Forum Activity for @Steve Kurz

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

I know that this thread is a year old, but what a difference a year makes! I took your advice and purchased a quaity glass thermometer. I monitored the temperature faithfully. The bunnies came out fantastic! Each and every one of them!

Thanks for the tip, well worth the advice!

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

Thanks for all of the quick replies! I guess I get to go shopping....electronically speaking, that is.

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

Ok, my tempering skills are not sharp. They are getting better but not there yet. I bought one of those paddle type of thermometers, but I am not happy with it. Is there any thermometer that is better than others? Digital over glass? Glass over digital? Brand or generic?

As Vinny Barbarino would say... I am sooooo confused!

Thank,

Steve K.

updated by @Steve Kurz: 04/11/15 12:30:21AM

Metal Mold Refinishing

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

That is exactly what I was looking for. I will definately contact them! Thanks!

Metal Mold Refinishing

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

Thanks for the info. I will try the polishing. Unfortunately, most of the molds are one-of-a-kind, or I just have not seen them anywhere. I am sure that there are lots of them out there. I have never seen polycarbonite versions of some of them.

Metal Mold Refinishing

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

Here are a couple of crude picts from one of them. It is an 18 1/2" mold, with only 8000 as a stamped ID on it. One of the blemishes can be seen as a black area in the bottom of the "basket"

Metal Mold Refinishing

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

I was looking through my molds and found some of them have what appears to be blemishes on the inside. It may also be the start of rust. These molds were my father's and I am not certain of the storage. I would like to explore having them refinished, but have no idea where or the cost. I am not a choclotier by any means, but some of the molds are rare and I enjoy making them at Easter for friends, or just showing them off.Can anyone point me in the right direction?
updated by @Steve Kurz: 04/21/15 05:21:29AM

Hello, Everyone!

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Brand new here, but it looks like what I need. I do not make chocolates for a living, but generally for pleasure and rememberance. Basically, I melt chocolate (Nestle Eastchester). My father was a cander maker in Jersey City, NJ many, many years ago. I am the proud owner of most of his metal molds. They are all Easter type molds that range in size from 2" to 18". Most I have not seen anywhere. I have dabbled making chocolate covered cherries with some success. I soak my cherries in brandy before encasing them and use the brandy to mix with fondant for the filling. I am not planning on a career, but I am getting a lot of requests!
updated by @Steve Kurz: 04/13/15 07:07:05AM

Metal Molds and chocolate release

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

Thanks. That is probably my problem.

Metal Molds and chocolate release

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

I have some metal molds that were my father's when he was a candy maker. Some of these molds are pretty rare and I enjoy making Easter chocolates for family and friends. However, this year, the chocolate did not release property.Could this be from overheating the chocolate (Nestle Eastchester) or could it be from the molds not being clean? Or a combination of the two?Could I use a "release agent" on the molds before filling?Thanks for any information. I appreciate it.
updated by @Steve Kurz: 04/20/15 03:59:44AM