I am thinking of adding another piece if equipment to all of my kitchen gear. I am thinking of either a Robot Coupe or a Thermamix. I want to use it primarily for making marzipan and ganaches, etc. Any input about which one to choose would be great. Also if the suggestion is for a Robot Coupe then suggestions on which model would be helpful as well. Thanks, Andrea
updated by @andrea-bauer: 04/09/15 21:58:14

Andrea:

I have looked at the Thermomix on a number of occasions over the past couple of years trying to assess its place in a chocolate kitchen. While it can be used to make ganaches and other fillings if you take a close look at all the videos I don't see anything that involves very dense fat-heavy applications like nut pastes - marzipan, pralins, etc.

They're not cheap either and not available directly in the US; you have to buy them from Canada but they do honor the warranty from what I hear.

If you're going to be working with nuts, and you only plan on getting one machine, the Robot Coupe is the better choice. You're going to want one with a "Blixer" designation - blender/mixer.

:: Clay

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

I make all my ganaches in the thermomix. About 4 minutes to heat, and about 20 seconds to blend- Bob's your uncle!

I do know that one of the folks I know who owns one uses it for small batch marzipan and is very happy with it.

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www.eztemper.com

www.thechocolatedoctor.ca

Thanks for the replies. I was on the fence about the Thermomix being able to handle marzipan. I recently took a class and they tried to make praline in the Thermomix and it didn't work very well - probably because there was too much in the container. I think it could probably handle small batches though (same for marzipan). Clay, thanks for the input about the Blixer - I was thinking that model made the most sense.

The container of the Thermomix is 2 quart (the same as a small Blixer); however the motor is not really designed to handle dense high-fat products like marzipan and pralins. Some things can be done, in small batches - much smaller than the max capacity of the container. Questions are - a) what kind of strain does it put on the motor (reducing working life) and b) do the quantities that can be produced match the quantity needed?

Ganaches are not hard to make over the stove with an immersion blender to guarantee the emulsion.

If I could afford to have only one it would be the Blixer. If cost were not an issue, I might go with both and experiment with producing a variety of other items such as pates de fruits.

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

Hi Clay, You make very valid points regarding the motor and the volume/quantity issues. I am certainly thinking about both. I currently make my ganache over the stove and it isn't an issue - I suppose I have a bit of the "but I really, really want it" syndrome. I don't tend to buy a lot of kitchen" gadgets" and am very practical about what Ichoose to buy (practical about an items usage - not necessarily about cost since I think it really makes sense to spend the money to buy the best - that said the best isn't always the most expensive either!). At this point I am leaning towards the Blixer. In the future, I'd probably get a Thermomix just to play with. I figure if I can find one on Ebay at a good price and really don't like it or use it much I can always resell it. Thanks again, Andrea