Thank you, Ruth.

The last time I wrote to Thalia, Micki Weinberg (Regulatory & Culinary Specialist) answered. I wrote to her email address a couple of weeks ago and haven't had a reply.

The pastilles are not shiny, but they do break with a snap If I have time tomorrow, I will try the approach suggested on the website of warming slowly in a microwave to 95F so that 2/3 of the solids melt and stirring down to 90F.

It is good to hear that you can freeze chocolate and get good results.

thanks

baumgrenze

I haven't had that problem and I freeze chocolate on occasion. Call Thalia in the lab at Guittard. She can answer any question you have.

Does anyone know if storing dark chocolate at temperatures near freezing (35-45 F) can damage it so that it becomes very difficult to retemper?

I can see this happening when chocolate is shipped by truck (perhaps even colder this time of year) or by air (again I can think of sub-freezing temperatures.) My vendor of Guittard L Etoile Du Premiere-58% has no provision for holding chocolate in the manufacturer preferred range of 60-70F. The market is 'open-air' and on the San Francisco Penisula (would that Guittard allow ordering for will-call in Burlingame.)

I doubt that it is a moisture problem. No matter what I do the best I can achieve is a dull finish that is on the borderline of breaking with a snap. It does not bloom, but it does not shine.

I've taken 2# batches to 120F, hand tempered by generating a <80F mush on a slab (clean Caesarstone) and back blending to 90-92F. I'm frustrated and disappointed.

thanks,

baumgrenze

updated by @baumgrenze: 04/09/15 09:34:17