I have a caramel center that is very soft. It is very tasty so I would love to keep it as it is, but it is impossible to dip. I do not have the means to use truffle shells at the moment.

I was wondering if it will be possible to dip them by hand when they are very cold and hard. I know the shell will probably crack, but I was wondering if I do that and it turns out more manageable for a second dip if I will not be able to keep it as is.Will the fact that the first dip screws up the temper of the chocolate result in problems with the second dip?

If it is not possible I will have to change the recipe.

updated by @magrietha-hendrika-du-plessis: 04/20/15 01:21:32

There is another option to consider, which is pre-made truffle shells. Pipe your caramel into those then cover the hole with chocolate. Let the plug harden, then dip.

There was a very long discussion on this recently, the consensus being that it's a pretty common thing to do and it makes sense to use the technique where it makes sense. There are some very big names that got their start using pre-made shells and filling them. Vosges is one. They may still be doing it, though my guess is that by now they are using a one-shot machine due to the volume they produce.

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

Thanks for the reply Clay. I think I did not make myself clear. I know about the pre-made truffle shells, but the problem is that in South Africa, unless I want to use very inferior quality and not the Valrhona I am using, I have to import them. There are only one importer, that I know of, in South Africa at the moment that imports Valrhona and I cannot afford importing the shells at this stage. I am not allowed to use anything but Valrhona. This is why I am trying to get another solution. I have no problem with using pre-made truffle shells if only they where not so expensive in South Africa.

You are only "allowed" to use Valrhona?

You can certainly experiment with chilling the caramel but I think you will find it very hard to work with. Looking to make the caramel firmer, while the same flavor, is probably your best bet.

Using molds is not an option? Have you tried making snobinettes? People make those with wine corks covered in plastic wrap. Dip that in tempered chocolate, let harden, then remove the cork and plastic (carefully). You now have a "cup" that you can fill with liquid caramel ... and cap if you want or not. Great thing about this approach is that the "molds" are really cheap.

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

Super easy solution. We make 100's of them every week.

Purchase the Pavoni silicon spherical molds, and pour the warm liquid caramel into them. Put them into the fridge to harden, and then pop them out of the molds while still cold and firm and dip them. The caramel inside will soften at room temperature, but be held in shape by the chocolate shell you've just created.

Some will crack for sure, but just dip them again, and all is good.

Cheers

Brad

Hi Clay, yes the only "allowed" was just a joke on myself as my partner hates Callebaut that I have been using and now I am only "allowed" to use Valrhona. I love the idea of the wine corks and I will start collecting them from family and friends (it may even give me an excuse to drink a little more wine!)

Thanks Brad, I think between Clay and yourself you have given me some food for thought. I am going to try the silicon molds and the cork "molds" and find out what works for me. I think the silicon molds sounds like the easiest way to do it.

Would you consider making your own cups or spheres with your permitted chocolate? Molds are certainly available to make them.

Trouble with dipping cold centers - they expand as they warm, the chocolate contracts as it cools, and you'll get more pieces with 'caramel worms' than pieces without.

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www.eztemper.com

www.thechocolatedoctor.ca

I've used Clay's snobinettes technique for years, but wrap the plastic around soft foam rubber fingers, I cut them to size and shape. They collapse easily making it easy to remove. Also, if you want high gloss on the surface, dip the plastic wrapped cork or foam as described, then loosely wrap again with more plastic.

Yup - I like the foam best with deli wrap around them to make the snobinettes.

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www.eztemper.com

www.thechocolatedoctor.ca

Ok, thanks everyone. So I have two things to think about this week.I will get hold of some soft foam rubber and try the snobinettes.

I will see if I can get the molds for the spheres. You will be surprised at how difficult it is to get decent molds in South Africa. You mostly only get the "hobby" kind. I am sure other chocolatiers know where to get them and if anyone from South Africa can point me in the right direction I will appreciate it. I can find nothing on the net or any stores in the Pretoria and Johannesburg vicinity that stock a decent selection.

As a long term solution I do think the spheres may be easier, but the snobinettes can sure help in the mean while as I need a solution pretty quick.

I think Chef Rubber in the US carries the molds, and so does Pavoni, the italian company selling them as well.

Thanks Brad. If I cannot find any in South Africa I will have to order them from somewhere else as soon as I can afford the freight costs. The postal services in South Africa is notoriously bad and you are never sure if you are going to get your post.

Hi Magrietha,

please do not make it sound impossible in South Africa. We have opened a factory ( www.cocoafair.com ) in Cape Town and previously i had a small "home business " of 25 sqmt made with tools from around the world and some of them i bought it in Cape Town.

i have 2 of the silicon molds that i love for the simplicity of work and consistent results.

what i haven't found in Cape Town or South Africa in general i have imported from Europe or Usa, you will be surprised that sometimes it works out even cheaper than what you get at the "hobby" shops.

Nino

Thanks Nino, I will keep that in mind. To be honest I could only find Barco and Chocolate World and they do not stock the molds we need. It is difficult to find the suppliers if you do not know where to look. I go to the internet and simply find nothing.

Everything else I need I have been able to find in the Gauteng area, but with the molds I seem to hit a brick wall. This is my biggest problem, no one seems to have decent brochures with clear photos so I can see what they really have. I am still continuing with my search.

If you can give me the name of a supplier of decent molds I will be very grateful.

Sorry if I sound negative about South Africa, but I am just so tired of battling to find suppliers.

Hi Magrietha,

like you i have been in your steps 3 years ago when i arrived in Cape Town and started planning my business... on my side i have over 20 years of experience as Pastry Chef and i had to deal with start up/looking for supplier in all the corner of the world.

In South Africa it has been a bit more difficult but it is possible.

We have a lot of small business chocolatiers as clients and, like you, they all had problem finding answers to their problem.

most of those issues where as well finding suppliers and having support when they had problem with the chocolate...

Now they can call me....

www.jkvnl.com is in Holland (but I didn't see they have the mold you are after)

http://www.ipfco.com/index.htm - these guys are in mumbai

http://www.eurochocolates.com/index.php - Belgium

http://www.martellato.com/default.asp?content=2,43,0,0,1,Home,00.html - Italy

http://www.xinxings.com/english/chocolate.htm - China

http://www.cabrellon.it/homepage_eng.html - Italy - I think they may be the one who makes the mold you want.

http://www.prefamac.com/ - Belgium

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www.eztemper.com

www.thechocolatedoctor.ca

Thanks Kerry, We will be contacting all these people and find out how much it will cost to get them here.

Nino, I thought I should just let all of you know that I found a place in Midrand that can supply almost everything I need. Good news for all South Africans. Some stuff will still have to be imported and some is really prohibited expensive, but at least I now know where to start my search.

I make caramels by using a ganache frame. Once poured and set I actually freeze for about 10 minutes. I release the frame and cut the caramels into squares.In about 15 min they are back to cool room temp but not cold and can be dipped or enrobed. ( I enrobe) You have to work fast, before they lose their shape but rarely do they crack. Once enrobed they go back in the cool room (60 degrees) for about an hour (or more).

Thanks Melanie, I am glad to hear that it can be done. I think the mistake I am making is to let them get too soft, as you say, I should work faster and them I think getting them cool afterwards is also something I did not do so, before the chocolate was really set it started to go everywhere. I can see now that is the biggest mistake I made.

There is soooo much I still need to learn, but with all the help I get here I will succeed in the end.

updated by @magrietha-hendrika-du-plessis: 06/26/15 03:18:16