Forum Activity for @Dirke Botsford

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
03/31/16 03:16:16PM
98 posts

F/S - 6 oz polycarbonate bar molds - BC


Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

Hi Wendy

Yes, I still have them. They weren't used that often, lightly for about a year. Let me know if you have any other questions. 

Cheers

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
11/08/15 06:17:22PM
98 posts

Using coconut oil in truffles help


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

I've started using coconut cream in my ganache and it works perfectly. Question in how long will the shelf life be?

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
11/08/15 06:07:33PM
98 posts

Keeping chocolate in temper


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

Check out Chocovisions tempering machines, varied sizes and not overly expensive. Sounds like you might be over seeding your chocolate?

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
11/08/15 06:04:32PM
98 posts

Need assistance with making bars


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

I used the tempering machine from Perfect Equipment out of Quebec, it doesn't pump but it works amazingly well for creating bars just with the standard set up. Check them out, they might have something up your alley?

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
10/26/15 04:15:40PM
98 posts

Vibrating table for perfect tempering machine - For sale


Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

I have a new vibrating table that attaches to the Perfect equipment tempering machine. I just don't use it, it's been used once. Selling for $850 bought it for $950. email me at dirke@urgechocolates.com or call 604-839-5977


vibratingTable.png vibratingTable.png - 182KB

updated by @Dirke Botsford: 06/29/23 06:49:02PM
Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
09/26/15 02:21:17PM
98 posts

Caramel cutter help - Tomric


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

Thanks Jayne, I will give it another go using this technique. 

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
09/25/15 07:25:44PM
98 posts

Caramel cutter help - Tomric


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

I bought a multi wheel caramel cutter from Tomric and am having a heck of a time using it. Either the caramel sticks to it and then rolls up with the cutter or if I make a stiffer caramel it doesn't cut through it? AM I doing something wrong or is there a trick to it? I have watched a few youtube videos and it look so easy...

Caramel is 3/4 inch thick and a medium bite. Does the cutter need to be lubricated? Any suggestions would be appreciated.   

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
09/25/15 07:25:08PM
98 posts

Caramel cutter help



I bought a multi wheel caramel cutter from Tomric and am having a heck of a time using it. Either the caramel sticks to it and then rolls up with the cutter or if I make a stiffer caramel it doesn't cut through it? AM I doing something wrong or is there a trick to it? I have watched a few youtube videos and it look so easy...

Caramel is 3/4 inch thick and a medium bite. Does the cutter need to be lubricated? Any suggestions would be appreciated.   

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
08/24/15 04:00:42PM
98 posts

Affordable Custom Boxes


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

Perfect, all the best.

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
08/21/15 07:44:32PM
98 posts

Affordable Custom Boxes


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

Look at Glerup revere or nashville wraps.com they have a good selection of rigid boxes

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
08/21/15 07:40:37PM
98 posts

Help Packaging!


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

Have you tried Glerup revere or nashville wraps? Not sure if they have something like that but it might be worth looking


updated by @Dirke Botsford: 08/21/15 07:40:52PM
Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
08/21/15 07:35:01PM
98 posts

Double boiler - with extra basin $50


Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

I have a soup kitchen size double boiler with an extra pot. Use twice. Great for someone who want to melt chocolate or start with a large volume then a small tempering machine. Like new. Let know if your interested


double boiler.jpg double boiler.jpg - 4KB

updated by @Dirke Botsford: 06/29/23 06:49:02PM
Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
04/24/15 03:55:57PM
98 posts

truffle shell collapsing


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

Is your center cold? that might explain the bloom and the collapse? warm it up a bit maybe that'll help?

