mostlylana

Sebastian, I hope you're still out there! I remembered this thread and have a question about viscocity and lecithin. I just received a new batch of Gepa chocolate (made by Weinrich I believe). I have their milk and white. It's a thick chocolate so I add 5% cocoa butter. Before it's tempered it is quite fluid (with the cocoa butter added). Looks great. Once I temper it, it is fine for about 30 minutes and then it starts to thicken until it looks like icing. This chocolate has always acted this way so I only use it for molding solids and I work fast! I really like this white chocolate - great flavour. I would like to do more with it. My supplier special ordered the white couverture for me and the best before date is well into the future - it is fresh. I read the ingredients and noticed that neither the milk or the white have lecithin added. Here's my question... would adding lecithin help if the chocolate starts out fluid - AND THEN thickens up? To give as much info as possible, here are the ingredients of the white chocolate: Organic Cocoa Butter Whole Milk Powder Organic Mascobado Wholecane Sugar (20%) Organic Raw Cane Sugar Organic Vanilla Cocoa Min. 32% Dairy 32% If anyone else knows a remedy to this mysterious thickening, I would love to hear it. Thanks!

I so wanted to post photos but I have a new computer you see... I couldn't figure how to get my photos on the computer, and then I couldn't figure how to shrink them without my photoshop program. And then, I gave up. Think sunglasses! So shiny!!

I had to post this right away. I had a Eureka! I have been experimenting with Easter Eggs and have been trying to get that mirror shine to my eggs. I reread this entire thread the other night as one attempt after the other seemed to be failing. I was getting shine but not mirror. I don't have my spray gun set up so all of my attempts were by hand. I polished the molds first, I rubber a thin layer of cocoa butter on (with my finger and with cotton wool - tried it tempered and just melted), I painted on a layer of cocoa butter thinned chocolate, I painted on a layer of regular chocolate, I painted on 2 and 3 layers of chocolate - no mirror. I took heart when I read that a few people got better results from clean molds - so I washed my molds. No mirror. The one result that became obvious was that painting a layer of chocolate in the mold first helped greatly with release marks. Because these egg molds have no design in them at all, release marks were an issue. Painting a layer first virtually eliminated them. While working on another egg experiment with piping, I noticed that the piping definitely had the mirror shine to it. I tried to think of what I had done differently and the only thing I could think of was I had piped in the lines the day before... I was now onto experiment number ??(something in the double digits!) so I didn't hold my breath. I painted 3 egg molds - 1 with 1 layer of tempered dark, 1 with 2 layers and 1 with 3 layers - and let them set at cool room temp. over night. Today I filled the molds and became the human spinning machine (they're double molds). After setting them in the fridge I let them come to room temp. before unmolding. Holy sparkles!!! All 3 are shining like crazy!! I don't think regular molding would be so fussy but double molding seems to come with an additional set of issues due to latent heat. Normally, I let my molds set at cool room temp. before putting them in the fridge. I can't do that with double molds. They need to have a fan and cool temperature or they will be out of temper inside the egg (I make the egg walls fairly thick so they're not fragile). I guess this latent heat was affecting the shine as well. If I paint on a layer of chocolate when shell molding, I can fill and dump the mold right after the painted layer has set and get a lovely shine. I'm just thrilled that I've figured it out with double molding! Wanted to share the victory.

Hi All, It seems when everything is flowing along, something happens to put a spoke in the wheels. My spoke in the wheels is a discontinuation of a stock box that I use. The minimum order for a special order is 5000 boxes. As I use this size the most infrequently - 5000 is too much! Unfortunately, I have 1 product that ONLY fits in this box. I'll paste a link to a smaller version of this box. The one I am looking for is the 3/4 lb. (7-1/2 x 4-1/4 x 1-7/8") in BROWN colour. Stock # FCBC3. If you've got some laying around and aren't using them - I'll take them! Or if you use them too and are interested in a special order - let me know! http://www.nashvillewraps.com/candy-boxes/candy-gift-boxes/sku-fcbc2.html

I'm interested in attending a trade show to see equipment and packaging options. For those who have attended both, which would you recommend - The Philadelphia Candy Show or the RCI show? Thanks!

Awesome! Thanks Kerry! I'm definitely going to try this one. Do you think that backing it with dark chocolate would work aesthetically? For sure it would make it a lot easier to remove from the mold. I'm just wondering if it would squeeze through the holes and mess up the 'lace'.

Here's a blast from your past Kerry! I was looking at this photo you snapped at a Brussels chocolate shop. The top heart looks as though it is stenciled (??) ...like it has holes in it like a doily. I imagine it is backed with dark chocolate and doesn't actually have holes in it... Does anyone know how this is done? It's so pretty.

I agree, 10% is a little high for what you're wanting to do. The most I ever add is 5% and that's to a pretty thick white chocolate. Start with 3% and see what that does. My guess is it will be enough. Another thought - perhaps you could raise the temperature of your chocolate to the higher end of the temper temperature range. Keep this in mind especially after dipping for awhile. Good luck!

bgood, thanks. I'm going to go to our Signature Liquor Store with the info you gave. They were willing to bring in a case of Marc de Bourgogne for me - and there are only 3 bottles per case. Maybe there will only be 3 bottles in a case of Marc de Champagne as well. If I get anywhere I'll let you know. Maybe we can split a case if they're willing to ship to the Cambie store!

