not battery powered. This one has served me well so far but the tank is pretty small. When I’m doing larger batches it kicks on to refill quite often and every air compressor is loud AF so it’s sort of annoying. Plus I had to go out and buy the biggest Ryobi batteries possible cause the one it comes with just dies too fast.
I have gone through many airbrushes and spray guns for molded chocolates and have finally settled on this cheap one I got on Amazon.
I use the 8mm needle and spray at about 60psi. Every so often I have to blast with the heat gun to warm the cocoa butter back up but that’s ok. Also, I learned the hard way that it’s important to take the whole thing apart and clean and dry thoroughly after each use. When switching between colors in the same session, it’s not necessary to clean - just remove the cup, wipe down and spray til the air comes out clean then put the new color in.
I live in the UK now, and here Amazon has the 1.3kg box of cremini (equivalent to the US 2.2lb bag) on Subscribe and Save for $70, a much better deal than in the US.
Well this one is for the White Chocolate Meltaway:
- 800g White chocolate, melted, tempered at 30c/86f
200g Coconut fat, melted
Combine the tempered white chocolate and coconut fat in a stainless-steel bowl.
Temper by tabling on marble until cool and tempered but still fluid. Spread into the frame. Allow to cool.
There are a few other recipes in the book. Chocolates & confections <- non affiliate link to amazon. fetching long link...
https://www.amazon.in/Bakers-King-Chocolate-Compound-Butter/dp/B08LMYQN78?th=1
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The title says so, that's why I was curious.
I'd still try foil. It gets faster the more you do it in my experience.
Otherwise, maybe little plastic bags with a twist tie? Or sealable ones like these? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083LHX9LW/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_EVNQAAXKC71V4VN0DMBF
Or maybe a glass jar with a pair of tongs?
When you don't explicitly say what you are recommending, so the reader has to click your link to find out, and you include a big long link with much more info than required, it makes it look like you are promoting an affiliate link (paid promotion).
I'm not saying you are, but it is a huge problem here on reddit, so I think it's better to avoid that appearance...
Pacari Gluten Free Chocolate Tiles, Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa with Coconut Sugar, Keto Food, Low Carb, Vegan for Healthy Snack - (2.2 Lb)
https://www.amazon.com/PACARI-Gluten-Organic-Chocolate-Bakers/dp/B08MFS2GMJ/
This is the stuff I eat when I'm not eating one of my special bars from the bean-to-bar places. The cacao is grown in Ecuador, so it's from the native cacao habitat from a country without major labor issues (like child labor or slavery). I'd say it has floral, fruity notes to it.
I’m having trouble getting my chocolates out of the mold, does anyone have any advice?
I’ve tried tapping them out, prying them out, freezing them out and they still remain stuck. Is there something wrong with the material, method, or mold? The temper seems ok, and the chocolate gets stuck regardless of applying cocoa butter or not. If they do come out some of the cocoa butter sticks behind in the mold.
Material: Valrhona 70% dark chocolate Chef rubber colored cocoa butter
Method: Melt cocoa butter in microwave until liquid (not measure it temp currently) Apply cocoa butter to mold using gloved finger Allow to set
Temper chocolate by melting to 115f, stir vigorously till temp reaches 95f add in seed chocolate and stir gently keeping temp between 80f and 91f.
Pour tempered chocolate into mold, tap out air bubbles, pour out of mold and scrape top to level.
Fill cavities.
Use piping bag to cap the cavities. Scrape to level of chocolate has not set yet.
They do, they have the dark brown one that has chocolate sprinkles on the outside. I don't much like nuts either and these are amazing!
The brown wrapper ones from this set:
I got these ones off Amazon. Not my first choice but Amazon is the only place I've been able to find small quantities off candy supplies.
btw i highly recommend an infrared thermometer (Etekcity Infrared Thermometer... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DMI632G?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share).
keep in mind that you want to seed phase V crystals to promote heterogeneous crystallization. that’s what cocoa butter silk is. so you want to keep a sharp eye on your temperatures and not melt away your crystals. a nice thermometer like this that you can just point a laser light is key.
I got this recently. It’s been working well.
Paasche VL-SET Double Action Siphon Feed Airbrush Set – Paasche Airbrush https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00397TTTY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_5N04H8SQ3XP48TKTF8TC?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
It's a fun hobby, I started getting into it about 6 months ago. I learned a lot from the Callebaut youtube videos, from this forum, and from Peter Grewling's book, Chocolates and Confections. I start with tempered chocolate, so I use this simple technique to microwave temper.
Lots of places recommend tons of equipment, but I've been able to get buy with a good digital thermometer, glass bowls (many prefer stainless or plastic), a palate knife, and a silicone mold (although most prefer polycarbonate). Other tools make life easier, but you can get started and get good results with just those tools.
I also had good success getting chocolate from Restaurant Depot. Since the pandemic, they have temporarily waved the membership requirement that requires a business license to shop there. They have Callebaut 811 (semi-sweet, ok flavor, very easy to temper), 823 (milk chocolate, delicious, a little more difficult to temper), and W2 (white chocolate, first white chocolate I've had that wow-ed me, slightly more difficult to temper). All of the bags in my region are ~$28 for a 5.5 lb bag.
While it worked quite well, it also took like four months to get here. Blame covid.
I've had a lot of great success using a grain grinder - a method I learned in costa rica. It's not as fancy as a melanger but I find you get really awesome results. Best for nibs and beans! Better than a coffee grinder (I feel like you can only get so fine with a coffee grinder). Then I put all my ingredients for the chocolate in with the cacao at the beginning of the temper process using a double boiler.
Here is a Grain Grinder
I try to avoid plastic where I can.
I've actually never used a melanger/don't really know how I would use it.
I used a 1/6hp compressor I got with a master airbrush set on Amazon and the gun below with a .8mm needle.
Dual-Action Airbrush Pen Spray Gun Precision Trigger Style Gravity-Feed Airbrush Set 3 Tip Set (0.3mm 0.5mm 0.8mm) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F6BDRGG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_4WQB5W98685V0QEG3KK9
Thank you! Is it this book?
The Fine Chocolates: Gold https://www.amazon.com/dp/9401433429/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_FtH9FbKBTVZYP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I was able to find some bonbon recipes but had trouble finding shelf life information for them, so this is great.
If you look hard enough, this book can be found online at a reasonable price.
Something like these may work better than paper as underliner .
a fork can work but likely prongs are a bit thicker than ideal.
something like these are ideal.
The only way to go. I would have gotten another single origin bag, but I felt I should get a giant bag of deep dark chocolate for baking purposes, and use the single origins for delicacies.
The flavors are so incredibly varied, in the Madagascar, you can taste the fruityness of the Chocolate as the soil there makes that flavor shine, in the Sau Pay, you can taste strong floral notes, and in others different flavors. Callebut has a 'chocolizer' on their website where you can explore all of these, I recommend putting your country to Belgium, as they have the largest selection, and just poke around.
Here's a Google app link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=be.duo.chocolizer
This is a link to the Play-Doh set I'm referring to.
I am NOT selling anything. This is just to give a better idea of what I'm working with. :)
New! Play-Doh Transformers Robots in Disguise 13 Piece Activity Set With Play Mat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0763C28WN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rl0sCb74NKPHQ
Cacao Barry chocolate pistoles is what I used while I was taking my chocolates class in school (JWU Denver). We used a variety of different percentages for whatever work we were doing for that day or our project.