Forum Activity for @Kerry

Need Ideas for an Advanced Chocolate Course - what would people want to learn?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

I realize that it's a little off topic here - but I have produced a series of educational DVD's that the Ecole Chocolate recommends - not very costly - and allow you to actually see the techniques for tempering and molding etc. I produced them after trying in vain to learn from books - then having gone and spent a week of evenings with a chocolatier and seeing how it was done - realized most people need to see it.

Need Ideas for an Advanced Chocolate Course - what would people want to learn?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Bacon distilled in booze?I just got a new still - I'm getting it cleaned up now, but I'm anxious to see what all I can distill. Of course - not alcohol, that would be illegal!

Need Ideas for an Advanced Chocolate Course - what would people want to learn?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Sounds like a perfect plan!

Need Ideas for an Advanced Chocolate Course - what would people want to learn?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Of course you could always get a bunch of people together and invite Brian and I out to run a course in your neck of the woods.

Need Ideas for an Advanced Chocolate Course - what would people want to learn?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Thanks Darren.

Need Ideas for an Advanced Chocolate Course - what would people want to learn?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

The plan is Buffalo - we haven't any dates organized yet - still in the development and planning stages. We would likely be in the Tomric kitchen as Brian can organize the use of it.Another question that occurs to me would be what dates people would prefer for something like this - I suspect that most would want to wait until after the holiday rush when things get a little quieter from a business perspective.

Need Ideas for an Advanced Chocolate Course - what would people want to learn?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Brian Donaghy - pastry chef at Tomric - and I have been discussing running an advanced chocolate course aimed at artisan chocolate makers who need to improve their talents and their product.I would assume that most people would love to look at some equipment with an eye to increasing production - but beyond that what would you think that people would want to learn if they knew the basics but wanted to improve?I guess it begs the question - what are basic chocolate techniques and what are advanced techniques? What do most people who are producing feel they are weak at and want to improve?
updated by @Kerry: 04/12/15 15:42:56

Temper, temper!

Posted in: News & New Product Press

I love my infrared laser thermometers too. Never have a dirty thermometer again - unless you accidently drop it in the chocolate! It happens!

chocolate panning

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

If you know that your panned nuts will be eaten within a short period of time - then the gum arabic coating can be eliminated. You can also pan coat caramelized nuts to keep that crunchiness - but they will be sweeter.

Basics for Panning Chocolates

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

Clay,I think the pictures have been lost from the demo that shows the item my hubby built for me from PVC tubing that allows me to blow the cold air over the dry ice for the polishing stage.I really like your ides of the hose embedded in the ice coil. You could also jury rig one of those portable air conditioners to blow cold air.While this demo shows the use of polish to shine the product - I really like the technique where you heat up the coated product until it becomes mallable, then cool until it shines.

Basics for Panning Chocolates

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

Haven't got a copy of that -but have taken the panning course from the NCA. Link to a demo I did on eGullet here http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=87996&view=findpost&p=1198779

Answers to the Top 10 Questions You'd Like to Ask Norman Love

Posted in: Opinion

Wish I could help you with that - never had a quiet compressor!

Answers to the Top 10 Questions You'd Like to Ask Norman Love

Posted in: Opinion

The Badger 250 series are external mix - usually available at Michaels and work well.

Metal Molds and chocolate release

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

Steve,I've done a fair bit of molding in metal molds. Chocolate that is properly in temper will contract properly and release itself from the molds.Polishing the mold with a soft lint free cloth first is always a good idea - but proper temper is the key.

Cleaning polycarbonate molds.

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

If I do bother to polish - I use a very fine, soft piece of microfibre that feels like suede, or lint free guaze lap sponges - the type used in the operating room. Both work very nicely. I never wash my molds with soap, just hot water and a sponge.

Hose for Panning Chocolate

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

Paul, Obviously too late for this situation - Tomric is the dealer for Selmi in the US and they have the panner. You could probably just buy the application system from them however.

Hose for Panning Chocolate

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

Mindy, There is a unit on e-bay right now that would would be perfect for a table top. http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270410534038

Hose for Panning Chocolate

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

Aren't those Selmi pans fabulous? So great to have the heating and cooling unit all in one. And the chocolate applicator is nice and simple.

