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Chocolot

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Everything posted by Chocolot

  1. CHEWY COCONUT CENTERS 1/2 cup light corn syrup 12 large marshmallows 1 3/4 cups coconut 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon almond extract In a heavy 2-quart pot, combine corn syrup and marshmallows. Place over medium heat and stir until marshmallows are melted. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Butter hands and shape into small ovals. Flatten slightly and dip in tempered chocolate. Makes about 50 pieces.
  2. Can these transfer sheets only be used on magnetic molds?
  3. My link How about this one? I have one but haven't played yet.
  4. I agree with you Sebastian, but a thermometer tells you how much water is left. If you end with the same temp, it should be the same amount of moisture, shouldn't it?
  5. I can't tell you why, only that it happens:-) I can make batch after batch of a particular candy, and each batch is a little different. Maybe the room is a bit warmer as you continue to cook, maybe you measured something slightly different. I once made 6 batches of pulled buttermints, one after the other. I had people here to pull them. Each batch crystallized a little differently. I'm sure there is a great scientific reason for it, but just be grateful the toffee didn't separate and enjoy it:-)
  6. Toffee tends to "tenderize" after a few days. It is only crisp for a while. Maybe the one batch is just faster?:-) It doesn't really soften like with moisture, but it becomes less brittle. The bite is less hard. I don't think I am making much sense!
  7. Thanks everyone. Today is much smoother:-)Tempering itself is challenging as is adjusting an enrober. Combine them and it is enough to keep this old lady awake at night!
  8. Those are absolutely beautiful!!
  9. I got my new Perfect enrober yesterday and within 5 hours of it arriving, I was enrobing:-) It was cinnamon bears, but I was still enrobing!! I figured they were a cheap item to practice on. My question for you experience enrobers--As it comes off the belt to the paper, it is leaving a small chocolate tail. It doesn't seem to matter the speed or how much chocolate is blown off. What am I doing or not doing?
  10. Kerry--you are amazing!
  11. I think we all have similar issues. One thing I have started doing is putting a "foot" on the top and bottom. This way, it tends to hold the caramel a little bit more square while waiting its turn to be dipped. I also use untempered chocolate so that it stays on a little better.
  12. The knives are capable of cutting all the way through. It sort of depends on how well I have cooked them:-) I let them stand at least one day (for some reason they seem to cut cleaner if I do that). I cut them on a self-healing mat. If I had more arm strength, it wouldn't be a problem. I usually put a chocolate foot on the slab of caramel and cut away. If you rock the cutter back and forth, it will cut all the way through. Start in the center and work out to the edges or you will roll up the strips as you cut. A word of caution--the knives are fairly sharp and the handle very heavy. Be careful that it doesn't fall onto your foot, or the floor. I bought my first knife used and it came with 4 inch blades. Before I got it, it had been dropped and the blades had dents in them. I took them to a knife sharpener and he took out the dents but told me not to come back with them again:-)
  13. They offer 3/4, 1/2 and 1/8 inch washers. You can combine as needed. I have also used SS washers to get a closer size. I use the 6 inch blades so the caramel doesn't creep as much.
  14. Sounds like we make about the same size batch:-) I have a jib crane that we can use if only 2 of us. I prefer to have 3 people. Like you, two lift and pour, and one (me) spreads. We line up 6 full sized sheet pans, cover with dry roasted almonds and pour and spread.(they just walk down either side of the tables). Top with dark chocolate and a sprinkle of fleur de sel. When not using the nuts, we pour into sheet pans, spread and score. I have hand dipped and then rolled in chopped nuts, but that is too time consuming. I just got word that my enrober is being shipped! I will then have a whole new set of questions:-) BTW, my husband splattered some hot toffee on his wrist. He will have the scars forever. The important part is he didn't drop the kettle:-)
  15. Most toffee recipes are for equal amounts of butter and sugar. I was just saying that I make rather large batches and it works to score it that way.
  16. RobertM has the right idea. Pour your batch on sheet pans--marble cools it too fast. Use a roller knife or if you are really fast, use a pizza wheel. Score the cooling toffee. When it is cooled, it will snap on the score marks. If you mark it too soon, the lines will fill in again. To prevent this, you can sift cocoa powder on the slab before scoring. The cocoa settles in the marks and lets it snap on the line. I do 12# of butter and 12# of sugar batches all the time. I usually pour onto course almonds and cover the toffee with chocolate and fine almonds and break apart. If I am going to enrobe, I score and snap.
  17. Sure don't have all the answers, but a Callebaut Ambassador told me to just go to Home Depot and buy an oil-less compressor and put a moisture filter on it. I bought one for about $150. It puts out more air than I will ever use. The small compressors only allow you to spray one or two molds at a time. With mine, I can spray all day. I change the moisture filter when the color of the beads change. It is noisy, but I usually turn it on and walk away. When I go to use it, it is full and it rarely comes back on while I am working. I also keep ear protection within reach. I might add that I look smashing when spraying---hairnet, ear head gear, apron, gloves, and mask:-) I was prepared to buy a very expensive compressor from Chef Rubber, when I was told to do it this way. It might not be totally legal, but I have not had any problems. Harbor Freight stuff is all made in China. Some of it is better than others. Their airbrush kit is very good. $10 and you get 5 bottles and 5 lids that exchange with Badger, with a quick-change gun. Good luck.
  18. I just made some with the pressure cooker technique. It is a lovely dark brown color, similar to peanut butter. The texture is very firm, like stiff peanut butter. Is this correct? What do I do with it now? It is really good eaten with a spoon with a sprinkle of grey salt:-)
  19. Honey should work.
  20. No direct answer, but a business man I highly respect once told me to NEVER go into a space that has failed in the past. He said your chances of failing also increase.
  21. You can also use a needle, like a darning needle to make the cuts. It leaves a very small, clean cut.
  22. Don't know where you are coming from, but there is a Chuck-a rama in St. George.
  23. They sell them in Moab, Darienne, you just didn't go to those places:-) A little north of I70 in Santaquin, is the Family Tree. They have huge ones they call Elephant Ears. For those not familiar with "our" version, it is simply fried bread dough. Similar to Navajo fry bread, but not cooked in lard (hopefully). Most places that serve breakfast will have them. Slather on some honey butter and you have your heart attack just waiting. Johanna's has good ones, too, but it is in the Salt Lake Valley and too far from I70.
  24. Steve and Katie are really nice people. I have known them for several years. The show doesn't teach much, but it is nice to see some of the work they produce. Their shop has been VERY busy since the show has aired.
  25. Bring this older topic up again. I have been looking at a Perfect. Anyone have new information about reasonably priced enrobers?
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