Hello,

Santa Barbara Chocolate sells Brazilian and other origin chocolates and claims it does not need to be tempered. What process or ingredient can acheive that?

What are the draw back?

Although I occassionally fail the tempering process, I do find it that complex.

Thank you.

http://www.santabarbarachocolate.com/wholesale-bulk-chocolate-brazil-dark-dipping-chocolate-melting-chocolate-25lb-p-186.html?osCsid=3191015b776c997a1fedb96b0dda4df4

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Alain d'Aboville
Fine Chocolates
alek@daboville.com
updated by @alek-dabo: 04/09/15 18:32:59

It's a compound coating, it's not chocolate.

The difference between "Chocolate" and "Compound Coating" is the fat used. Chocolate is made with Cocoa Butter which is why it must be tempered. - to get the proper crystal form of the cocoa butter.

Some other fats i.e. coconut oil are easier to work with in that tempering is not needed, but you give up some flavor and satisfaction.

from countrykitchenusa.com

The main difference between chocolate candy coating and real chocolate is the oil based used. Candy coating has palm kernel oil or other fats while real chocolate has a cocoa butter base. Real chocolate is a bit more expensive and more difficult to work with than candy coating, but nothing beats the flavor. Good quality candy coating is easy to use, delicious in taste and is an excellent alternative to real chocolate. Beginners will enjoy the ease of working with candy coating while advanced candy makers may want to tray working with real chocolate. Real chocolate must be tempered when dipping or molding. That means it needs to be a certain temperature (generally 86-89 degrees) when working with it, or your chocolates will not come out as desired. Candy coating is available in milk, dark or white flavored chocolate as well as a variety of colors. It is easy to use. Candy coating does not have to be tempered. Simply melt and it is ready to use.

Candy coating is sometimes called almond bark, summer coating, Candy Kote wafers or Candy Melts. Chocolate-flavored candy coating is much easier than real chocolate to use, and the results are more likely to be successful for the novice. Candy coating is available in milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white, peanut butter, butterscotch, mint, and a variety of colors. Candy coating is also available in tubes called candy writers. Candy writers are ideal for detailing on finished candy pieces or painting details in candy molds. You may also add an oil-based food color to achieve colors not commercially available. High quality candy coating is delicious; high quality real chocolate is superb. Real chocolate is available in milk, dark or white. All real chocolate contains cocoa butter.

Information and image taken with permission from Autumn Carpenter's Book, All About Candy Making. All rights reserved.

Thank you very much Sebastian and Larry. I understand very well.

So, this is closer to lying that advertising since they do not mention "compound" or the fact that this is not a 100% cacao product. At $139 for 25 Pounds I should have guested something was wrong compared to Valrhona or Tcho's prices. I did not know Santa Barbara chocolates at all before I stumbled on this ad. I will not buy from a company that "omits" to describe the truth about their product.

Thanks again for the explaination

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Alain d'Aboville
Fine Chocolates
alek@daboville.com

Hi Alek,

My name is Justin and I work at Santa Barbara Chocolate. Pleasure to meet you.

The Santa Barbara Chocolate product known as Brazilian Dipping Chocolate is not a cocoa butter based couverture chocolate. It is technically known as confectioner's coating. We make it using cocoa powder produced in Brazil from 100% top quality Manuas cacao. The cocoa butter has been replaced with palm butter. The palm butter is not hydrogenated and there are no artificial ingredients in our recipe. We made it to be as natural and as close as possible to our real chocolate cocoa butter couvertures (there are many pure chocolates to choose from on our site). We offer the Brazilian Dipping Chocolate as a convenient alternative for pastry chefs and confectioner's who are looking for a great tasting chocolate alternative that does not require tempering.

Sincerely,

Justin

Hi Alek,

My name is Justin and I work at Santa Barbara Chocolate Company, and we clearly state that this is a compound coating in our write-up, also known as confectioner's coating. In no way have we omitted the truth or tried to be dishonest. There is a definite need for this type of product in manufacturing and we do our very best to satisfy our customers and we hope to gain you as a happy customer.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Justin

http://www.santabarbarachocolate.com/wholesale-bulk-chocolate-brazil-dark-dipping-chocolate-melting-chocolate-25lb-p-186.html

Hi Alek,

My name is Justin and I work at Santa Barbara Chocolate Company, and we clearly state that this is a compound coating in our write-up, also known as confectioner's coating. In no way have we omitted the truth or tried to be dishonest. There is a definite need for this type of product in manufacturing and we do our very best to satisfy our customers and we hope to gain you as a happy customer.

The Santa Barbara Chocolate product known as Brazilian Dipping Chocolate is not a cocoa butter based couverture chocolate. It is technically known as confectioner's coating. We make it using cocoa powder produced in Brazil from 100% top quality Manuas cacao. The cocoa butter has been replaced with palm butter. The palm butter is not hydrogenated and there are no artificial ingredients in our recipe. We made it to be as natural and as close as possible to our real chocolate cocoa butter couvertures (there are many pure chocolates to choose from on our site). We offer the Brazilian Dipping Chocolate as a convenient alternative for pastry chefs and confectioner's who are looking for a great tasting chocolate alternative that does not require tempering.

Sincerely,

Justin

Hello Justin,

Thank you very much for these details.

However, I cannot see on your product presentation page at http://www.santabarbarachocolate.com/wholesale-bulk-chocolate-brazil-dark-dipping-chocolate-melting-chocolate-25lb-p-186.html?osCsid=3191015b776c997a1fedb96b0dda4df4

the word " compound" and nowhere does it say that this product contains something that is not chocolate like palm butter . Furthermore confusing to me, it says that it is like couverture but only does not require tempering - "Santa Barbara Chocolate's Dark Dipping Chocolate works just like a couverture chocolate but the only difference is that it doesn't require tempering."

You are right, Palm butter is not evil, Brazialin cacao may be of high quality and of course there is a market for this product, considering its non-tempering characteristics and its price/quality ratio.

If we agree on this, why not clearly describe every ingredients in your product. Most chocolate bars detail what they are made of, including that they've been made on machines that sometimes handle nuts. I am not the only one to beleive that the only way to build trust is through full disclosure.

Sincerely,

Alek

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Alain d'Aboville
Fine Chocolates
alek@daboville.com

Sorry but the description is pretty clear in the very first line: Brazil Dark Dipping Chocolate (in the chocolate industry also known as Melting Chocolate or Confectioner's Coating) 25 lbs.

I see nothing misleading there.