pastrygirl

Nice, COST stock price is up 5% today ...

Thats bigger than I though, I was under the impression it maxed out at 5 kg or less.

Don't know, but that's a good price and I do recommend Mol d' Art. I have the 6kg and 24 kg. The chocolate does take some attention to get and stay in temper in the melter, but all of the small tabletop tempering machines are so small, I think you can do more for less $$ with a melter and an EZ Temper.

I use KopyKake bags because that’s what my supplier has. Very minimal external seam.

@Bhukhhad serve pouring custard or whipped cream on the side. Creme anglaise can be kept cold in a thermos or in a bowl that is inside a larger bowl of ice.

You're only giving yourself a 33% profit margin, could be worse, but consider your other expenses. You've covered ingredients, packaging and labor. Now add in rent, utilities, insurance, advertising & promotion, vehicle expense, loss ... What is left out of that $2 for you to put in the bank and either re-invest in the business or keep for yourself to retire on? If you price the favors at $7, that's an extra dollar for YOU (hopefully 🤑) By the way, what exactly are the favors we're talking about? I'm assuming a 2 -4 piece box of bonbons. If you offer custom flavors or decorations, those consultations take time and should be considered in the cost.

How expensive are these boxes? If they're more than $1, charge accordingly Especially since you're not making a ton on the chocolate itself. If you charge $2 per piece, maybe the box cost becomes negligible. How low does the price go if you get 1000, or 3000? Yes, it's an investment and takes storage space, but if you plan to stay in business for 3-5 more years it might pay off to do a larger run.

I agree with you, less fuss and confusion if you only raise the price once.

It’s up to you if you want to make a profit or not ... there will always be clients who want a discount, but weddings are a time when people usually splurge. Maybe the question should be How high can you go? In your example does $4 include raw ingredients, packaging, and labor and you’re selling it for $6?

Never say never. I haven’t tried every type of protein on earth, and was taught to try something before dismissing it. Most things can probably be choked down with the right preparation ... though hakarl would be a challenge. There are things I don’t prefer and won’t cook for myself but will eat to be polite, such as beef, lamb, and crab.

Haha, nope! Well OK, the first few bites are good but I have my limit and it's low. Not dumb just a different POV.

Unfortunately, sometimes your son is a rapist. Do they have daughters?

Makes it easier to pick off the greasy part 😏

@SchiehallionHandmade is it going in and out of the fridge and getting condensation that would allow mold to grow?

Oh, maybe, I'd never heard of that, always fun to learn about different types of sweets ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablet_(confectionery) https://www.thespruceeats.com/traditional-home-made-scottish-tablet-435825 Even if it's softer than fudge I would think all that sugar would inhibit mold growth ... already way more than 50% sugar by weight then you cook most of the liquid off 🤔

No experience, but I thought fudge lasted forever. What are your tablets? Not solid chocolate bars?

I dropped my roller stones on the concrete floor and chipped a chunk from the edge of one wheel. Aside from a slight loss of efficiency, any reason why I can't still use it?

Melangers.com has this: https://www.melangers.com/collections/spare-parts/products/food-grade-2-part-high-strength-epoxy

what a nightmare!

Or this effect but 3D- dip in color then pipe around the shell then dip in sprinkles. Still a few steps but maybe less tedious? You could do a variety.

How about something like these from Savour School? Of course you don't want the point and maybe not the swirl, but ... Draw your primary colors on white chocolate then dip into the center so the colors go down the sides. A little more abstract but if your colors are bright it could work.

Can you paint the shells with colored cocoa butter instead of the two-step goo and sprinkles?

Basically sweetened fruit purée preserved with vinegar, kind of a syrup but less sweet. Makes a refreshing non-alcoholic drink when mixed with club soda. Use maybe an ounce of shrub per glass of soda. Can certainly be used with alcohol as well.

Thanks for the update! I’ll be interested to hear your experience with a high volume operation.