minas6907

Yeah, I do understand that, ive just never used the product. I suppose qhat I was wondering is, if you tasted the powders side by side, would you notice a difference? Or like what keychris said, does it make the most difference when its added to a baked item? Id just be using it as a dusting powder, and from words on each package, there doesnt seems to be a difference in color. Ill probably end up getting a bag of the high fat the next time I'm in, I just wanted to ask first.

I just had a quick question, and thought to post here rather then start a whole new topic. Recently, the Restaurant Depot by my place started carrying more Callebaut products. Until now, they never really had any cocoa powder worth checking out, but they started stocking two cocoa powders from Callabeut. Would someone be able to chime in to tell me the difference between the regular and the one labeled high fat? What are the different applications? I've never done much more with cocoa powder other then use as a coating for truffles (and more recently, for panned items). I always had a container of Hersheys that would get used very slowly, sometimes my wife would bake an items or something, but it just doesnt get used much. Would I notice a drastic difference with the high fat powder? Would it be worth getting a bag of both? Or just one over the other? I have a bag of powder from Luker Cacao, and have yet to open it, like I said, I just dont use it much. Anyways, I saw these bags and wanted to inquire before making a purchase.

Hey Kerry. Thanks for the response, and the info on the amounts to add is helpful. Your absolutely right, I am just using lacquer. Its sort of funny, the confectioners glaze was very easy to locate, however the polish for chocolate dragees is not as easy. I saw the products from Capol, so I think I'll fill out the info they want before I can buy. Another company was Tic Gums, and they will mail samples, so I think I'll pursue that as well. Thanks also for telling me that the waxes are for sugar panning, I read about waxes being used that in this link: http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrTcdCLUn5VOX4AImQnnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTEzMTNzdmg4BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDRkZHRUMwXzEEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1434370828/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fnca.files.cms-plus.com%2fResidentCourse%2fWeek2%2fResCourseWk2ArticlesPan5Boutin04.pdf/RK=0/RS=HISFHJEYr1bPwtuquTRF5GcIWDU- I just didnt read that when waxes are mentioned, it was talking about sugar panning and not chocolate, my bad! And just to put this out there, it seems that when I've read about soft and hard sugar panning, they syrup is applied at a temp of around 140f (ish). This is just something I was thinking about, does anyone know how youd get a hard sugar shell on chocolate, as with m&ms? The only reason I was thinking about this was because if it was straight forward in any way, you could easily use the callets from calebaut for centers, then build up a sugar shell around those. Also Kerry, the package from the fair that had all the different colored pieces, were those dyed white chocolate? Anywho, I dont mean to keep asking questions everyone has been more then enough help.

I use the victorinox as my work knives, and I have messermeister meridian elites at home. I used to take these to work, but sadly I dont trust my fellow cooks as much as I used to. I will say, when purchasing a new victorinox, keep an eye on ebay. I got a new 8 inch knofe for $18 and free shipping. It can be hard to find, and takes some patience, but you can find deals. Dexter arent bad, also a common work knife, they are in all the restaurant supply stores, I just like the handles better on the forchners better.

So heres the results thus far. The first picture is my first attempt, they are almonds panned with milk chocolate. It seemed to work fine, I saw preventing doubles is a pain haha, but for the shape of the almond, Im surprised how round they came out. So they are just coated with confectioners sugar and cocoa power. Next was what I started yesterday, chocolate panned raisins. This was a larger batch then the almonds, so it seemed to tumble better in the pan. I know they are not perfect, but not too shabby for a second shot at it. After they were built up, I tried to glaze them...I think it worked, not too terribly pleased with the result, but ok for doing it the first time. Kerry, I was wondering if you could help me. The polish you have on your panned malted milk balls looks so perfect, how did you do that? Do you mind if I ask specifically what products your using for the polish and glaze? What I used was confectioners glaze from CK, the ingredients say its just a food grade lacquer. Am I using the right product? From what is stated in Chocolates and Confections as well as some videos I saw on youtube discussing commercial panning, you normally use a gum arabic product to polish (creating the actual shine), and a shellac based product to glaze and protect that shine (such as the confectioners glaze I have). I really have a feeling I did this incorrectly, because I was using the confectioners glaze to create the shine, but I dont really have a lead on another product. There was a company I did find that manufactured very specific products to polish and glaze dragees, but I don think I can purchase from them. In other reading I saw that carnauba wax and beeswax are used to create a polish (it said both dry crystals and alcohol solutions), so I was thinking of getting some of that just to try. Also, when glazing, how much would you normally use? I did multiple coats with the glaze, I probably used about 3/4 of an ounce. I almost feel like I put too much, but really am not sure. I could feel that way because the stuff reeks like crazy. Anywho, thanks for all the help everyone, its really appreciated!

