markwightman

Hi, This looks really interesting and I'm sure it works as well as everyone is saying it does. I just want to check something though. This is doing, in principle, exactly what MyCryo is doing, is that correct? I get that MyCryo doesn't always melt instantly, but it does melt though, and it does temper. Just not sure yet what the real added value is here. You can buy an awful lot of MyCryo for the cost of a machine. Thanks, -Mark

I'm not going to be able to make it across this year, but I am determined to do one of these one day. Have fun everyone.

Sosa do it in 1.5kg containers http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sosa-Sorbitol-1-5kg/dp/B008TN5THO. Keeps well.

Slightly off topic, but have you tried the Belcolade Venezuelan milk (LCVENE)? Interesting taste and quite different.

Out of interest, has anyone ever tried spraying cocoa butter with a make up airbrush? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/luminess-airbrush-/201202156404 If it worked, it would quite a neat little package.

Hi, I found this thread really helpful so thanks to everyone for your observations. I have just ordered the Krebs hotCHOC LM3. I'll let you know how I get on with it. -Mark

Hi. It will depend on cost as I will be travelling from Scotland but I am definitely interested in both conference and masterclass. Thanks, -Mark

P.S. You can get round chocolate shells for truffles that you just fill with ganache, seal, and dip. I use them quite a lot if I need to make large numbers quickly. Sometimes I just dip for a smooth finish and then decorate. I did this for my Xmas Pudding truffles at Xmas. Poured white chocolate over the top to look like brandy butter then decorated with tiny green sugar leaves and red balls to look like holly. They looked great. Other times after dipping I roll them on a wire mesh to give them a spiky effect. That looks good too.

Chocolate World (www.chocolateworld.be) do one but no idea what the postage outside of Europe would be like. Their website isn't the easiest for finding things - it's on page 33 of the Hollow Figures Hand Moulds section. I actually have this mould but I have never had much luck with it. I can't get the cocoa butter painting to look anything like the pictures. I have tried spraying and painting with a brush but it always comes out streaky and translucent. The pictures look like they have been painted with enamels!

Thanks for the responses. Apologies for taking so long to reply, I was having problems with my account. DianaM - I think you nailed it. I thought that I hadn't been doing anything different but I had been tempering larger batches of chocolate, which of course would cool slower. I have taken more care with temps now and the latest batches have been in temper - no more streaks. However I am still noticing a variation in shine - chocolates made earlier in the batch seem to have more shine than those dipped later. So probably still to do with temperature, but getting there.

Resurrecting an old thread. I have been tempering with Mycryo for a couple of years and found it pretty much foolproof... until recently. The last few batches that I have done have been off and I can't figure out why. I am using Cacao Barry Fleur de Cao and CB Lactee Superieure and have had problems with both. I melt to around 45C (sometimes slightly lower) then cool (stirring occasionally) to 34.5 for dark and 33.5C for milk. Then add 1% Mycryo and stir in thoroughly. Used to work fine but I am now getting streaky dull-looking chocolates. Snaps OK so it seems to be tempered but just doesn't look like it is. I did find this though when I was looking for help: With MYCRYO®, 100% pure cocoa butter, tempering becomes an easy task. (1) Melt the chocolate at 104-113°F/ 40-45°C (microwave, bain-marie or chocolate melter). (2) Allow the chocolate to cool at room temperature to: 93-95°F / 34-35°C for dark chocolate; 91-93°F / 33-34°C for milk chocolate; 91-93°F / 33-34°C for white chocolate. (3) Add 1% of MYCRYO® – 10 g for 1 kg. (4) Mix well until the chocolate reaches its ideal working temperature: 88-90°F / 31-32°C for dark chocolate; 86-88°F / 30-31°C for milk chocolate; 84-86°F / 29-30°C for white chocolate. (5) Maintain ideal temperature in order to use chocolate for final product application. I haven't been doing step 4, but I would have thought that adding Mycryo at 33.5 - 34.5 and then stirring to mix would have brought the chocolate to pretty near those temps. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. My Xmas chocolates are looking a bit dull and sad!

Cocoa butter definitely. I use up to 10% added cocoa butter to thin chocolate for dipping. I always add the cocoa butter before tempering. -Mark