pastrygirl

If your sauce is still a sauce then there's still water in it, probably doesn't matter whether it's from tomatoes or butter. I don't think there's much tradition of clarified butter in Italian cuisine. The hot areas use olive oil.

Haven't tried either sosa product but maybe use sour cream instead of sweet cream? And a little lemon or lime. Or how about buttermilk powder? https://www.myspicesage.com/products/buttermilk-powder?variant=31865078906941

I think I still have some of these at work. If so, I can send you some if you like. https://kitchendance.com/products/6-heavyweight-foil-mini-pie-pan-deep-677

Either milk solids or fat crystals. Or salt, if you used salted butter. Gritty while cold, warm, or both? Did you strain it?

add a bit of vanilla, rum, lime zest, or caramel

Is that larger than the standard size? How big are the cavities?

Murray's Cheese in NY carries Cashel, so it stands to reason that local Kroger/QFC stores with Murray's cheeses may carry it but no promises (I don't usually shop there and different stores may have different selections). Have you looked at Met Market? https://www.murrayscheese.com/dp/grubb-family-cashel-blue Or maybe here for Cabrales? https://parismadridgrocery.com/

I used to love that stuff!

gremlins? conversely, sometimes those last few that seem really stuck come out perfectly 🤷‍♀️

Hi and welcome Phil! Yes those back-to-back-to-back PNW atmospheric rivers have been super gross. I agree with Jim that 'repeatedly working' the stamp may not be helping. Cocoa butter doesn't like to be messed with too much once its in the mold. I also think you may be working too cold, and chilling too often. Unless it's summer and mid 70's in my kitchen, I only chill my bonbons after they've been filled to firm up the ganache before capping, and after capping for a few hours. 75F is not too warm for fillings, mine are routinely upper 80's. If you're airbrushing, the CB can be low 90's, as the cold air flow and agitation of being smacked against the cooler mold will temper it. Full disclosure, I don't take the temp of or formally temper my CB, I just microwave until melted, stick it in the fridge if I went overboard, shake it up, and use it at 'warm but not hot' when touching the bottle. I use Roxy & Rich pre-mixed colors.

USA chocolatiers, bakers, & pastry enthusiasts - for various reasons, I have a LOT of chocolate in stock, if anyone wants to try any of the following for Valentine's Day, I can break cases and sell by the lb or kg. Shipping is usually $8-10 for the first pound, less for subsequent pounds and less for slower methods than priority mail. If interested, message me with what you'd like and your address so I can calculate shipping. Valrhona passion fruit inspiration - I had to special order a case of 3 bags, picked up yesterday. $201 for a 3kg bag or $67/kg Valrhona raspberry inspiration - also s/o picked up yesterday. $222/3kg or $74/1kg TCHO chocolate - made in California, cases are 25 lb each. Pretty long shelf life, I'm not at work today but iirc its mostly or all good until 2027 https://tcho.com/collections/baking choco blanco - a vegan white made with oat and cashew. I only got 1 case of this but don't know how I'll use it all $14.75/lb choco charms 60.5% $10.55/lb choco combo 68% $10.86/lb hella dark 81% $12.30/lb thanks for looking

the syrup from amarena cherries is very flavorful https://toschiamarena.com/

@Jim D. are you of the 'heat gun before capping' school of thought, or nah? Maybe try whichever method you're not doing? 🙃

Here’s a cocoa butter curiosity- this bottle of gold cb had been on its side in the melter for a while, I turned the melter off overnight, this morning there is a solid layer with all the color and clear CB that has separated out and is liquid at 72f. Separation happens, but I’ve never seen CB liquid at room temp. What’s up with that? ill melt it down, shake it up, and assume its fine, but have I accidentally discovered form 7 of cocoa butter crystals? Or form zero since it’s not crystallized? 🤪

This doesn't happen to me to often, but it's a 'flaw' I let slide when it does. Couple thoughts: how spread out is your work flow? Same day shelling/filling/capping might help. If you concentrate the color on the top of the bonbon and let it fade out towards the bottom, the seepage won't be as obvious. And, I don't think you use cups, and cups are another step you might not want to add, but they would hide that bottom edge seepage.