alexandra

Also - since you are in Australia might see if you can get some chocolate from Bali where they are now growing Cacao....yep, Bali. Try to focus on chocolates that are single plantation sourced or single origin...this way you should avoid some of the issues. Also, check out the artisan chocolate makers in the US ( there are about 5 of them ) They all pride themselves on practicing sustainability and ethics are way up there in where they source their beans from.Good Luck!

The child labor issues are in the Ivory Coast. If you order chocolate directly from Latin America they should not have these issues: El Rey/Santander/Codillera are some of them. This should put you at ease when you use them + they are DELICIOUS!

I found an alternative to regular gelatine - I am using fish gelatin. But the Bloom is 250 as opposed to 180 bloom which is called for in recipes. Since I am using the fish gelatin with the bloom of 250 should I reduce the amount of gelatin called for in my recipe? I am making marshmallows. THANKS!!!

Thanks! I'll check it out and let you know how it turns out :-) Also found a source for fish gelatin, which I understand acts exactly like traditional gelatin. Once I receive it ( I had to buy 2 lbs! ) I'll make the recipe and post m results here.

Eureka! I think I figured it out. I decided to go back and use Michael Recchuiti's recipe for marshmallows. This time I just substituted gelatine for agar agar using the same ratio. Before I added the gelatine as he suggested, I heated the agar agar in 3 T of water in the microwave for 1 min 100% power. When the syrup reach 250 degrees, I added the agar in placeof the gelatine, ( it bubbled up, but did not volumize 4-fold as he said the gelatine would ). Nevertheless, I added it to the beaten egg whites and voila, yummy yummy marshmallow!!! Beautiful. Now....waiting for them to set up..... will let you know in 24 hours how they do! Wish me luck!

Hi Fellow Egullet members, Wondering if any of you have had experience working with agar agar. This weekend I attempted to make marshmallow and had two flops - despite having read the very long thread on marshmallows. It all boiled down, I think, to improperly using agar agar. The first time I melted it in cold water using a 1:1 ratio ( that is substituting agar for gelatine ) and I used Michael Recchuiti's yummy recipe. It set up, but was totally flat, so I consider this a failure. The second time I tried it, I tripled the agar agar and poured it in the boiling syrup, using the Nightscotsman recipe ( no egg whites ). It looked great in the pan, then I slowly poured it into my kitchen aid bowl and what a disaster!!!!!!!!!!!!! It started to set up, almost burned out my mixer and destroyed my bowl and whisk...after 10 minutes to my horror I had to literally dig it out with an aluminum spoon...it was like rock. Obviously that did not work. So I am back to square one. When would you suggest I add the agar? And how much liquid should I use to boil it to get it to gelatinize? Thanks for ANY help or ideas you can send my way. I have committed to make 200 marshmallows by this Thursday for 20 stores I am test marketing. I'm in a bit of a sweat!!! Alexandra

I would like to attend Kerry's class. Thanks! Alexandra

Hi All - I am new to the egullet and a budding artisan chocolatier. I would love to attend your conference ...just trying to figure out how to make it happen. Can you put me down as a "maybe" please and I will let you know this this coming week for sure? (90% chance I can come ) Where do I send the check?

Hi Fellow Chocolatiers, Confectioners, and Pastry Chefs - I 'd like to introduce myself. I am new to Egullet ( new to selling my goods too! ) Just now finishing up my classes to become a professional chocolatier and opening my business selling wholesale firs, eventually opening up a chocolate shop selling a few bakes goods. I've met RobertM recently through the people at Cargill. He's suggested I join your forums ( thank you BOB! ) and so I've been reading your posts for a couple of weeks now. Very inspirational and educational! I'm really excited to be joining your forums. Question : I'm just learning about pricing and need to start figuring this out quickly as I already have some people who have agreed to test market some baked products for me. Any suggestions? I am a bit overwhelmed right now. For example do I include my packaging in my costs of goods and then look to double that as my wholesale price? Any thoughts on this will be VERY helpful . Thanks!!