Jim D.

Bob, Google tells me "BLB" can mean a Binary Large Object--or a Blue Letter Bible--or Bare Legged Beauties. None of those seems to fit the photo. Clarification, please. Jim Dutton

I have certainly experienced the difficulty of getting a correct measurement when using Morton's kosher salt--1 teaspoon of it vs. 1 teaspoon of Morton's table salt--very different volumes (when using the metric system, it would be easier). Thanks for clarifying why Diamond is preferable. Do you use Diamond rather than sea salt or employ both for different purposes? When I make salted caramel, my experience is that ordinary table salt imparts a much harsher, saltier flavor than the Maldon sea salt I use.

Could you say a little more about why kosher salt is better than table salt?

I just took another look at the introductory video. Andrey's airbrush is an Iwata Kustom. He recommends a nozzle between 0.35 and 0.5mm and a gravity-feed rather than a side-feed or siphon model.

Here is a link to the compressor I have: California Air Tools. I have a Grex airbrush (I wrote a review of it elsewhere on eGullet), but I don't know any reason your Badger would not work with a compressor like this one because, regardless of what PSI the Badger specifies, the compressor can be adjusted to that level. I have never had any problems with this compressor providing enough air. It is, as these things go, quieter than most. You may wish to find something equivalent locally (and perhaps at a better price). By the way, I wasn't sure I was going to confess this after the comments on Andrey's pricing, but I have already signed up. I have asked lots of questions that were not covered in the material online about requirements for the classes. You should be able to find those questions and the answers on the website in case you have any. There are quite a few supplies that he said are not essential, but I decided to find as many as I could in the time remaining before the course starts. Luster dust was not mentioned online, but in the introductory video (which I have watched) he mentions that, so I wrote him. I don't know whether he himself is actually answering, but the responses have been very quick. One thing to watch out for: My payment process was a bit complicated. Using a credit card for a charge in Belarus to an entity called "Lililove.me" alerted the security troops at Visa (and I'm glad it did, but it did take a while to get the payment approved).

I have also gotten the crystals, but have no idea how to prevent them. Is this Greweling's recipe? I'm about to make it in a few days. I have had the problem in the past of having the DDL be rather thin. It can seem thick when it has been cooked, but when I stir it a bit, it thins out. Did you have that happen? I am a little concerned about its shelf life.

Definitely worth trying. It reminded me of a question someone had on another forum (I think it was The Chocolate Life) who was seeking a way to make dark chocolate shells not so firm (you know, without that snap that we all work so hard to attain).

I completely agree. I have tried to soften the gianduja by adding more nuts (or less chocolate), but it still hardens. Don't you think there must be a spot somewhere in the middle where the complete gianduja remains soft? When I bought some Valrhona (already-made) gianduja in bar form, it softened immediately in my hands, but as you say, it still doesn't offer that contrast with the shell.

I would strongly recommend Notter's Art of the Chocolatier. He has a lot of recipes that I use frequently: lemon, lime, mint, pistachio, yuzu, and a wonderful recipe for a two-layer combination of raspberry and dark chocolate flavored with orange. His salted caramel is my basic caramel recipe.

Sorry for you--but thanks for letting me know. Unrelated observation, but I find the smell of burnt chocolate really horrible. Not at all what one might imagine. Maybe it's just the money going up the chimney that I smell.

I have been using my Nordicware plastic bowls for melting chocolate for some time now and have come across a possible issue with them. To be honest, I don't know whether it is the bowls or user error that is causing the problem. I have now burned chocolate twice using the bowls, something I have never done before. Certainly it never happened with the heavy Corningware baking dishes I was using previously. I have enjoyed the new bowls so much--the largest one can hold a lot of chocolate and weighs practically nothing, so it's easy to move from the microwave across the room to the counter. I have had to resort to using shorter intervals of microwaving, even though at times no melting appears to have occurred between one zap and the next. Is there such a difference between plastic and glass in the microwave that would explain the issue?

I agree. For myself, while I find classes taught in completely equipped kitchens (ateliers?) of chocolatiers dazzling experiences (that description is no exaggeration in the case of Melissa Coppel), I have trouble translating what I learn there to my own space. Unlike Melissa, I don't have 3 Selmi tanks filled with perfectly tempered chocolate ready at all times or shelves with practically every ingredient one could possibly want stocked and meticulously labeled. I have to learn to work with what I have. And I wonder whether an online course might be better for someone like me. I will find out as I definitely intend to enroll in the Savour online courses, which are quite modestly priced and remain available forever. As for comparing Dubovik's pricing with Coppel's, yes, it is a definite plus to have direct contact with the instructor (as long as the class is not too large) and this is something I would love to do, but her prices are quite substantial and then there is the cost of airfare and a hotel room in Las Vegas to consider.

Just for the record: I love the optimism in the second sentence!

To update what I posted earlier: I asked about future dates, and Dubovik replied that they are not set--the schedule depends on the "number of online students" (not sure I understand that since people wouldn't likely register before knowing the dates) and on his schedule. So for the moment it's May 28.

