Thanks, Sue. I have had several custom molds created and will add you to my list of vendors. My thought on this particular one, however, was that because there are so many promotional companies using it, it may be a mold I can purchase.
I'm looking for a chocolate mold of a small shovel. I've seen the finished piece on numerous promotional item websites, but have looked through all the typical places I search for molds and am coming up with nothing. Anyone have any suggestions?
Clay, I'm in Mount Vernon, Iowa, which is near Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Not a very large metro area and not a lot of distributors. I get my couverture and many of my other ingredients from online sources.
Has anyone purchased bulk chocolate-covered nuts and chocolate-covered pretzels? If so, from where?
These are items I'd be willing to purchase for resale in my shop if I could find varieties that taste as good as the ones I'm currently making. I use Callebaut milk and white chocolates and Chocovic dark chocolate. I don't have a panner, so we do nut clusters.
As I'm gearing up for a move to a much larger facility, training new staff, and heading into the holidays, I need to focus my production resources on my best sellers and highest-profit items. Chocolate-covered nuts and pretzels are consistent sellers, but seem like a good place to save labor.
Yes, I have a pretty small shop--have two X3210s and a Rev 1. I googled it and it looks like I can buy a small amount.
Thanks, Clay and Sebastian. Clay, the Chocovision brings it to 108. I had her up the temp, and it finally melted, but she said it was "like Crisco--super thick and waxy." I asked her to add some cocoa butter, but she had already dumped it out of the machine.
Sebastian, I bought it from a chocolatier who worked out of her home. Have no idea how it was stored.
Where would I buy fluid lecithin?
I bought some white chocolate (Chocoley V125 Pure Indulgence) to help out another chocolatier who was leaving town. My employee just let me know that it isn't melting. It's been in our Chocovision X3210 for 40 minutes and has barely melted. Also tried it in our Rev 1, been going for 35 minutes and barely melting. Why wouldn't this melt?
Thanks, @ruth-atkinson-kendrick and @larry2. I, too, wipe wires between each cut, push the wire through thicker ganache and don't cut caramel. My husband also suggested a new policy of "you break it, you replace it." I had time today to replace all of the broken wires (12!) and as annoying as it was, it was actually good to be able to get some momentum and figure out a good system. When you only replace them on occasion, it's easy to forget the best way to do it. So I'm creating a manual, a policy and scheduling a training session. Larry, I think I will try the .8 wire.
I got a response (2, actually) from Dedy...which was ZERO help. They sent me the manual I already have, which has very little direction and no troubleshooting guidance. And they sent me very lengthy emails telling me about all their great equipment.
I have a Dedy guitar cutter that keeps breaking wires. I work full-time outside of my chocolate business, so I'm not there enough to know if my staff are doing something to cause it or not. Every one of my staff have broken them. I've contacted both Dedy and TCF, where I bought the cutter, to ask for troubleshooting advice, but thought I'd try here, too.
My husband, who often gets stuck repairing the strings when we're busy (he is a musician, and they are similar to actual guitar strings) thinks my staff is not cleaning the wires quickly enough and the buildup is causing resistance. I wipe down the wires after every pass, but I'm not sure all of my staff does the same.
They are also not immediately replacing some broken wires, which I think may be causing uneven pressure?
Some wires are breaking at the handle end (which comes down through the ganache last), some at the other end.
Wondering if the repaired wires are not all being wound in the same direction, or are not all consistently taut? Could the wire itself be weakened? I've had the cutter for several years and am still replacing with the original wire I received.
I've never found any detailed suggestions from Dedy or online about how to replace the wires or troubleshoot, so we've just been winging it.
Very frustrated. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I will be selling my small chocolate business, but I am unsure how to value it. I've read a lot online about selling and valuing businesses, but nothing seems similar enough to what I'm doing to serve as a good guide.
For equipment, packaging and fixtures, do I use the replacement cost? Or what I would be able to make if I had to liquidate? Seems like there should be value in coming into a business with stock and inventory in place.
Anyone been through this and have some pointers? One of my employees wants to buy the business; if that doesn't work, I have at least one other interested buyer. Right now I'm trying to get all my paperwork in order to present to a potential buyer, but obviously I also need a price.
Mickey Miller
I will be selling my small chocolate business, but I am unsure how to value it. I've read a lot online about selling and valuing businesses, but nothing seems similar enough to what I'm doing to serve as a good guide.
For equipment, packaging and fixtures, do I use the replacement cost? Or what I would be able to make if I had to liquidate? Seems like there should be value in coming into a business with stock and inventory in place.
Anyone been through this and have some pointers? One of my employees wants to buy the business; if that doesn't work, I have at least one other interested buyer. Right now I'm trying to get all my paperwork in order to present to a potential buyer, but obviously I also need a price.
Mickey Miller
Yes, because the appeal of this product is visual, I'm reluctant to put themin anything but a clear package.
What is the best coloring method to prevent or decrease color fade?
Im currently using oil-based colorings (Chefmaster and some Wilton) with white Callebaut couverture.
Until now, Ive only used small amounts of color for drizzle decorations on truffles. I have noticed a slight amount of color fade (especially with pink), but its not particularly noticeable, since there is so little of it.
Ive started doing solid chocolate lollipops with larger swaths of color. In particular, were doing some baby-themed pops (pink, blue, green, etc. filled in the deepest part of the mold, then completing the pop with dark, milk or white) that I want to sell through local hospital gift shops. Our test pops, however, are showing a significant amount of fade, just after a few days. They are currently packaged in cello bags.
Ive researched some other options like using a powdered colorant or colored cocoa butter. Could the cello bags be accelerating the fade? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Mickey Miller
Mount Vernon Confections
Mount Vernon, Iowa
