TCHO chocolate controls their factory by using an application on Iphone. I find this super cool. What do you guys think? I wonder how much money didTCHO pay to get this app designed for them. Check out the video.
Cheers
http://gizmodo.com/5775123/a-look-at-tcho-the-iphone+controlled-chocolate-factory
Hi Karim,
I took one of ecole chocolat's online courses. They do have a business oriented course. Here's the link. The school operates from Vancouver so you will get all info regarding laws and limitations...
where are you planning to start your franchise?
http://www.ecolechocolat.com/chocolate-business-plan.php
Omar
The article is indeed misleading. Sounds like they are using water as a selling point to portrait a unique product. Thank you for the in depth reply Clay.
Also Brad, I've included water a few times to broken ganaches earlier in my career. It was the best way to fix them by gradually adding and whisking. Works well.
Cheers,
O
Anyone tried this before?
Water-based chocolates create 'far superior' flavors
Love to hear your comments, gang.
firstly, cocoa butter must be tempered before splattered.
This might work: pour a little bit of chocolate in the mold, tap it/vibrate until every pcs has a a thin layer of chocolate in it. Then mold the rest of the chocolate. The chocolate might be too cold too.
Hi Mathew,
I'm def interested. Why don't you design a chocolate application?
wooha! things are heatin up here, chocolate is melting 
Marco I agree with not using any other fat but cocoa butter, however I don't see anything wrong with the use of soy Lecithin. At the end of the day, it's your baby, you decide what baby wears. Alot of chocolatiers use much worse ingredients than all of us and still there product is classified under "chocolate". And if this chocolate did not have a market it sure would not exist. I mean I can't see myself listening to justin beiber, yet beiber has thousands of fans. I can't compare beiber's music to daft punk either coz the genre is completely different. Just like music, you have the mainstream and the indie chocolate.Anyway you both make valid points (besides the muscle flexing) and that's the beauty behind the variety in chocolate abd its ingredients.
The use of lecithin or anything equivalent became a necessity in chocolate production, be it mass or artisan.In my opinion i don't see lecithin to be a low quality product.
Let'skeep cost saving aside, in order to achieve a smooth thin layer of chocolate, you'll need an emulsifier/lubricant in your chocolate. I personally am more interested in applying AP to fillings, because its odorless, while lecithin has a strong smell. I am hoping to make some smooth fillings. hope this works out.
I was reading about ammonium phosphatide and its application in chocolate making as a substitute to lecithin. Through my research so far, i found out that cadbury is using the product, i ordered a sample to test anyway. This is good news for those with soy allergies.
http://www.confectionerynews.com/Processing-Packaging/Palsgaard-receives-US-approval-for-chocolate-emulsifier
Has anyone used this new emulsifier? (new to me at least)
Has anyone tried the new Terra Cacao range by callebaut? im so excited to test
http://www.terracacao.com/about.html
ahh yes good call Melanie. besides, you'll need a heater anyways once used the first time after the moulds go through the cooling tunnel.
What do you guys think of a heated room for mould storage only. keep the room at 30 - 31C. whenever type X mould is needed, the moulds would get trollied to the moulding section which has a perfect room temperature of 20 C.
Thoughts?
comfortable space for individuals to work
convenient location for utilities for everyone:making sure the production flow is smooth.i.e:raw material must be next to entrance while end product must be near exit and not close to anything else.
Isolation of different sections for different products: baking products should be away from ice cream or chocolate as well as products containing flour
Digital key ovens have prooved to be a pain in the bum on the long run if you use alot of flour in your kitchen.The dust gathers around the keys. It causes alot of technical issues and it's not a hygienic approach on the long run.
Floor:I like to havetwo minimal downhills which meet in the centre of the kitchen. Its ideal to clean.That way the water meets in the middle where the sewerage is. (ihope youunderstood this point and am sure you have a much better way of explaining it).
Location of the kitchen is important to be accessible for suppliers.During busy times (like today) when you run out of an item all of a sudden, its good to have someone close by or a good enough alternative at least and fast delivery.
Avoid stairs as much as possible, the flatter the better
Hope this helps
I will be visiting Sri Lanka soon and would like to pay the cocoa fields a visit. Has anyone been there before? I tried looking it up online but could not find any leads or a specific location.
Any leads?
davy try pineapple and coconut, they go great together
hi Anderson,
I'm curious to try those dried powder.i just googled some info.It looks like a great product to use for long shelf life chocolates.Do you get a nice natural fruit taste? What brand do you use? (i'm looking at "nutifruit")
DAvy,
would u like help with marzipan as a filling or making marzipan from scratch?
Awesome! i'm happy this question is being revived too, thanks guys.
i'm gonna go dark with this one. 85% Valrhona. And since refrigeration is provided, I'm gonna milk the island's cow, produce cream andwith theuse of local spices create wild pirates of the carribean truffles
I was told some cocoa pods come in a jar filled with a liquid that preserves them. that way they keep their colour and do not dry out.Does anyone supply the pods in these jars?Laura did you figure out a way to preserve?
Thanks!
I am doing a consultancy for a chocolate store owner who is looking at adding preservatives to his fillings. Although this is totally against my chocolate religion, I was wondering where I can get info regarding preservatives? What kind suits best each filling without greatly affecting the taste...
I also wonder, will the addition of glucose to a nut based filling (gianduja/praline) help increase the shelf life?
Hey there beautiful chocomaniacs,
I'm searching the net for different exhibitions/training for professioal chocolatiers and confectioners. I am more interested in high quality large production fairs that include large moulding machines.The artistic side of the training is also valuable, yet my product is more tailored to the mass.
It's hard to figure out which one is the bestsite, especially when its linked to a company that mostly want to sell you its products. I relocated to the middle east now so Europe is more convenient to visit.
Any thoughts ladies and gents?
O
AWesome I'll look into the 5 rolls and see what happens.
Yeah hiking in Lebanon is fun. Before moving to Dubai I used to go every weekend but I never met Vartok.cool name. it goes better on a psychedellic music artist if you ask me. 
Sebastian, as I mentioned, I will need an industrial machine, to be exact I would like to have the flexibility to produce up to 4000 Kgs a day. So if I consider money not being an issue (since It will be coming out of my employers pockets ) are you recommending the buehler?
I stone grinded some chocolate the other day and realised it is the best method to achieve a better smoother tastier chocolate. Now because I am not using one at work and because I will need a large industrial refiner to match demand. I would love to ask you fine people. What's a good industrial refining machine?
I totally agree with susan. I loved the course myself Jeff.
By the way Pam williams was awarded the FCIA outstanding service to the industry this year
