RobertM

Is there a reason to use such a large HVLP spray gun as the Fuji?

I hope I won't get into copyright troubles but here is the information from Tomric on the use of colors... Color 101: These easy and ready to use colored cocoa butters, can be used in many different ways to color your chocolates or create your own confectionery designs. Use with a brush, airbrush or hand paint as shown below. Steps 1-4: Warm New World Chocolate Colored Cocoa Butters to 85 and 90 degrees farenheight. (Gold, white and purple.) Using finger, swipe gold in one direction inside each cavity of mold.Turn mold around and swipe using purple. Steps 5-8: Using airbrush, spray a thin coating of white into cavities. Create cavities using tempered chocolate.Fill cavities and insert roasted almond. Cap pieces and refrigerate until piece is able to be removed from mold. Made in the USA - FDA Approved colors Sorry the pictures did not copy/paste into the reply - if interested, follow this link: http://www.tomric.com/content.aspx?title=FeatureMore

I recently had the opportunity to meet the Tomric corporate Pastry Chef, Brian Donaghy who has produced some amazingly nice pieces of chocolate. In discussing his airbrushed pieces he uses a Badger 250 airbrush and an Iwata Smart Jet compressor. He sprays his colors at 92 degrees Farenheit. I notice most of you are using larger spary guns - such as John DePaula with a Fuji XT-2. Has anyone tried using the smaller units, such as the Badger? Also, everyone here seems to be coloring their own cocoa butter, but there are pre-colored butters available, has anyone tried using these pre-done colors? (Chef Rubber has some amazing colors). I'm seriously wanting to start practicing with spraying cocoa butters/chocolate - and really appreciate this entire topic in the forum. Just wondering what type of system to purchase - Brian was also showing a fun effect - spraying colored cocoa butter on COLD chocolate produces a texture almost like "flocking" - Brian was spraying some molded easter bunnies - and the effects of spraying on the cold chocolate was really interesting. Can't wait to try it - perhaps this weekend as DC is scheduled for some nasty weather -

My wife and I were in Cancun last October and the resort there had flavored tequilas. Each day they would put out fresh bottles of these different flavors. Some of them that I recall were Coconut, Hot Pepper, Pineapple, I believe there was a peach - they merely put the "flavor" in an empty bottle and filled it with tequila, let it steep for a week or two and then drink. Now, with that said, we just returned from the Dominican Republic where we discovered their island unique drink called Mama Juana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mama_Juana) which is a rum based drink. The makers fill an empty bottle with various branches, twigs, herbs, etc and then fill the bottle with a mixture of rum, red wine and honey. Allow it to steep and then drink. I did try this while in the islands, and while some people really loved it, I found it tasted like turpintine - But, in going along with the topic, it is a 'flavored' rum

I also live in Northern Virginia and decided not to put up with the mess that will be Inauguration Day - so, we are heading to and all inclusive in Punta Cana for the week - Someone else will be doing the cooking and I'll be holding a cold drink in hand while watching the surf ....

Chocolate covered strawberry's paired w/an excellent cabernet Last year my wife and I did a "chocolate tasting party" - for that, I made several varities of truffles and had different manufactured chocolates (white, milk and dark) around the dining room table for our guests to taste and compare. Different percentages of chocolate, single source chocolates - (hopefully you get the idea). I wanted to take it to a different level besides just "tasting" different chocolates. I made a three course menu of desserts made from (1) white chocolate (2) milk chocolate and (3) dark chocolate. We paired those up with different wines For exampe: White Chocolate Rounds of Mousse paired w/Jackson-Triggs (Vidal Icewine) Milk Chocolate Cheesecake paired w/Francis Ford Coppola Directors Cut (2005 Pinot Noir) Flourless Chocolate Cake (La Bete Noire) paired w/St. Francis ("Old Vines" Zinfindel 2004) & Fonseca (Porto Bin No. 27) We had a wonderful response, everyone enjoyed themselves, went home with a sugar buzz and a wine buzz - and besides, what a tremendous way to celebrate Valentines Day - I began a thread elsewhere on this years party -

Apologies, I'm trying to work and type at the same time and for some reason, it's just not working right It's the RETAIL Bakers Association. I've attended the RBA trade show several times and was amazed at the information presented. Granted, it's suppliers that are "showing" at the show, but there are seminars going on throughout and bottom line, the suppliers are there for us, if we fail, they fail, so our success if paramount to theirs. What a wonderful circle -

How about the American Bakers Association? http://www.americanbakers.org/calendar/AnnualConvention.htm and then there is Retyail Bakers Associatin: http://www.rbanet.com/ For dues paying members, they operate a "how to" web site for questions and answers and also provide assistance with different formulas.

Going along with this line of questioning, John and Kiras make ladybugs and bees with a molded chocolate http://www.johnandkiras.com/SHOP/Spring-Gifts Anyone have any ideas how they create this effect, especially in a production run?

