BritoJ

A few months ago I bought a 12kg MoldArt Melter, works perfectly, the issue that I have it is too big for my use, I tried to sell on Ebay with no luck if anyone here is interested pls let me know! I'm asking for $450, only used a few times for small batches!

any ideas on percentage of invert sugar or corn syrup? at the part in which chocolate is in contact with the candy it the crystallization is affected? Thanks for the help!!

So, the other day I made a condensed milk candy, basically condensed milk with butter and cocoa powder for chocolate flavor. Once i got the consistency that I was looking for (mid-hard), i let it cool and make it little squares (let it sit in room temperature) and dipped in milk chocolate, everything worked out fine at the start, the chocoate had a nice snap and the middle was great as well, the issue that came up was about 3 days later, it looked and tasted the same but at first I noticed a some texture of grindy sugar, once I took a look at the piece it looked normal but a thin layer in between the couverture and the middle (very thin, couldn’t really see it, but could fee with my finger) had gone grindy. I stored some of them in the fridge and some of them in room temperature and they both ended up the same. Can you think of anything that would make the thin layer turn into this grindy texture

Yes that's it, it is a bottle spray, I realize that I paid too much but I wanted to try it. How would you know the right temperature?

Hi All, I bought a can of PCB colored cocoa butter, I tried to use it but the chocolate got stuck to the mold, I read the direction and it told me to warm up the can before using it, so I tried that as well and the same result. How can I warm up the spray can and how do I know it is the right temperature???

Has anyone ever tried to have a chocolate party? I want to have friends and family over to try some of my recipes and get some feedback, I have been slowly developing some of my own creations and want to start spreading the word! Since I have never tried anything like this and my place is not very big I was thinking of having a open house, so everyone would be able to come by try all the chocolate and leave some feedback! My main goal is to get the word out as well as see if people like my chocolates. I have about 5 products ranging from truffles, to molded chocolates. Also I would make some score card, and a menu of course! Does anyone have suggestions, comments or input??? Thanks!

The biggest thing is to learn about chocolate on this experience! the chocolatier has never met me and if she brings up the topic, of course I will be listing but the main focus is to see the everyday routine and get more practice, and since she is opening her store to me I will try to learn everything that she wants to share.

Hi All, I have been able to get an internship with a chocolatier in her shop for 2 weeks and I wanted to ask you if you have an input on things that I should be looking for while I am there, what kind of questions I should ask, I am not sure if it is appropriate to start asking about the "books" I mean profit margin and those kind of things. Should I just stick with chocolate questions only? Also if you want to share how you started with chocolate that would be awesome as well!!!

I don't have a shop but I plan on someday having one, I find that everyone's input is great for someone like myself who works for an oil and gas company and at night in a restaurant so my goal is to work the same amount of hour (15hrs a day) but on my shop instead for someone else and the nothing beats working for yourself!! For marketing research, have you ever looked at census data? I know that it is avaiable for US and Canada (not sure if it is free), I did a study a couple years ago for a restaurant with census data using GIS (Geographic information System) which we used census data to find the best location in the city to locate a new restaurant based on population density, average income per household, roads with high traffic, identified competitors within the areas and the end result we had a map (I used a GIS software to get the results). The restaurant that I did the research for was really please since some of the information was new to them and it was a visual result that they used to come up with a solution. Even with the rough times right now, a well plan business can do great as long as you know your area and customers.

Has anybody tried to use http://www.viniferaforlife.com/ wine powder, I have read about it but have never tried to make ganache with it!

Here is more info http://www.callebaut.com/caen/2075#courseanker I talked to a lady from callebaut about the course and it seems good enough for a beginner to get hands on experience!

Thanks John, I took a look at some schools in Europe and they seem great even though too much money and time! I am signing up for a 4 day course in Montreal at the Callebaut training (the same is offered in Chicago), I hope it I can get some hands on experience!

Instead of cream would you heat up the wine and pour on top of chocolate or would you still use cream? I want to try with callebaut 70% but I have never tried before!

I have been looking into taking some training courses in North America to develop my chocolate making skills, I have tried to do some coop work and I have looked into some courses. Ecole chocolate school in Vancouver offer a Master chocolate program and Barry Callebaut Chocolate offer training in Quebec and Chicago. Does anybody have any input or suggestions about which way a aspiring chocolatier should take at a starting point??

First of all I want to thank all of you for your comments, I have been reading EGullet for a couple months now and found a lot of fantastic information, as for my chocolate skills...well... maybe lack there of, but I am amazed by all the things you can create with chocolate, I am taking the Ecole Chocolatier program and learning all the basic of chocolate and the industry as well, but I would like to get more practice since I find easier to learn by seeing and doing it! John DePaula- thanks for that link it was really helpful. Once I put the tempered chocolate on the mold (on top of the color cocoa butter) it seemed like the the tempered chocolate melted the cocoa butter away!!! I wanted to ask you all another question, since I am still learning I would like to get more practical experience and am looking for classes that I can learn more or I would like to do a co-op work with a chocolatier that has a business and would be able to teach me more for exchange of free labor (anywhere in North America)!!! I live in Calgary Canada and around here we have a couple chocolatiers but none of them do the really artisy chocolate work, I am excited to learn more about chocolate but feel frustrated because around here I don't have a place to learn! TTYL

Hi All, I'm new to Egullet and chocolate making as well!! I could really use some help! Last week I tried some Cocoa butter spray on my new polycarbonate mold, I sprayed and waited to dry, once dried I applyed the tempered chocolate and at that time everything was fine... I added the filling and covered but once it was already to take out of the mold I wasn't able to do so... it got stuck...lol Once of the bonbons came out and it looked good even though there was no color from the cocoa butter, I had sprayed a red and yellow color! I didn't know what to do only half of the molds came out, total disaster...I hope you have an answer for this problem!!! ps. I read the cocoa butter spray label after and asked to warm up the can in warm water before applying to the mold...would that make a difference??? Cheers,