Tempering raw chocolate

Posted in: Make Mine Raw ...

Chocolatetempering is one of the last steps taken to process and preparechocolate candy. In this process, the cocoa butter molecules within thechocolate are stabilized through a process of heating and cooling thatallows the chocolate to harden properly and ensures a shiny finish.

"Local" Supply of Cocao Powder

Posted in: News & New Product Press

Nice information about the local supply of cacao powder that is raw is not hugely important as we are more concerned about taste, buthaving as pure and natural product as possible is important.

polycarbonate source

Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

Thank you for giving the information about the polycarbonate source.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

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

I tried making some today, and they turned out great! I put them in shot glasses, and they became adorable bell like shapes.After I made a batch, I thought they turned out so great that I wantedto make more. But I had no more 70 % coca chocolate, so I tried makinga batch with Toblerone. I dont think that went too well, but well see.
Thank you so much for this!

Bean to bar in Africa

Posted in: Chocolate Education

I really dont know about this. You can use the internet to find here many places in Africa who use these machines.

Chocolate Education

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Using chocolate as a framework, students can: discover the botanical source of chocolate, Theobroma cacao, a small tree of the tropical rainforest interior; explore the ecological connections between people, plants, insects, and other animals within the trees habitat; investigate cultural interactions and conservation concerns resulting from the cultivation, processing, exchange, and consumption of cacao and other foods; and recognize the changing economic and cultural roles of cacao and chocolate in local and global economies over time.

Freezing Chocolates

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

Chocolate is the stuff of movies, music, dreams and many a midnight snack. For the cook, however, chocolate can be a conundrum, a difficult product to keep well and use properly. The first thing a good cook must learn is how to store their pantry items properly, and chocolate should always be in a good cook's pantry. The easy answer to whether or not you can freeze chocolate is no, but that isn't the complete answer. Freeze chocolate only if you must. Freezing can cause chocolate to have either Fat Bloom or Sugar Bloom.You've probably seen bloomed chocolate--it has a mottled gray appearance. Freeze chocolate chips for a more reliable and usable result. Bring the chips to room temperature and use unbloomed chips in any recipe. Brownies can be frozen, but you need to wrap them well. Fudgy brownies freeze without losing moisture (as long as well wrapped -- foil and then plastic), if you don't seal cakey brownies well, they will dry out in the freezer. Freezing air draws away the moisture.

I like to start chocolate company from bean to bar

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

When making the chocolate, Green & Blacks believe that every step from bean to bar is equally significant. That is why Green & Blacks make sure to use only the finest organically grown Trinitarian cocoa beans, to bring out the intense flavor that has become their trademark.Chocolate Tasting is a special art and one to enjoy in the company of others. It's a great way to experience the different aromas, textures and flavors this unique chocolate has to offer.

How Are You Making These Holidays Special with Chocolate?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I love chocolate all year round, but there is just something extra special about chocolate over the holidays. I grew up enjoying a white Christmas with gently falling snow (or a blizzard) and a warm fire in the fireplace. I loved it. There is something about a white Christmas that adds to the spirit of the season for me. One of the things that has really helped me has been to whip up batches of Christmas cookies and Chocolate Christmas Candy. Living so far from my family, I still like to treat them to some chocolate Christmas candy. Unfortunately, my creative efforts would never survive the journey home. Instead, I have found some wonderful online resources that have helped me provide that special homemade candy gift by proxy.

Cocoa butter and cocoa solids

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I wouldn't be surprised if makers add cocoa butter solely to appeal to a certain clientele, namely those who favor texture over flavor andto ease the transition into higher percentages for those folks who are just tooreticent of going that route. chocolate can have a fantastic texture withoutoverloading the fat content with cocoa butter or vegetable oils or other"texture-enhancers." Particle size achieved through the grinding andrefining has much to do with the finished texture. A rough estimate of 50% iseven easier to calculate. I forget which beans have more fat but I think it isforastero from Ghana.At least I remember that the butter content in those beans is supposed to beharder, which makes them more suitable for milk.

Cocoa butter and cocoa solids

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Well, I'm on a quest to find chocolate with high cocoa solids & low cocoa butter, then! I've seen that even among chocolates of the same "cocoa" percentages, the fat content can vary. So that would imply that "cocoa content" can refer to either solids or butter. My high-solids search continues! The proportion of cocoa butter in a chocolate is what determines it's fluidity when melted. This is important if the chocolate is to be used for dipping or molding, both of which require very fluid chocolate. It also effects the mouth-feel of the chocolate; low-fat chocolates tend to coat the mouth with a clingy residue. For a chocolate to go nice and fluid when it melts, it will have to have a cocoa butter percentage >38% (most fine covertures will be in the low 40's). the goal is to produce one of the edgier 85% cocoa chocolates, then the sugar would, of course , be only 15%. Here, a 40% cocoa butter content would result in a cocoa solids percentage of 45%, WAY too much. So the manufacturer will have no choice but to lower the solids and increase the butter, and he'll end up with something like 48% cocoa butter, 37% cocoa solids and 15% sugar. It will be very fluid and very expensive.

Bean to bar chocolate makers

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Thank you for sharing this information about Bean to bar chocolate makers.