Lior

How about to Israel? I put this demo link on our local chocolate forum. I just loved the demo. Now I want togo check out the site. I hope that packaging that was talked about is also there!

There is an online video at callebaut's site - on decorations of all sorts. If you can't find it, let me know.

Yes!! Chocolate Line was nice! And yes, Bruges is lovely! I remember Markt and Burg squares perhaps I missed the one you mentioned 0ooof!

Well if modern day chocolate making is what interests you, comeon over for a free demo and tasting!! I spent at least 2 hours there as I am fascinated by history-esp chocolate!! My site will be up soon and more pics. How funny that you were just there!!!! Isn't Bruges lovely?

Hi. You need to freeze your marble or stainless steel somehow. The you take tempered choc and with a hand - made piping bag- a small one - you need to pipe circles of chocolate - in the overall shape of a triangle. The triangle is flat one dimensional as though drawn, not wrapped around or anything. Imagine a flat triangle made of lots of chocolate circles of uneven sizes. Then with a "shpuchktel" (sorry that is probably not English!!) - a triangle shaped scraper/knife thatwe use with chocolate- it has a handle- you quickly scrape it up and very fast roll it into a cone/horn shape. It should stick together and here and there you can use a touch of chocolate as glue. I think it was a bit overlapped at the join-but I cannot remember clearly. I will look for a picture - I think it is in his decorating book and I will scan it as soon as I can.

Well I am usually over in the pastry forum but I figured this was the proper place to post my photos of the choco-story chocolate museum.. Here is the museum in Bruges, Belgium, which is a lovely place, and known as the Venezia of Belgium. This is an ancient metate, used for grinding roasted cacao beans into a paste, which was then made into a frothy often spicy drink for the royalty of the mesoamerican natives, such as the Maya and Aztecs. another metate, probably an ornament A statue of a Mayan woman grinding cacoa beans An ancient piggy bank holding cacao beans, a form of currency for the Maya A cocoa pot. Air blown through the pipe creates froth or foam in the cocoa stage 1 and 2 for making the drink stage 3: stage 4 and 5. A Belgium girl,Youlin, spent the day learning about the history of their nation's love for chocolate. Stage 4 consists of pouring the drink back and forth froma height to create more froth. Stage 5 consists of using a molinillo to create even more froth! Chocolate drink became very popular in Europe Her service for drinking chocolate more chocolate pots Hope you enjoyed!!

hello. I will email the school and ask about the fork. You guys are sooo observant! I wonder what else I missed out on there in front of my eyes! So here is more: These are decorations also done on the ice tray. It was amazing how quickly his hands worked and all the creative ideas!! Sorry for messy photography-I could not keep up. I think I forgot to use the flash! Here cigar making is being demonstrated: The lovely cigars: My cigars I need practice... various decorating methods covered: a quick peak. On the far side of the table you can see the chocolate path" which is part of the cigar making process Correct placement of slabbed ganache- prevent as much waste as possible: Note the decorations techniques on the slabbed ganache after being dipped: My homely attempts: Well I hope it was interesting. I will post some pictures of my visit to the Choco-story museum in Bruges, but I guess that should go into the Food traditions and Culture forum...

Hmmm good point. I guess a breathing mask would help?

So, to be continued (in between so many things of the day!!) We worked on hollow figures, using some decorating techniques, such as colored cocoa butter, dust and finger painting. It is important that the chocolate is not too thin -viscious is better for bigger and hollow moulds: and to see the set up of the room: We then went through some decorating ideas, some of which were done on an ice cold special stainless steel tray that had to be scraped clean of the ice dust in between uses. The milk choc string or hair was done on the ice tray

Ok, thanks for the airbrush info. Perhaps thru ebay UK I can find 220V. I amglad you like the pics from my course-thanks!

Hello! Well I am making a career change and I am even older than you!! I suggest you take a good course. If you are in Europe then there are plenty of fantastic options. There is a great school in Switzerland and of course in many other places. Do it fast, it took me 6 years to decide and I regret the time lost!!

Okay, I have a few minutes so I will continue! Here you see the surface tension being used: next step: http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/11939213..._4944_30835.jpg next: notice that the bonbons are placed(for right handers) from the far side of the sheet in order not to drip on completed ones while working. Also, as the bonbon is placed you should give it a tiny push forwards so it won't show a little foot if there is one, it would sit on top of the foot instead. Disconnect by swiftly moving the fork sideways along the bottom edge ofthe placed bonbon-so no fork points will be left on the bonbon from disconnecting. Incorrect things- placing on the near edge of sheet, leaving a smudge, foot etc

Well I hope this works and is interesting and helpful... These are the Mol d'Art 12 kg melters that we worked with. I bought 2 6kg ones the day after the course, packed them in my suitcase and flew home-no shipping cost or taxes!!! Our class. I am next to my new friend, from Brasil, for placement purposes, she is the Japanese girl and I am on her right. Dipping technique1 -placing the bonbon face up in a very full bowl of chocolate. You then knock on it gently a few times with the other end of a dipping fork, in order to submerge it to the correct depth. Using surface tension, move the bonbon up and down till all the chocolate is pulled off by the surface tension of the chocolate in the bowl. I will post more later on as I am out of space!

Thank you! Now I have to choose which one to try!

I enjoyed your post! Where can I get that statue?!!!

Oh! Sounds good. I need 220V, but perhaps I can find it on ebay. I asume yours is 110? I didn't post anything about my course because there is a thread on it and I did not want to repeat or bore... And my photography is not too great. But I will be happy to post if you still want. Thanks for the info!

Thanks!!

Hello. Does anyone have a fantastic choc spread recipe? I know Wybauw has one-page 228 I think. Did anyone make it? If so, did you use tempered chocolate or just melted choc? I was thinking of his fat based one with just PRA and dark choc. I am looking to cut down on the sweetness of nutella and of course, one that uses great dark choc. Okay, so thanks!

Thanks all and Patrick-that was good reading. I will continue my search!

exactly. I know the pub med site, but the accessible and understandable ones are those of Nestle and Mars. I prefer looking at research that is removed from chocoalte companies having research done-even if the results are honest etc. I got some info from Mort Rosenblum's book-A Bittersweet Saga .... SO if anyone else has some leads- I would appreciate it! Thanks to all for their input anyway!

Hi. Is there anyone who can refer me to research or studies done on the chocolate-health connection? I am interested in research conducted by universities/scientists independent to Mars or Nestle, for example. Thanks!

Hello. Well I reheated it and it seems improved tho not 100% there still are small flat tiny things. I don't know whether it is confectioners sugar, cocoa butter or pnut little crusty pieces... But it is better and when it cools down enough I will check it again! Thanks

Thanks, will try- and let you know. It will be soonish!

Hi. I made the peanut butter cups from Greweling's book-Pg 363. I made one batch with Pnut butter and one batch with almond butter instead of pnut. My problem is that I had it sitting in a fridge for just over a month- never mind why... and now it is slighty grainy. Is this the crystalization of the confectioners sugar? Is there a way to de-crystalize if this is the reason? What else could it be? Do you think it is okay to use? It has only pnut/almond butter, conf sugar and cocoa butter in it. Thanks!

Sounds divine! I will reread the instructions carefully amd make it in two weeks. Thanks!!!