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
01/25/15 12:38:16PM
98 posts

I'm in the market for a smallish enrobing line


Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

I'm in the same boat and have been looking at the "perfect equipment" line, I bought the tempering machine and just waiting to afford the erobing portion. Very resonably priced $14000 compared to $25000+ starting every where else I've seen. Check them out -  http://www.perfectchoco.com/en/perfect-equipments

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
01/25/15 12:32:07PM
98 posts

champagne truffles


Posted in: Recipes

Lorraine oils has a champagne oil that tastes very much like champagne -  http://shop.lorannoils.com/chocolates/super-strength-flavors

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
09/18/14 06:04:19PM
98 posts

Tempering & enrobing system advice


Posted in: Opinion

I just bought some equipment from Perfect. Fit our budget, went with a 20kg tempering unit which is more then enough for us for a couple of years and will buy the enrober in a few months. Thank you for all your input, I researched all the equipment that was mentioned. It was great seeing everything that was out there and the features, helped narrow down what would be the best fit for us. Came down to price, availability of parts and features. Thankfully Perfect equipment is in Canada so no duties! always a killer on the budget.

I'm very glad and thankful to have had all of you to ask, this forum is such a useful resource. Thanks Clay!

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
09/08/14 02:51:40PM
98 posts

Tempering & enrobing system advice


Posted in: Opinion

Daniel, that's perfect! Exactly what I am looking for and in Canada to boot! Brilliant! Thank you so much. I have just sent them an email to get pricing. Cheers

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
09/08/14 12:22:52PM
98 posts

Tempering & enrobing system advice


Posted in: Opinion

Currently looking for a tempering system with the idea of having an enrobing line to attach to it later down the road. I was looking at the Chocovision 3z as I like their equipment and their support is first class but they are still working on an enrobing line that has the wax paper take off.

Looked at the Tomric and Selmi solutions but they are really expensive where as the chocovision system is affordable and I believe we get a discount through chocolate life? Any recommendations would be appreciated, the pro's & cons.....


updated by @Dirke Botsford: 04/10/15 12:37:43PM
Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
09/12/14 01:37:28PM
98 posts

Looking for inexpensive ways to stir caramel


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

I cook all the sugars, corn syrups, butters etc together first and bring it up to 240 then add the creams then bring it back up again. Reduces the time by about 20 minutes for me. similar taste to a traditional caramel BUT not exactly the same.

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
09/08/14 02:05:05PM
98 posts

Looking for inexpensive ways to stir caramel


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

I've tried to do the same but gave up, ended up wasting more then we were making. Having the right balance of heat and correct agitation was difficult to achieve. If you find a way I'd love to hear about it. We ended up altering our recipe to make it a little quicker and with less agitation.

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
09/08/14 12:33:04PM
98 posts

Using coconut oil in truffles help


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

Good to know, Thanks Sebastian. It turns out I had simply not mixed it enough, the result being grainy. I reheated and mixed it a lot and it turned out well. I've only just started using coconut products for shelf stability as customers want it. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Cheers

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
09/08/14 12:16:52PM
98 posts

Using coconut oil in truffles help


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

good point, I will try that. Thanks

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
09/04/14 01:28:10PM
98 posts

Using coconut oil in truffles help


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

I am attempting to create a shelf stable truffle by using coconut oil instead of heavy cream but am finding the resulting ganache is grainy. Does anyone else use a similar recipe for extending shelf life. I want a smooth ganache that I would getting using a heavy cream. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.


updated by @Dirke Botsford: 04/11/15 12:08:42PM
Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
04/23/14 01:47:05PM
98 posts

Chocolate Love: what first drew you to a life saturated with chocolate?


Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

For me, I have always been a foodie but chocolate was just something I quickly grabbed while waiting at the check out isle at the grocery store. Until of course I did a winery tour and they offered me a tasting of ice wine in a chocolate cup. I loved the combination and of course wanted to share the experience with friends at home but couldn't find the cups anywhere. That lead me to trying to make my own and that's where I starting playing with chocolate, quickly finding it very interesting with the desire to learn more.

As I played with chocolate and discovered new combinations while learning the science behind it all, I found it a natural fit. I was so intrigued by it that I bought and read endless books about it and eventually went to school for it. My friends (aka guinea pigs) loved what I made and wanted to buy them, so I eventually built a business around it. I am lucky to have found something I am so passion about other then my family. But I am also fortunate enough to have a family that supports my crazy ways. I am a chocolatier, I love what I do. There is much more to this story but this is the general gist of it.