I posed my questions on the website of the course and got answers within minutes (apparently from Dubovik himself): All the molds listed are not required, but he has to be informed of missing ones. Half-spheres are the most important, but the silicone mold listed is necessary for that particular lesson. I asked about using already mixed colored cocoa butter instead of the dry colors he specifies. The answer was no. The dry colors are required "because we will need to create specific colours (satured, oversaturated, translucent)." Anyone know of a good U.S. source for those? The most surprising answer was about whether there is a specific start date or a student can begin at any time. Contrary to what the website appears to state, there is a specific date. The next one is May 28 (might be helpful to list those dates somewhere on the site). An answer to another person's question might be of interest: If a student does not have all the equipment, it is possible to follow the theory provided in the course without doing (or submitting) the homework. Otherwise assignments must be submitted on a weekly basis. As I haven't had to submit homework for evaluation for some years, this option is appealing to me. I'm not sure I'm up to having Andrey Dubovik grade my work!

That sounds promising. Greweling could provide a guide as he uses invert in his marshmallow recipe. And I have found that sorbitol significantly lowers Aw in pâte de fruit.

Could I ask why you must use fresh eggs? IMHO perfectly acceptable marshmallows can be made with dried egg whites or gelatin (no eggs at all).

I don't know if this information is relevant to the discussion of cocoa butter or not, but.... I bought some Fortunato milk chocolate from Chef Rubber (the only dealer for it in the U.S.). It's a newly discovered chocolate from Peru that has (IMHO) an extraordinary taste. In actuality the beans are processed by Felchlin in Switzerland, though their name is not on it. When I bought a large amount to use for my Christmas chocolates, I was informed by Chef Rubber that if I intended to use it to make shells, I needed to add a tiny amount of lecithin to it as well as 3-5% cocoa butter "to make thinner shells." I should have paid more attention to that advice, but I used the chocolate without any additives. It had a wonderful flavor but thickened up a lot after a while and made making shells much too difficult. I now use it only for ganaches. So I would deduce that adding cocoa butter is the norm for couvertures.

I wish I could determine which is true--whether it's anytime...or now. I did find that Bentley previously mentioned the course about a year ago in the "How do they do that?" thread. I was also confused by Dubovik's listing of the molds that will be used. I have a couple of them but by no means all. Since purchasing all of them would add a substantial amount to the cost, I assume he doesn't mean you have to use the specific ones. Unlike those who have tons of storage, I have reached the point where buying more molds means I have to move out of my house. The cost of the course isn't quite so daunting when you figure out that he is speaking of Belarus rubles, so 1440 of them is equivalent to only 712 US dollars.

Thanks for the Orelys suggestion. I just got a kilo bag and tried it. I'm not sure I am feeling "very sensual," but I do like it (maybe a little sensual). And, of course, you are right, a strong brown sugar flavor. I think it will be perfect for my chocolate chip cookie truffle. And, speaking of that recipe, since Tri2Cook let me know that molasses powder exists, I am going to experiment with making the filling as a gianduja rather than a ganache: Orelys, pecan paste, chunks of dark chocolate, chopped pecans, molasses powder, and the shortbread bits (no longer at risk from softening from liquid).

You are right that the price is "not cheap." I read through most of the material and am a little confused about how it works. So the student watches a teaching session from Dubovik each week, then practices, then send photos of what he/she has accomplished? But I gather that this is not a "proceed-at-your-own-pace" class since it seems that the week's project has to be submitted that week. I'm not sure how a person working at chocolate production could do this except in a substantial period of down time. And did you understand him to say that there is a start date when everyone has to start--in other words, there is no selecting one's own start date? I'm thinking that in July or August, for example, I would have lots of time to work on the lessons, but not right now. I wonder if there will be future classes. Sorry if I misunderstood what he is saying. Thanks for pointing this out. His work is amazing.

@Kerry Beal, I know it would be a ton of work for you and would be asking a lot of contributors, but I think it would be helpful to have a compilation of how experts like Morató are actually using the EZtemper. Avachocolate stated that he [Morató], for example, uses it for everything except enrobing, so I would assume that means he uses silk to temper his chocolate for shells and for making ganaches as well. There might be a difference in usage between holding classes and being in actual production.

I have finally gotten around to trying this suggestion (I don't have room for a permanent structure in the basement). I have cut a 1' x 1' opening in a heavy box from Albert Uster Imports. A house air filter fits into it quite snugly, but with air moving around, the filter will have to be secured in some way--but not so secure that it can't be removed easily when it needs replacing. I thought of painter's tape. @Bentley, how did you secure the filter in place?

With metal you can adjust the bars to any size you want--even at the last minute if you have more/less ganache than you thought. Many people like aluminum for its light weight; stainless stays in place more readily.

I predict that after some time cutting ganache with a knife and despairing over ever getting the squares/rectangles looking right, you will become the proud owner of a guitar. After all, you live just a couple of countries away from where they are made.