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Hi, It does allow you to inhibit fat migration in your bonbons, if you have a gianduja bonbon, for example. Best

Hello, The best way I think to reconstitute a ganache is to burr mix the hell out of it, after warming it up, of course. Why not just make the entire line of truffles and then freeze the extra OR calculate your needs and make the necessary amount? Hopes it helps.

Hello, You can use powdered soy lecithin to inhibit fat migration in chocolate bonbons. Best!

Okay....it's a broad brushed statement...fair enough. Congrats Bill! I am still amazed that a year later after taking this class we are both starting our stores, crossing paths, giving each other advice, and sharing stories....it's pretty stressful and amazing with all the twists and turns. I can't wait to see your shop on Monday and training to launch another line of confections at Notter's!

http://www.dryiceinfo.com/ControlTempPack.htm I have shipped using them and know people who do, with no problems thus far. For shipping price, you can do a generic 'quick qoute' on the fedex website. You put in the zip codes and the weight of the box and then it lists all the different options and costs. Plus if you create an account with fedex you get a discount on shipping. Hopes that helps.

We had to put in a 100 gallon grease trap underneath our 3 compartment sink. According to my utility company, if you are putting anything else besides water and soap down your drains, you need one. Be very sure that they are looking for an under the sink trap, NOT something like a 1000 gallon trap that has to be put outside....then you are looking at 5,000.00 plus...at least in North Florida.

Hello, We did it a week ago with a couple hundred PBJ's, all we did was put them on a full sheet pan, wrap them in cling film tightly and straight into the freezer...no special bags, vacuum, etc. Took them out and put them in the low boy over night and took them out the next morning...taste like heaven...so...go figure....

I do a mix of enrobed and molded pieces, and the ratio is still working itself out. I won't be storing chocolate there much, if at all, since I'm just making to order and not maintaining a stock. One of the challenges of working in a space that's not just mine is how to manage air-drying/crusting times. Ultimately, I'm going to investigate getting some sort of enclosed cabinet that I can use for that (like this one, although that's really much bigger than I need), but for now I'll just be managing my work times around their schedule. Fortunately, they are closed on Sundays, so I can leave things out overnight on Saturday. Anyone have any thoughts on whether using a fan would help speed up this process? Although I expect that sometimes I'll have to "cheat" and use the refrigerator. ← You're NOT cheating by using the frig. That's a myth.

Hello, NO SHAME WHATSOEVER! I think that it's great to want to be a 'French Pastry Chef,' if by that you mean an unqualified commitment to great products, flawless technique, a wonderful palette, and making things that first and foremost TASTE GOOD! As for as books to read, I would go ready 'A Meal Observed' about a reporter's dinner at a Michelin 3 Star, that has an intern working in the pastry kitchen after writing to all the best French restaurants, so it's possible. Another thing, think very seriously before laying down the $$$ to go to school, look around your area to see if you can work for free to see what the Life is all about. But if you do, look into the French Pastry School OR Notter School which I think would work well for you, if you wanted to take that kind of leap, plus they are around 15k less than where I went to school. Do not fall into the trap that you have to go to school, it is nice, but NOTHING beats working in a real kitchen AND having true passion. Not all the French are jerks, etc, etc...some are...but then again, so are Americans, Germans, Japanese, South Africans....that's a human thing, not a 'french' one. As a matter of fact, spent last week working very closely with one of the best french pastry chefs in the states, and it was one of the most pleasant and wonderful experiences of my own pastry career....so there you go, just another perspective. Good Luck!

Also, look at Paris Gourmet. They have alot of distributors throughout the states, such as Rader Foods in Miami, which offers great pricing on shipping.

Hello, I would agree with www.qzina.com Also, Swiss Chalet, which distributes Felchlin, the good swiss chocolate brand. Chocosphere has a wholesale pricing list, so if you are in business, let them know that you are before you buy, but they have a $250 minimum order for wholesale pricing. Now, it has to be stated that the more than you buy, i.e. the larger your order is, the better pricing you will get, period. If you don't, then you need to go somewhere else. I am starting my own company and hope that by next year I will be able to order by pallet. That is nearly a ton of chocolate, but the pricing it sometimes 40% less than what other people sell for wholesale. Good luck to everyone!

Hello! I would try to get their fedex # or something, so that it becomes very clear cut. I wouldn't merge the costs together, but keep them apart, at least that is what we are thinking about doing. I think that having to cover the shipping, isn't fair, since they are probably paying you net 30 or 45....

It's not really thickness so much as hardness. Don't cut with your 'bottom' on top, i.e. the side with your chocolate pre-coat. Another major thing is that the excess chocolate from your pre-coating should be removed from the edges of your slab, because this is what is more likely to break your strings, than the ganache itself. As for height, 15mm, which is slightly over .5 inches high is a good height, doing more than that I think it kind of pointless and perhaps hard to eat....don't want people to have to have their mouths gapping to eat a piece of chocolate.

Hello, I went to the previous class of Andrew Schotts and want to hear about the one that just took place at Notter. I hope a fellow egullet member went and is willing to share!!!

Hello, I agree that JBPrince is a GREAT place to see things that you might hear or read about in person. Another place you might want to check out is Kitchen Arts and Letters on Lexington Avenue, near 96 st. They have the best selection of cookbooks I have ever seen and the staff are very experienced and well informed about the culinary world in NYC and beyond. Have fun! FCI is my alma-mater!