Very cool Kerry! The malted milk balls, do you make the centers, or are they purchased? I was looking into that today, I was surprised to see that you can buy the malted milk centers, but had trouble finding how they are made. Also, in the last picture, did you make those colorful panned items? I dont know what they are, but they look awesome! I love your work, seriously.

Thank you so much Chris, I really appreciate that! Just a quick question, dried fruit items like raisins, cherries, cranberries, etc, do they need a precoat of gum? I think those items normally have an oil applied to the exterior, so wouldn't that prevent the chocolate from adhearing in some spots in the pan? Im planning doing some raisins tomorrow, I just want to have all my ducks in a row :-).

Ok cool, thanks for that pastrygirl. Something I was thinking about, has anyone ever panned peppermint fondants? Before I got the pan, this is something I wanted to try. I was thinking depositing the fondants into small drops, maybe a 1/4 inch in diameter, or possibly finding a mold that is small enough, but then panning the peppermint fondants to make something akin to junior mints. It was just an idea I had, when I get more time ill try it out. Thanks for all the help everyone.

Kerry, heres a picture of the backside of the pan. Like the D&R pan the pastrygirl posted, the cylindrical piece spins freely. Also, from rim to rim, the pan is just under 16 inches. And Edward, that is very helpful, I didnt know that presealing wasn't necessary with about the milk and white chocolate, thanks for that! Something I had a question about was the final steps for polishing and glazing. In step 8 in the info in Chocolates and Confections, Grewelings says that you polish with a gum arabic product. Kerry, you said you'd probably buy this one rather then make it, do you have any recommendations on this? And after you polish, the next step is glazing, which he says is usually a shellac based product. This final glaze is the same as confectionery glaze, correct? What would be the result if the items did not have a gum arabic polish, but were instead smoothed then glazed? I'm starting to see how many different ways one can produce these items, its all pretty interesting. Also, as for the precoat you mentioned of milk chocolate and cocoa powder, after you add the milk chocolate and a scoop of cocoa powder, do you then stop the machine, remove the centers, clean the pan, the proceed with building up the centers? Or are you adding just enough cocoa powder to coat them, but not be excessive, then start engrossing with out every stopping the pan? Additionally, instead of using a gum arabic solution or chocolate/cocoa powder to precoat, I can prepare the nuts as in the formula for almond dragees in Chocolates and Confections, right? By boiling a syrup, adding nuts, stirring until it crystallizes, melting sugar to caramelize, cooling, then loading up the pan for a smoother chocolate coating then what I usually get by hand? Hopefully all that makes sense, I'm bubblying over with questions, everything you guys have said has been helpful, I'm stoked to start this!

Hey, just an update about the pan. Pastrygirl, I really appreciate the close up pictures of the piece that inserts into the kitchen aid. I wanted to build the pan, but I think it would be a bigger project then I'm really up for/have the skills for. I ended up getting the confit kit pan from koerner, and I really have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised. One thing I wasn't sure about was the clips. In some of the videos showing the pan being used, it shows the two pieces of the pan being held together with screws, and in other videos, it shows it help together by those binder clips. Thankfully, the pan does come with screws rather then those clips, overall the piece feels very sturdy, and for the price, I'd definitely recommend it. Attached are a few pictures (welcome to my kitchen btw, its a bit tight in here). As for the process, I had a number of questions. In chocolates and confections (page 72 of the 2nd edition), Greweling says in step three that to precoat the centers, a thin precoating of gum or starch solution is used. Is there any specifics as to what these are how they are made? In step six, he mentions polishing after smoothing, and thats "usually a gum arabic product." So are these things that are normally just purchased, or can I make it? Then in an article by Robert Boutin (I found a few .pdf's on panning while google searching) He mentions "sealing or gumming syrups (i.e., 25%– 40% gum arabic or maltodextrins in water)" so perhaps thats my answer to the above question. Anywho, I've just been gathering up tidbits here and there, its all pretty interesting. I also have a bottle of confectioners glaze coming in the mail. Any tips or suggestions are more then welcome, thank you!

Did you end finding out what the 50lb pail consisted of?

Just today actually I think I solved my problem. The forks I us are from ateco, they are the full stainless ones (I think they have others with wooded handles). Anywho, Kerry sent me pictures of what hers looked like, and I noticed they were bent at the tines. I've been trying to come up with a way to bend mine at the base of the handle (I didn't have a vice or anything, and I'm not very mechanical) but today I just bent the tines how I wanted them, and they seem to hold up fine. I was afraid the tines would be too delicate to bend, but they are fine. This is just a simple solution for what I needed, I have no doubt that Kerrys forks are much more durable, but what I do with dipping is on the limited side, and was trying to figure a way to make a simple modification to these forks that are cheap enough that I wouldnt feel bad about destroying :-)

As far as possibly making my own (right now that confi kit is looking good though), I didnt have in mind using a drill to power it, I was thinking of having a piece of square metal stock come out the end so it can fit into the kitchen aid. It was just an idea, clever person though.

