Desiderio

I usually do that , when I need to work for more days in a row.My basement is pretty cold , so I need to keep it higher , because it doesnt melt that easy down there ( I keep a little eletric heater next to it ).It works pretty well and speed the process quite nicely.

Yes no transformer only a plug adaptor.

They are adapted for 110 and I am using an adaptor.Unfortunally I thought they would send me one with the american plug but , oh well. Adaptor works fine , I founf one at wal mart.

Bellissimo!!Great great job

Hi Jaycel and welcome on egullet. Actually Andrew Shotts is present on this forum form time to time.We were discussing his book and he was soo kind to interviene ( sp ?) .I found the fact that on this forum you can talk directly with the authors of the books you are reading ,very very unique and amazing. Well I am waiting to see some pictures as well.We have few thread on classes with Wybauw , I think the most recent one is the one David J. (?)posted . About the double layered ganache etc, you will find on this forum some interesting thing as well .We experiment a lot and try new things that we usually share.I think the level of skills here is quite high ,since we have several professional sharing the forum as well. Good to have you on board

I sure cant wait, I hope it will be soon, I would love to use some if his coverture for some of my production, make a special line just with Amano chocolate and been italian Amano , you got to love it

Usually I only beat it for 10 minutes in the electric mixer, and the consistency is sticky , still pourable but you need to work fast .I am sure if you sue just corn syrup or glucose it should work just fine.

Yes Robert, Art actually post here as well and we are all expecting to try his chocolate very soon ( I am already on his mail list :-P).

I dont have words for those hearts, simply spectacular!

Hi Jeff, I dont have experience with that company, the boxes looks very cute though. I have one site where I have been buying favor boxes and I was pleased with them.They can print up to 4 line of whatever you want , included in the boxes price. https://www.partybasics.com/invsnmore/home....Cart)?OpenAgent Congratulation on the Wedding

Ahh some more things to do for the business part.I talked to the owner of the store and asked her some tips , since she cook and sell stuff there as well.About labeling, she told me to go to the dept. of agricolture ( here in COlorado )and they have all the info on labeling and requirements etc.Also she told me that a sample of my products needs to be send to them for a shelf life testing, you can actually start selling before that , but still need to do the tasting , then they will get back to you with the results. You can print you own label out of the computer on sticker etc.you are not require ( here in COlorado at least ) to put the nutrition fact unless your production is over a certain number ( cant remeber , but is high number of unit per year ).

I have the same problem in my basement , its extremely cold and the chocolate takes forever to melt and I need to keep the temperature little bit higher than I would upstairs.One day I needed the chocolate melted faster so I just melted on a double boiler ( it was fast ) and then transfer it to the melter keep stirring and set up to the working temperature ( 32/31 for the dark ).How long , it depends on how cold is you kitchen ,like Kerry said you can alwasy use a hot air gun ( I used a hair dryer , for a while ), to expedited the process of melting .The only thing will be do a testing melting so you know what to expect when you start your real production.I am sure this will work great for you , I founf that since I use the melter my work is so much easier . Buon Lavoro

Yes I think I really need to try your recipe Michelle , it sounds so lemony and yummy , my thing Thank you for the recipes.

I do exactley the same.I just put the chocolate in the mol d'art and let it melt to a certain point , then stirr stirr stirr and the chocolate is always in temper ,I dont use a termometer anymore since I bought the melter.It works beautifully and it saves me so much time on the production, I simply love it , I think I am going to buy the 12 kg soon ( I have the 6 kg ), so I can use the 6 for milk and the 12 for dark.

Frogs and mices are bigger than regular truffles/chocolates right?And probably little more challenging to make ( not for you :-P )but they do require more time I guess? Anyway one thing I am doing is to go online and check as many chocolate place as you can , there are so many around , something for everyone , every taste every pocket.You can find what is closer to your production line and packagin style, and compare prices. I think I have found a kitchen , wich is kinda too expensive for me at this moment, so I am still looking around, but the place in question sells only stuff made in Colorado and they are very very ecxited to carry my chocolates ,so now I am out hunting for more kitchens ( not too many here :-( ) I wish I had the money to make my own lab down in the basement, its possible to do it , it will just cost , well maybe later one who knows

I think you should have some of your potential customers, try some " samplers" , thats the best way for me to let people know my products.Usually I have a friend of mine that does that pretty well, I call her my marketing lady, because every single person she contact with some of my stuff end up ordering ( also large amounts).For the price , you need to do a little math on what are your expenses , befcause you need to be able to cover that first, your time as well.If this is your first time , do a calculation of all the things you buy ( keep recipits etc) .Boxes and packaging are expensive , unfortunally I am discovering that most perople , not in the field, doesnt have a clue of how much a box can cost. You can order few molds online and they should be there in time , if you ordered now. Strawberry puree and withe chocolate sounds great for me as well, like Kerry said mabe a dash of liquor, I would go with a little bit of chambord ( raspberry liquor) or if you want to go little bit more valentine spirit, you can use some champagne or champagne extract in combination with the strawberry. You can find some color ( need to be oil based ) at your local craft store, usually Wilton brand is the only available.With that you can color the white chocolate to make the decoration inside the mold before you pour chocolate inside. Good Luck.

Mark, I am at work at this moment, I will check the book for temperatures when I get back home.

I second David on the chocolate shells , I did those with Wybauw recipe and they came very nice at the first try .

Just and idea , sorry I dont use blow torch so cant be too sure about it. It is possible that you are keeping the blow torch too close without rotating the rameken , keeping the flame in the same spot for too long? I think I recall one Alton Brown episode on creme brulee and he used the blow torch in that matter, in one hand the rameken ( with glove on that hand of course) and as he was caramelising the sugar he was roatating the remeken in his hand at a certain angle.Ahh as usually my explanations arent too clear, well hopefully soemone will pitch in soon.Good luck.

Thank you John and Anna. Anna ,I use chefrubber colors, the green x is made with a paint brush , I just like to try things , its the artist in me I guess .

Some of the chocolates a friend of mine ordered.The production has just started

Anna , I think your caramel filled chocolates look scrumptios ( sp?), my caramel is lighter and more liquid on purpose, I usually use darker and firmer , depends on what I need to do.Those frogs are soo cute and well made, I can tell who lend you the mold, lucky woman!!!

When I made chocolate Rugelach I used the same recipe for the regular ones with apricot jelly,I used raspberry jelly and chocolate chips , cinnamon sugar and finely ground walnuts.They came out pretty good.

Great Job!!!! I can immagine the exciting feeling you got after you unmolded the chocolate4s!