Thank you so much the info. Yes, I think Marc de Bourgogne would be a great substitute as well. The only issue is that I would like 'Marc de Champagne' on the label. These truffles are a commercial venture. I looked up Distillerie Goyard and it looks as though they will ship. Having never brought alcohol into the country before I'm wondering how the legalities work. Anyone know? I'm in BC, Canada. I called our provincial liquor board and they said it is all above board although I will have to pay high taxes. But then he wasn't sure... Hmmmmmm...

Thanks! That's helpful. I'm going to see if I can order some Marc de Champagne from the liquor store so I can have 'just booze'.

Is what you have a Luxardo product? I see Qzina has Luxardo Pear Williams Baking Flavor in their catalogue as well as a few others. What makes it a 'baking flavor' I'm not quite sure?? I assumed it was a manufactured flavoring like artificial vanilla extract - but I just don't know...

Lana here from the Pastry and Baking forum! I have been searching to no avail for Marc de Champagne to make truffles. I am in Kamloops, BC and have called every liquor store in our area and several in Vancouver as well. It seems no-one has heard of this! I'm scratching my head as to where I might purchase a bottle. Any suggestions? I am happy to purchase online. The issue with a special order from a liquor store is I would need to bring in a case. That's a lot of truffles... I've also noticed a distinction between Vieux Marc de Champagne and Tres Vieux Marc de Champagne (Old and Very Old). Would the latter be stronger in flavour (and therefore better for truffle making...)? I would appreciate any help that's out there! Thank you!

Just got off the phone with Qzina. What they have is a baking flavour of Marc de Champagne in the 1 litre bottles (60% alcohol). Unfortunately not the real thing. They also told me they are discontinuing that and will only have the compound. I think I'll post in the 'Spirits and Cocktails' forum to see if anyone there knows where I can get my hands on a bottle of the real stuff. Boy it's elusive...

Woo Hoo! I'll call tomorrow. Thank you sooooo much! I kept calling liquor stores who hadn't even heard of it. That would be expensive! I'm looking to make a commercial product so I'll stick with Marc de Champagne. But maybe I'll add a little Champagne to say it's in there ??

Would they have the REAL Marc de Champagne or just the extract (flavouring)?

Hi All, I would like to try my hand at Champagne Truffles for New Year's. I have been trying to find Marc de Champagne to no avail. It seems I have called everywhere! I am in BC, Canada. Anyone know where I might find it? I'm happy to order it online if that's what it takes. I guess it's not widely used outside of making truffles!

The shelf life would be great with no water activity going on. I don't know if the end result could be called 'ganache' - but I think it would be good. You could infuse your oil with flavour as well. Let us know if you try it!

I have Wybauw's 2 other books - I'm wondering if this book gives enough additional info to merit purchasing it? Does he have recipes in this book too?

I guess the mold stands to reason if the ganache was unenrobed at room temp for over a week. But I just looked back at your recipe and it's got a high chocolate to cream ratio. And according to Wybauw, an aW of .84 should give a 3 month shelf life when enrobed. I guess it IS a head scratcher that it would be moldy after just over a week. Well I'm glad to hear that BOTH ganache were moldy. At least the experiment gave some useful results! Too bad you couldn't enjoy those results though... yuck! Thanks for being so helpful Kerry. I will definitely play around with freezing cream for ganache.

Yup, I'll remind you in a week. I love this part of making chocolates! I think I need that toy too... Kerry, it looks like time got away from me a bit. Well it's been just over a week... time for another aW test! (drum roll please...)

Yes I do have it! I'll check it out... Thanks again

To be honest - I had never heard of frappe. I'm not a coffee person and I'm assuming it's a coffee thing?? Can you tell me what it is? ...what the ingredients are? I looked at the ingredients list on the Maison du Chocolat website. None of the ingredients Wybauw listed in his frappe recipes were listed... This mousse ganache didn't have quite the same texture as a butter ganache. It was very light and airy. Actually, I have whipped some ganache and these mousse ganache seemed different than that. I wish I could peek into their workshops! I'm sure it's not a big secret as many of them do it over there. I guess the key is to do it while maintaining the stability of the ganache. Wow, that sounds exactly like Wybauw's description. Thanks for sharing that. I bought several of La Maison du Chocolat's mousse ganache. They are all still doing well and that was a week ago. I think I'll leave one out for a few weeks and see how it holds up...

I have just returned from Paris. While there I had a chance to try chocolates from all of the big french producers. What I noticed is that several of these producers offer mousse ganache. La Maison du Chocolat, in particular, offers several flavours in this format. Patrick Rogers had a salted butter caramel mousse that was unbelievably good. Having never tried mousse ganache here in North America I was intrigued. I LOVE the soft texture. I checked out good 'ole Wybauw and sure enough he talks about it. Check out p. 37 in Fine Chocolates 2 - Great Ganache Experience. He mentions that air can be added by whipping the fully cooled ganache but this method will result in significantly reduced shelf life and can cause dryness. The better method, he says, is to mix the ganache with a 'frappe'. He includes some recipes for frappes for those of us who don't have access to a prepared product. Has anyone tried either of these methods? What were the results? I am unsure as to how to proceed using a frappe. He doesn't go into much detail... I'm hoping someone has something to say!

Yup, I'll remind you in a week. I love this part of making chocolates! I think I need that toy too...