Cheers

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
04/23/14 01:49:13PM
98 posts

Packaging Machine


Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

I am still trying to find this, I am starting to think it doesn't exist unless you have $30,000+ to play with. Let me know if you find anything...

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
04/23/14 01:21:27PM
98 posts

Guitar cutter


Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

Alright! I did it. Thanks for all the invaluable info. I bought the dedy from DR.ca. once I looked at the quality of how it was built compared to the plastic based guitar I could really see why it made sense to go with the metal based base. Sure it cost a little more but you get what you pay for.

Thank you all so much for your advice and pointing me in the right direction. I feel I made a purchase I won't regret and have to resell in a short time, thanks to you. All the best!

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
04/19/14 11:54:53PM
98 posts

Guitar cutter


Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

I'm just checking them out now, looks good. May have to cancel and switch....cheers

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
04/19/14 10:37:25PM
98 posts

Guitar cutter


Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

Thanks for the advice Daniel, much appreciated. I just actually found one from Bakedeco (NYC) that I bought, just waiting now for the delivery. It's not metal based but it has three frames and from my research seemed fairly common place. So fingers crossed. I am really looking forward to not having to use a knife anymore! Hopefully it will last me a long time! Cheers and thanks again....Happy Easter!

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
04/19/14 12:12:14AM
98 posts

Guitar cutter


Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

I am thinking of biting the bullet and buying a guitar cutter, and looking for a supplier in Canada. Anyone know of anyone? or even a used one....

Secondly, any recommendations? Double guitar or single? Pros or cons...do you find you use it enough to justify the cost? I am sure it beats using a knife but just wondering if it's worth it and would love to know your thoughts.

Thanks in advance!


updated by @Dirke Botsford: 06/29/23 06:49:02PM
Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
11/13/13 07:09:52PM
98 posts

Crescent Wrench mold - Looking for one


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

I had a customer request for a chocolate crescent wrench, I've been looking online for one and came across some hobby PVC but the detail wasn't there, I know it sounds picky but I'm after more then just the general shape. They want one that looks like an actual tool. I could make a silicone mold but they want quantity and that won't do the trick.

Anyone know where I might be able to find a Poly mold of a crescent wrench, or an wrench? If it's PVC that would be fine too just has to have some sort of detail. Thanks for any assitance in advance!


updated by @Dirke Botsford: 04/09/15 06:23:07AM
Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
10/11/13 06:16:55PM
98 posts

Equipment for making caramel / recipe


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

Wow this is amazing. Fantastic response and so much great feedback! Thank you to everyone for sharing....I got a lot of experimenting to do and I gather we all got a little something out of this, hopefully you did anyways. Thanks everyone, what a great forum for conversations like these....

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
02/04/13 11:37:06PM
98 posts

Equipment for making caramel / recipe


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

Thanks for the replies. So from the response I'm in line with time and batch counts. I've been in touch with Savage, we'll see where to go from here....

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
02/01/13 09:18:47PM
98 posts

Equipment for making caramel / recipe


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

Besides loving to eat caramel. yes by the handful, I make it and it's a great seller. only problem is I need some equipment to make it in large batches and faster then what I am doing on a stove top. I need help and suggestions. If you have any great recipes and want to share, I would love it.

I have a great recipe but I think it needs to be tweeked or changed altogether as it takes 2-3 hours sometimes to make a large batch. Maybe I am crazy and it does take that long but I don't know many others that have the patience to make caramel so they don't. I've only just started digging deeper into the world of caramel so any seasoned advice would be greatly appreciated. this stuff is tricky!