I moved over to Callets a few years ago and when my supplier was sold out of the dark chocolate variety this past December, I had to move over to the blocks and cut/chop as before. Talk about a feeling like a walk back in time. I much prefer the Callets. I am paying $220.00 for a case (two 22# bags per case) so, that equates to about $5.00/pound. Maybe one day when my chocolate company takes off and I become the next Norman Love, I'll be able to afford a large 100# or higher chocolate melter - just put in the blocks let them melt and off you go...sort of

Count me in as a Caramel Junkie - and a newbie - although I've been lurking around the corner, reading and absorbing all your knowledge - I hope that I'll be able to contribute to your knowledge and fun as well. In the meantime, I'm that shadow over there in the corner... I have a very old confectionery book that calls for adding wheat flour to caramel - has anyone here ever heard of that? Or done it before? If so, what were your experiences? Bob

Last night we sat and reviewed our potential menu, making the semi-final decisions. We decided on the following for each course: 1 st Course: lime curd/citrus salad topped with white chocolate mousse 2nd Course: Milk Chocolate Tart with Gold Leaf 3rd Course: Dark Chocolate and Pomegranate Cake with Dark Chocolate ganache We have a friend who is a wine wholesaler here in the area. Tomorrow we present her with the menu for review and wine recommendations. Anyone interested in my keeping this thread going?

Thanks, but I'm all healed now and back to "normal" (as if anyone who works with molten sugar and chocolate is normal...) Best part of the story is, I went to my Dermatologist (same guy I've been going to for 30 years). I wanted a professionals opinion of the potential damage I was sure to suffer. He unwrapped my fingers, took one look at it and said "Eh - you'll be fine..." Oh - and that'll be $20.00 for the office visit... Meanwhile...back in the world of reality....

I have noticed the PC molds I use (and the ones I have run through the dishwasher) are becoming "cloudy" for lack of a better word and the ones that I hand wash with plain hot water still look like the day I purchased them. I'm planning on going to the Philadelphia National Candy Show on Sunday, if I can make it, I will stop by Tomric's booth and ask them the best way they recommend on cleaning their molds and then share it with the forum.

While it's been over a month since anyone posted here, I just saw this and (ashamedly) will add my own. I was making a large batch of Almond Toffee by myself without my helpers (1st mistake). I dumped the batch out onto the oiled marble slab, put my kettle back on my stove and began to spread this wonderful conglomeration of butter and sugar to it's proper thickness. Using my offset spatula I carefully began to move the liquid sugar into the corners and was momentarily distracted while my right hand was moving left to right and I ended up dragging three of my fingers through the 300+ degree of liquid sugar. The batch never got finished, and I ended up wearing gauze badages for the better part of a month or so while my hand healed. Luckily no scarring... But - that's my sad tale of woe for the day...

Actually, his name is Tim Burke - but, I don't think he'd mind of you called him Mr. Candy - If you're having difficulty finding different hard to find ingredients, give them a call, if they can help you, I'm sure they will, they are really nice and friendly people. They also sell a powdered cream that you can reconsitute to whatever fat % your formula's require - for years I used fresh cream with good results, but his powdered.... all I can say is Amazing - no expiration date, excellent product results, easy to use - Tim's the man...

Many Thanks - I was searching some books last night - and will (of course) add your suggestions to the pile to review - I think I created a monster with the first party, because our friends have been asking us for some time now when the next party will be. You can see my issue - I have to create something as memorable as the first... Thanks again Bob

Everyone: I am hosting a Chocolate Tasting Party on 2/14/2009. This will be my second CTP and I'm looking to anyone here for assistance in the menu. If I may explain: While I have different chocolates available for tasting (e.g. different % of dark chocolate from different manuf) the party itself is a "dessert" party, with three desserts and matching wines. one dessert of White Chocolate, one from Milk Chocolate and the third and last with Dark Chocolate. My previous party had a White Choc Rounds of Mousse with Raspberry Coulis paired with ice wines; Milk Chocolate Cheesecake with a delicious Pinot Noir and ending with a flourless chocolate cake and Port) This party I've already decided on a White Chocolate pudding with Citrus and a dark chocolate cake with pomegranite and cranberry jelly). Notice what's missing? The milk chocolate dessert - and so my friends, I turn to you - does anyone here have any suggestions for an amazing milk chocolate dessert? I'm trying to make them "different" from each other - notice pudding/cheesecake/flourless cake - Also - please note, I like to think I'm a more advanced pastry cook (no - won't use the word chef) than I probably am - Any ideas, recipes etc are greatly appreciated. Bless you all and a Happy New Year

I apologize for the tardiness in my posting - I always seem to be on the "back end" of discussions. I found 42DE Corn Syrup at my local Bakery Supply House in Baltimore Maryland, take a look around your area for Bakery supply and I'm sure they would have it. Of course, I buy in 50 pound pails, which may be excessive for your use. If I'm not mistaken, Karo Syrup is equivalent to 42DE, but don't take my word on that one until you try it or check it out further. But wait - there's more. If all else fails, contact Burke Candy - he carries a full line of confection based ingredients, he would be more than happy to help you out, he's an amazing guy and very friendly and very helpful. Just do a Google search for Burke Candy - you'll find him. Bless you for the input and output on the class - I've been wanting to attend that one for years...

Jaz - I've been making caramel corn for 30 years, having learned at the elbow of my grandfather - 'nuff of that. Instead of using roasted, salted nuts at the end of your cooking process, try adding the same volume of raw peanuts 1/2 through your cooking time. They'll still "sink" but they will all become mixed with the corn once you complete your cooking process, add the corn and stir

Hi - first time ever posting, so please bear with me. There are several machines available for what (I think) you're trying to accomplish. Hilliards makes a very good machine, very reliable, as does AMC. Hilliards has several different sizes to handle whatever load you're attempting to use. I also have looked at a unit by Design Realisation, in Canada, there equipment is designed (like Hilliards) to allow the end user to add on additional equipment as need and/or money allows. I hope this information helps -