Source of Small Scale Cacao Processing Equipments

Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

So cute - everyone needs a toy like that! Wonder what they cost?

Guitar

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

I'm impressed that you can cut caramel without breaking wires - is there any difference with the larger gauge wire cutting ganches or Pates de Fruit?

Guitar

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

Jason,What gauge wire did you buy?

Guitar

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

This is strange - I noticed Alana saying something similar when she purchased a book from a Canadian store. When I purchase from the US, my credit card charges me the exchange (which is padded a little to their advantage), but there is no added fee like this.

Guitar

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

I have a Dedy - an aluminum and stainless guitar from Germany. I have looked at the plastic based units - but the nicks you see in the plastic on the edges where the wires pass between the slots seem to me a spot where the wires might get caught and break. That being said - the plastic based units are still very substantial and should work well for many years.In the US Tomric ( www.tomric.com ) carries both the plastic and the Dedy (needs to be ordered) and in Canada Design and Realization carries the Dedy. ( www.dr.ca )

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

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

Signature Fine Foods in Toronto has the guitar sheets.

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

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

I do have some of the 'proper' sheets, but tend to do use the overheads most for the experiments.I add white coloured cocoa butter to some colours - ie titanium dioxide - to make them opaque rather than white chocolate.

Chocolate Silk Screen Supplies

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

I have the food safe emulsion for silk screening.Check out my experiments in silk screening here

Caramelized White Chocolate

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

Thanks Clay - I'll go find it.

Caramelized White Chocolate

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

I noticed in Serious Eats - an article called Pastry Geek Heaven written by Clay - that mentioned caramelized white chocolate.I once - in my early attempts to temper easily - put white chocolate in a stainless bowl over water in a slow cooker - then went out for a couple of hours. When I returned home, the chocolate was caramelized on the bottom. I mixed it all together and instead of throwing it out, decided to use it for a center. It was the most delicious center ever!I haven't been able to duplicate it.So Clay - would you be willing to share the technique you learned at the World Pastry Forum?
updated by @Kerry: 05/08/15 03:48:46

Chocolate Show New York City 2008

Posted in: News & New Product Press

I notice that there is mention of a trade portion to the NY Chocolate show this year. That makes it a whole lot more tempting. I had been considering the Paris show, just because of the trade show. I wonder which companies will attend.

Silk screening

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

You sound like my kind of chocolatier. Can't wait to see your magnetic mold results!The one issue I have with the inkjet printing is lack of intensity of colour. Not sure how well your image will show against dark chocolate.

Silk screening

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

American Chocolate Designs can make custom for you.I've been making my own transfer sheets by silk screening - click here for a link to the discussion about it.I'm new on this site, so I'm not sure if I'll add the link correctly, so bear with me.

Tempering with Beta 6 crystals

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

The solid to solid transformation of Form V to Form VI crystals is responsible for the untempered appearance of chocolate that has been in the package too long.What I wonder - if you use the beta 6 crystals, I assume you grow Form VI crystals rather than Form V - so will your chocolate change over time or will it remain tempered forever in the package?

Weird Flavors and Inclusions in Chocolate

Posted in: Tasting Notes

These all sound quite fabulous!

Weird Flavors and Inclusions in Chocolate

Posted in: Tasting Notes

In a shop in Bruges called Chocolate Line I tasted a pizza chocolate - sundried tomatoes and olives which was interesting. He also did a tobacco chocolate using the Papua New Guinea Becolade origin chocolate which already has quite a strong tobacco taste. Room for improvement thought.One of the weirdest I've made lately is a ganache with the south indian spices - curry leaves, mustard seed, chili's, coriander, turmuric, sambhar powder and asafedita. It was a love it or hate it sort of thing. I loved it, hubby hated it!

Cool Tool: Chocoflex Spherical Truffle Mold

Posted in: Geek Gear - Cool Tools

Short answer - nope! You'll never get the ganache back out.

Cool Tool: Chocoflex Spherical Truffle Mold

Posted in: Geek Gear - Cool Tools

Indeed there are -Chocolat-chocolat carries this chocolateworld one - http://www.chocolat-chocolat.com/home/chocolate-molds/chocolate-molds-chocolate-world/chocolate-molds-world-spheres-cones-cups/p16408423.html It's pretty big though. There is a smaller one - can't find it on their website but if you phone them it's CW5018B.