Vojta

Very important thing, I forgot to say last time! I was made aware of it by my friend after giving free not painted samples: the painted bonbons taste worse than natural ones. I tested it myself and it is true. The coating of CCB gives a waxy/ tasteless feel. Compared to plain chocolate which melts better and testes sweet. Do you observe the same with your bonbons? The CCB is expensive and I was thrifty with it, yet still the downgrade in taste for the sake of appearance is here. Thank you very much @pastrygirl for sharing pictures. Looks colorful even on dark. Thank you @Kerry Beal for taking the time to dig the info for me! According to my calculation, Power flowers are slightly more expensive then making your own CCB, but almost 2x cheaper compared to ready CCB. Very promising. (Based on your post: 16 flowers/200g CB).

Thank you everyone! I finally managed to get great colors. The solution was to use much more coloring in homemade CCB (I tested with Jim D's method) and the second white opaque layer (made with white coloring, not just white CH). I like to hear that. How many flowers do you use per 100 g of CB? I was thinking about buying powerflowers, but couldnt calculate the cost, since idk the dilution. Does it mean Roxy & Rich is opaque enough or do you mix something in? I tried mixing white with green or yellow, to safe time with the white bacground CCB, but it was unsuccessful and I needed to do white 2nd coat anyway. Would love to know because that cuts spraying time in half (I am more concerned about avoiding CB clouds :D).

Hello I struggle with my colors lacking brightness and saturation (unless I mould in white CH). I've read this entire thread and I would like to ask some follow up questions. I will be so happy to hear from your experience. - Is a white coat after color coat necessary? Is there a way how to skip it and half the time spent spraying? - How do I know if my colored cocoa butter is opaque or transparent when shopping for it? - With what do yoi do white base coat with? I tried 1:1 CB:white CH, still dark bonbons. And reccomended titanium dioxide (white coloring) is now banned. Bonus: do you buy or make your own colored CB? Whats the best way how I can give some of my knowledge back? Thanks for having me here

How do you shell 100 molds using a melter (like Mol d'Art)? I am unable to achieve nice continuous work flow when shelling, and I am really unable to shell more than 20-30 molds. How does your workflow look like: Do you pour (drip) back inside the melter?, how often do you reheat/ remelt?, what temp you set your machine on?, how much chocolate/ how many molds?, how many molds you can shell, etc. When shelling, my chocolate is unacceptably more viscous even after 4 molds, making me to stop shelling after 8-12 molds completely. What I tried and didnt work for me: working with 2-3 kg CH adding extra CB setting the machine to 35 °C (95 F) or even 40 °C diluting with untempered CH All helped slightly, but I always end up in a state where I am above the working temp (ie higher than 32 °C (90F) for dark CH), yet still thicker than after tempering. I've managed to survive shelling more than 300 molds like this (over multiple days), but it's so frustrating that I am thinking of pouring out the chocolate outside my melter or stopping to use it. PS: room temp is 20-22 °C (68-36 F); I use Callebaut CH; I don't work slow use a ladle and scraper and its fast; I use CHWorldAntwerp 21 kg model with 6 liters or 13 liters stainless steel insert. PPS: the machine is temperature control is terrible, but I managed to work with 1 thermometer in chocolate and second in the machine

Didn't the bonbons jumped out, tilted or something? I was thinking about piping (filling) on a vibration table, bcs I usually face a little hill in my bonbon. This would allow me to make perfectly thin bottoms :3

Thanks Pete. Would never thought about pouring liquid into a ring. Will give it a try!

Wow manifique job! How did you get soft custard out of mould?

I think it is a risk easily. To cook the custard you need about 83 °C, while most recipes call for baking in a water bath in 160 °C oven. I steam cooked mine (thus the temp was 100 °C) and it was still enough to overcook. Might be just mine mistake though Thanks for letting me know. I need to test the texture differences

Why do you bake it in the oven at high temperatures and risk overcooking? Or making it complicated in sous vide. Isn't Crème Brûlée just a custard? Let's cook it in a saucepan, pour it into the dishes after and let them set. So much easier, isn't it? Where is the catch now, because nobody does it this way 😄

I was taught using cooking oil spray with silikomart plastic rings, so I use it everytime. Might be the case, happy experimenting!

I would oil the mould, should be enough. If that is not enough, I would try one of these: Chill or freeze the dough after it's inside the rings, so it enters the oven chilled. Wait until the tarts are completely cool before removing them from rings. The last two are my suggestions, unfortunately I don't know what causes the desired shrinking of the tarts. Let me know if it works.

Hi, Rajala. What kind of mould do you use? Tart ring/ mould and what material? Did you let the tarts cool before removing? Did you oiled the moulds? Did you chill the dough before baking (inside moulds)? PS: about my 'problems': it was the temperature mostly. I also developed a method that should work in warm kitchen like my, but haven't a chance to test it yet.

I don't know if its any help, but in the middle of Europe I get 1 kg (2.2 lb) of Callebaut N°811 for 13.4$, which is like go to chocolate of everyone. You can find cheaper brands, but you dont want to and more expensive like Valrhona aren't being sold here. And if I am not wrong you can get it for 7-8$ in Belgium, where it's made.

I agree with Jim. If you don't want cream, nor chocolate it's no longer a ganache. You could try to make a fruit 'ganache' from fruit puree with cocoa butter (and sugar) with the help of an emulsifier. Your best option is to make pate de fruit (PDF), which you can make both liquid and solid. Or fruit gel or syrup. Usually PDF is made solid into frames, then cut, then enrobed.

Yes: actually, I asked Kriss about this video: and he replied that they have efficient employees and room with constant temp = 18 °C. Unfortunately a luxury I dont have, but this is a great tip: I am going to try again this weekend. I will use the bigger circle method as it seems faster than bottom circle + side strip. I will also oil the rings better. Thank you.