Forum Activity for @KrummsKreations

KitchenAid Precise Heat Mixing Bowl

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

SO.

I do believe I've figured out how to actually temper with the not-so-precise precise heat mixing bowl. There's a 'chocolate' button on the bowl, but we've already decided it doesn't work the way that it should (since the bowl heats from the bottom and not around the bowl). So on the advice of you fine people here at Discover Chocolate, lol, I decided to play around with the settings to see if i could find something that works. I have, and I will share it with you just in case anyone wants to get one and doesn't want to go through the trials and tribulations of figuring it out   And hey - maybe someone will be doing a google search about it and find this post!

-Starting with a kilo of solid chocolate that has been chopped OR a kilo of chocolate drops/wafers -

1. Add 10% of chocolate to the mixing bowl and manually set the bowl to preheat to 135°F.

2. Melt 2/3 of the chocolate in the microwave.

At this point a some (if not most) of the chocolate in the bowl will have already melted. 

3. Add the chocolate that you melted in the microwave to the PHMB (<--- strong="">Precise H eat M ixing B owl) and set your mixer to stir.

4. Once the PHMB has completly melted all of the chocolate,  turn OFF the bowl as well as the mixer .  Check the temperature with a thermometer you trust.

5. When the bowl hits around 118° for dark, 110° for milk and white, add a handful of seed and wait for it to melt. 

6. One it has, turn the bowl back ON and set the temperature to about 95°F for dark chocolate and about 90°F for milk or white chocolate. 

7. Continue to add your seed chocolate,  a little bit  at a time. 

I've found it helps to be doing something else in the kitchen while youre doing this - haha.

8. Every time you add seed, wait for the temperature on the bowl to drop by...mayyyyybe, 2-3°, before adding the next bit of chocolate.

9. Once the bowl has hit the target temperature of 95° or 90°, check the temperature with your thermometer and (all fingers crossed) you should be in the right temperature zone for tempered chocolate (88-90 for dark and 84-86 for milk and white).

10. Stop the stirring, and only turn it on when the temperature (of the thermometer, not the bowl - because the bowl holds at the temperature you've set it to) of the chocolate (test the 'top' of the chocolate, since this is what cools first), dips below the range for the chocolate youve chosen to temper. The action of the stirring will....kick up, for lack of a better word, the warmer chocolate at the bottom of the bowl, and mix it in with the cooloer chocolate. Periodically stop stirring and check the temp with a thermometer to see if your back in range yet.

Now, I've tried the above method around 5 times, and each time it has worked for me. So HOPEFULLY, it can help someone else!!

Have fun and keep chocolating!!

-Lauren

updated by @KrummsKreations: 03/31/16 04:12:24PM

Bulk Chocolate Suppliers

Posted in: Opinion

Clay -

Im in love with your avatar haha.

I honestly have no idea what brand of chocolate I want to use. Something....not belgian? haha Maybe the question should've been "what's your favorite non-belgian, reasonably priced (on a start-up budget) chocolate"? Obviously, its opinion and what one person likes, I might not like, it just gives me something to think about and or research....ya dig?? hhahaa

As for chocoley, their website says 'Chocoley is crafted in the finest belgian traditon and proudly made in America". I don't know, the way they talk about their chocolate makes it sound like they made it.'

PS- do you know what I mean when I talk about that 'taste' I dont like in  belgian chocolate?  It's almost like an anise flavor....which I normally don't mind, I'll tear up a bag of black liccorice..but get it out of my chocolate lol

updated by @KrummsKreations: 03/28/16 03:58:02PM

Bulk Chocolate Suppliers

Posted in: Opinion

Not sure if this is the right place to post this question, so feel free to move it if necessary! 

I fully intend on starting a small confectionery business, and I'm looking for a good place to get the chocolate for said business.

I always used Chocoley for their compound coatings, because they were seriously, the best compound chocolate I ever put in my mouth But they also do couverture chocolate. I've already established a 'wholesale' relationship with Chocoley (www.chocoley.com)....air quotes around wholesale because even with the wholesale discount, its still pretty expensive. Plus they make belgian chocolate - and for milk chocolate....I'm really not a fan. Theres a taste in belgian chocolate I cant put my finger on, but (at least for me) it ruins  the taste of a good chocolate.

So I'm looking for a good chocolate supplier that I could use to supply the chocolate for my eventual business...what is your favorite bulk chocolate supplier?

Hi!

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Thank you,thank you!

KitchenAid Precise Heat Mixing Bowl

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

Has anyone invested in one of these?

There aren't many reviews out there, and 99% of questions/reviews I HAVE seen for it, haven't been in regards to tempering chocolate - but for all the other uses for the mixing bowl (proofing bread dough etc). So I'm curious to see if anyone has used it before and your thoughts on it.

I did go ahead and order one anyways because, its a MUCH easier way to temper chocolate vs t abliering and takes all the arm cramps out of seeding   Not to mention, cheaper than an actual tempering machine. I've had it about 2 weeks now and I do have a few questions about it, so if anyone has one and can share experiences that'd be great!

Thanks in advance!!

-Lauren

updated by @KrummsKreations: 03/27/16 06:01:16PM

Hi!

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hi!

Im Lauren, 29, from the East Coast US and I am a confectioner....of sorts

I'm currently a student at Ecole Chocolat, enrolled in the Professional Chocolatier Program and the Busuness Plan Program. I've been using confectoners coating for forever, but once I decided I wanted to make a business of it, I figured the best way to start a chocolate dipped confections business, was to learn how to use real   chocolate.

Thus far, the course has been very valuable to me...sure, I could've read books and watched videos and learned to temper chocolate without dropping $1200.00 to take the course, but in additon to learning to temper, i've learned much about the history and production, as well as the science of chocolate. I may have even found myself a business partner, which is fantastic . 

I'm super happy to have found TheChocolateLife and look forward to gaining knowledge, and learning from the active members of the site!