Hi,

I am about to start working with my new enrobing machine and would be interested to learn how/where fellow chocolatiers store their melted couverture at 40 to 45 degrees C (110 to 115 degrees F). If I have to empty the tank because I want to switch enrobing from dark to milk couverture, I release the dark couverture into a bucket which should be stored in a warming cabinet at 40 to 45 degrees C. What kind of warming cabinets do you recommend for storing the couverture? When I did my research, I came across different brands of cabinets that heat food "up to 180 degrees F". But there was no information about the lowest temperature setting of these cabinets (Metro, Winholt). These cabinets are of course not made for the storage of couverture but for holding food in a restaurant, dining hall etc. I just don't find any other appliance with a lower temperature setting to store two large buckets of melted couverture. Any recommendation will be greatly appreciated. 

Ursula Schnyder

www.sweet55.com

Ursula -

I would go to a local used restaurant equipment dealer and look to find a used bread proofing cabinet. You would not hook up the water because you don't need humidity control. New cabinets can cost as little as $1000, so used should be much cheaper.

The temperature control range is right in the middle of what you're looking for.

You can take the chocolate out of the tempering machine and put it into hotel pans that fit the racks in the cabinet.

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clay - http://www.thechocolatelife.com/clay/

Thank you, Clay! I will check it out.

I second Clay's recommendation. Asking Ken about a proof box at Charyn Auctions in SF.

c:

Warming cabinets work fine, buy a used one  at a restaurant supply company and under worst case scenario you have to change the thermostat.I ran with two of these for 5 years. As an aside to anyone using a refrigerator to cool your chocolate. you may want to consider changing your thermostat to one that will run a bit warmer, we got a lot of cracking with a thermostat running very cold.