In the diy video its being run by a hand drill

Hi everyone. Recently I got this huge itch to go ahead and do some chocolate panning. I was always discouraged because the pans are so expensive, and even more recently, when I went to the chef rubber show room, I saw one in person, and the thing didnt feel like it was worth the $575 price tag. I checked the price at pastry chef central, and the model they sell $699, although its different then the one at chef rubber. Last night I was doing some googling and youtubing, and came across a DIY chocolate pan. Heres the you tube link: I'd love to make my own, that would be awesome, but just wanted to put this out there, has anyone built their own panning unit? I know there was a discussion a while back about using a cement mixer, which was rather interesting. Then too, I just saw this pan this morning, which comes in at a more affordable $351. https://www.koerner-co.com/tools-utensils/103096-confi-kit-for-kitchen-aid.html?search_query=confi+kit&results=2 Has anyone used the confi kit? I'm seeing those little alligator clips again, but am also trying to look past that. I just wanted peoples thoughts on these different models, or if theres ones I've missed.

Hey Kerry, I just tried pm'ing you...im not sure ifn I did anything wrong. Im using tapatalk and got a message that you can recieve any more messages....so im not sure if thats actually the case or not. Ill send another message when I get to the computer, and thanks for your help! And Alleguede, those bonbons look beautiful! Even being just solid colors, the tones of the colors looks very unique.

Hey, I dont know if this is the right place to ask, but a picture in one of Kerry's recent posts sparked a question ive had for a while. Does anyone know where I can get an offset dipping fork? Or would I just have to go ahead and try to make it? Ive seen then before in pictures....but I cant find anything like them. Anywho, jusy wanted to put that out there.

Kerry, is your dipping fork custom made? Also, adding the cocoa butter seed would thin the chocolate wouldn't it, especially if you used the same chocolate and repeatedly seeded, correct? Is there anything you do to prevent this, or would you go ahead and use the chocolate thats been seeded for ganache, then start fresh with new chocolate? I hope that all makes sense, my only thought with this is having the chocolate get to thin over time, but I think most here do more chocolate work then I do. Otherwise, very innovative! Congrats on getting your product to market!

Whats the unit used to keep the sugar warm? Is it just on of those electric griddles? Does it maintain constant temperature?

How do you sv temper chocolate? Isn't it sort of risky with all the water? And doesnt the chocolate need to be agitated as well?

Thank you!

Heres some things I've made over the past month. The first two arent too interesting, but I had recently bought some molds at a good price on ebay, so I was just trying them out. The swirls are a raspberry butter ganache, and the domes with ridges have a coconut center. Then I made peanut brittle for the first time, this was a chipotle peanut brittle, it had a nice spice, but it wasnt entirely what I thought it was going to be. Then I made some marzipan and enrobed them in callebaut 72%. Next, I made the peanut butter honeycomb from Chocolates and Confections, which is always a personal favorite. Then lastly, I was trying to make some calla lilly lollipops, but they really looked horrible, so I used the remaining sugar to pull some ribbon candy. On a separate note, as of a few days ago I'm an official cottage food operation! So thats sort of neat, It's been something I've been working for quite some time, just because when it came to chocolates and various confectionery products, I wanted to be sure I had all my bases covered so I can be able to offer pretty much anything I wanted to for a candy table or favors at a wedding. I do have plans to eventually do boxed items, but I'm still working out packaging, getting samples, and see what would work, just because things like bonbons, hard candies, lollipops, taffies, caramels, brittles, pate de fruit, citrus slice jellies, etc all seen to demand a different type of packaging, so that still in the works. Anywho, hope you enjoy!

Thats sounds really interesting, thanks for sharing!

Yep, you can do it for sure. Ive had the problem in the past when I removed a caramel too quickly and it was too soft. You just need to add water to dissolve the sugar completely, the go ahead and reboil. When I've done this, its come out fine, but the color always darken more then it would initially have, so im not sure if thats much of an issue for you.

Hey thanks! The gold on the macaron shells are a gold luster dust mixed with a little bit of a spirit. Then its just splatteres on the shells after they are baked and cooled. As for the bonbons, its the same gold and silver luster dust, I applied it dry with a paint brush. Specifically, they are the metallic dusts I got from pastrychef.com.