Thanks in advance.


updated by @Dirke Botsford: 04/09/15 06:16:42AM
Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
02/02/13 03:24:15AM
98 posts

Coffee and Chocolate pairing


Posted in: Tasting Notes

We attempted a coffee and chocolate pairing with a local roaster as I agree it seems like a natural pairing. Tried a variety of different types of beans and coffees, there are so many commonalities it was easy to come up with concepts to discuss. BUT... after doing marketing andpromotionalthere turned out to be very little interest in the general concept from potential clients. We've sold our products in coffee shops but again people tended to buy more baked goods then chocolate with their coffee. Maybe it's a west coast thing?

So in a nut shell we didn't find it worthwhile to pursue any further. It was fun exploring the pairing but beer, wine and scotches seems to be more agreeable. I don't think people care as much about the process or nuances of coffee as they do wine or beer etc. I maybe wrong but I asked a few people while doing research after to see if I could find a reason why it didn't work and the generalconsensuswas they just liked there coffee because they need their coffee fix. nothing more.

Not to put a damper on your question or the experience as you may find you get a great response? You just never know. Good luck with it and have fun.

Cheers,

Dirke

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
01/28/13 02:34:12PM
98 posts

Chocolate Bar Cardboard box


Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

Keep in mind,if you do get boxes made you will have to get a diecut made. These tend to be a little pricey ranging from $200+ depending on the complexity of the box. Standard offset printing ( I believe Mark is referring to ) is great if you are doing large amounts and will reprint in the future as metal plates are used for the printing process and can be reused. However again, they are metal plates and cost. Alternative solution would be to go digital print, it's cost effective for lower quantities, gives you the flexibility to create different looks or make changes without the over head of making new plates. BUT, there are different forms of digital print, highend and basically color photocopiers. Ask your local printer if they do both or can offer any suggestions. I've been in the print business for 20 years and still do print brokering on the side to bring in extra income in the slower chocolate months. Any questions I'm happy to help.

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
10/01/12 10:13:10PM
98 posts

I don't get it?


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

You know the funny thing about chocolate is that so much of it is based on science. Not my strongest point in school but love the complexity of it all. I guess age does change things, and I ain't gettin any younger, yet!

thanks again all!

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
10/01/12 07:21:40PM
98 posts

I don't get it?


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

That appears to be exactly what it was, cooling it quicker did the trick. I did a test and tried it several ways because I guess I am a geek that way? I just had to know....thank you all for your suggestions. I am blessed to be a part of a group like this that is so supportive. Not that I am preaching just happy it's finally figured out. Time for a beer to celebrate! Cheers!

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
10/01/12 05:18:12PM
98 posts

I don't get it?


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

No disrespect Linda & Victor, I've been making chocolate for years and temper chocolate everyday. That's not the issue. the chocolate is tempered as I mentioned I made bars and dipped some truffles with the same chocolate without issue, they were all perfect.

I narrowed it down I think to two things, I need to cool the bark quicker and or my X3210 is outta wack but doesn't makes sense since the other products where fine. Appreciate the feedback either way. I had a new holey baffle that I am not used to which may have been part of it. Smaller items where ok but larger barks maybe less forgiving?

I will soon find out as I am using my regular baffle this time around.....tempering now.

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
10/01/12 11:16:03AM
98 posts

I don't get it?


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

I put some dried cranberries, everything room temp. the bark itself was 1/4 inch thick. Everything was cooled at room temp, maybe that is the problem although the bark that did work out was done the same way. Maybe I will try refrigerating it for a minute or two to set it? What do you think?

Thanks for your help Andrea. For something so simple it's really frustrating me.....

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
10/01/12 12:37:19AM
98 posts

I don't get it?


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

I forgot to mention the truffles and bars were perfect as well...just the bark for some reason...

Dirke Botsford
@Dirke Botsford
10/01/12 12:36:24AM
98 posts

I don't get it?


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

I have 10lbs of tempered chocolate, I make a few bars and dip some truffles. With the rest I make bark and it all blooms? Tried it again.....bloom?

I used my smaller machine, perfect. WTF? I don't get it....any suggestions cause I can't figure it out.


updated by @Dirke Botsford: 04/17/15 08:29:36AM
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