Chocolot

Donna, I think probably keeping the consistency fluid enough would be the main issue. Remember JMA reheated in microwave.

A big thank you to Kerry! We just returned from a class in Vegas and she brought me MANY vacuum bags of her FD experiments. I'm excited to try them out. TSA searched my bag. Guess they don't like the look of mylar bags and jars of Canadian maple syrup:) Hey Kerry, that might be a good one to try!

I think you need another fat if you remove peanut butter. How about sunflower seed butter?

As Kerry suggested, you don't have enough corn syrup in the recipe. I would try it with double the amount (1 cup). Also, when you pour it out, are you scraping the pit? The scraping can set up a shear and cause the crystals to form. Let us know how it works.

Many foods can act as a preservative: sugar and salt to name two. Does that make them a preservative? I think not.

A question for all. Seems to me there are actually three different methods being discussed here: dry, moist and real wet. Dry is obvious, moist is what a lot would call the wet method ( sugar damp as wet sand), and then those that dissolve the sugar in water and cook it until is caramelizes. Have I misunderstood?

I am probably in the minority, but I just don't worry about the temp or temper. I actually want it on the warm side or I am reheating the gun constantly.Yesterday, we sprayed 70 molds with several colors each, using 8 colors. Non of them stuck. I set my dehydrator to 95 and let it go all night. In the morning, there will be a layer of melted butter on top. I give it a good shake and start spraying. If we are swiping the color, I am more careful.

Some colors take more heat than others. I would turn it to about 92-95. I have had butter floating on top, given it a shake and all is well. Don't over think it:)

Pretty sure it was Dulcey. I think it is a requirement to eat them straight out of the bag, road trip to not:)

Was the disc an oval shape? Sure sounds like Valrhona Dulcey to me:) Valrhona is French.

The now famous package of cream cheese. It was indeed a HR Miracle, thanks to Deryn and Matt! I took down 3 more boxes of cream cheese, but someone else will benefit from those. The small critters on the package are very interesting. Matt FD'd Black Forest Gummie Bears. They are really good. They are gelatin based. I had him do some cinnamon bears which are corn starch based. Those were a fail--just tasted like really old, stale ones. The Gummies are very light and airy. The fruit flavor really comes through. Thanks to HR, Deryn and Matt.

No need:) I'll take more down tomorrow. Enjoy it!

I have also baked white chocolate until brown, but it just isn't the same as Dulcey. Valrhona says that they came upon the idea by accidentally leaving wc in a bain marie overnight and that was the start. It has taken years to perfect it. It has a salty flavor that they say is natural--not added. It is very thin and difficult to enrobe with. The stuff I made was ok, but just not the smooth lovely stuff that Dulcey is. $12 a lb is a bit steep, but I only use it for one piece, so it doesn't break the bank. Let us know how your experiment goes.

Matt, Did you find my cream cheese? If so, I will be down Tuesday morning.

Good point!! I really didn't try it before FD. If I cook my own, I then become a meat processor and have a whole new set of regulations!

The bacon that I had Matt do was interesting. I bought pre-cooked bacon (health reg's). After FD, it was very crisp and the flavor very bland. I needed it to put on a maple ganache chocolate. It worked well for that, adding the look and the crunch. Didn't particularly taste like bacon, but worked for my purposes.

I too have used both methods. When I put the foot down first, I don't use warm chocolate, but let it cool to about 90F, untempered. I can get a thinner layer that way. I use freezer paper and spread on the plastic side. I use the same temp chocolate if putting it on after. I want to get a very thin layer on, so it doesn't break wires.

You better find it:) How did the cinnamon bears turn out?

I already make a pumpkin-caramel ganache. One of my favorites. I'm thinking of ideas to use FD cream cheese in chocolates. Cheesecake, obviously.

Perfect sells sections of the belt material. They also have instructions. You have damaged too many links to repair, IMHO. Looks like something got jammed.

I have some bent links in mine. I bought some extra belt material to fix, but I'm too chicken to try it! I figure bent is better than what I would do to it. I have used a rubber band in place of the detailer belt. Works fine. Good luck.

Thank so much. I'll probably be in sometime next week.

I question the use of amarena cherries. The ones I have are canned in a heavy syrup. The moisture from the cherries will adversely affect the fudge unless you are able to dry them out first.

What is your altitude?

Just wondering what kind of birthday surprise Anna has in mind for you today?