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Airbrush for chocolate


jturn00

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After reading the postings in this thread >>> http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST&f=72&t=56184

I was curious on the airbrushing technique Wendy DeBord descibed that norman used. After airbrushing there must be some residual spray.

How do you keep your work area clean?

While the objective is to get the colors into the inside of the mould what do you do with the coloring that gets on the outside?

I am planning on using the powered dyes with cocobutter that I will melt and mix. Any tips on cleaning up after using cocobutter and colors? (I ordered the badger 250-4 with two "cups" but if I want to use a third color I will have clean one of them.)

These tips hopefully will let my first attempt at airbrushing chocolates go smoothly.

Thanks,

Jeff

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There isn't really that much overspray. It sort of clouds up in a mist, but I haven't had trouble with a mess. I leave the colour that gets on the rim of the mould there. When you fill with chocolate and then scrape off the excess, it comes off. I've had no trouble with putting the scraped colour in my bowl of tempered chocolate. It just mixes in and disperses so there are no streaks. When I have tried to use a bench scraper to get rid of the colour on the rim before there is chocolate in it, it tends to curl up and fall in the cavities and then you need to pick it out. PITA.

Please try the PCB colours. They are wonderful. I ordered some stuff from the PCB website last Friday and got it on Thursday!! From France!! (can you tell I'm impressed with the speed of shipping?)

To clean my Badger 250, I usually get a cup of hot water and dip the intake into it and spray into the sink. Works great. I have a few cups, but you can wash them and use them right away as long as they are dry. Airbrushing is fun. Don't panic.

Edited by choux (log)
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Welcome to The eGullet Society For Arts & Letters Jturn00.

I think Choux answered your questions very well, I ditto that info.. And I do want to mention that I've had a hard time dissolving dry powdered color in cocoa butter, so this may be a challenge to you also. I use the PBC brand of color suspended in cocoa butter and a similar product line that Albert Uster Company sells (which is greatly more thinned out then PCB). I also use oil based liquid colors that I've found thru wholesalers and at my local craft stores mixed into my own cocoa butter or chocolates.

As I recall theres alot of detailed excellent info. in the thread that you linked. If you follow it, you shouldn't have any problems learning this technique.

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Another thing I thought of , when I clean the brush by running hot water through it, then just spray it with nothing but air sucking in to dry it off. I had been worried that the airbrush cuased pressure to build up in the jar, and taking the jar off without releasing the pressure from the can would cause a boom. This fear was allayed when I didn't screw the jar on properly and it fell off during spraying and nothing happened. So cleaning by feeding hot water through is pretty easy.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just a quick follow-up. I just received the PCB colors. The coco butter is solid in the tubes. What is the best way to heat them up? In a hot water bath or in the microwave. How long should I microwave them for?

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Microwave for sure! They tend to float in a hot water bath, and you don't want to get water into them. My microwave has a turntable and I lay them on their sides and let them roll around a bit.(my microwave isn't level so it works great) But a couple minutes for 1 bottle will work and I've done up to 4 in about 4 minutes. Keep checking and shaking them. Let us know how it goes!!

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  • 1 year later...

I just bought a new Bagder 250 airbrush. Since this tool is not meant to be used with chocolate there is no instructions about it in the package. Before using it for the first time I would like to have some tips from more experienced users. I am really worried about how to clean it after use since I have no idea how to do this task or what to use to clean the airbrush. I would also appreciate some tips on how to store it once it is not in use.

I am really excited in trying to airbrush my chocolates mold as soon as possible but I wouldn't like to mess this little tool so any info on how to use it is very wellcome.

Thanks in advance!

Nil

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I use the badger as well ( you mean the little cheaper one right , with external jar for suction ?)

Anyway , I dont do any particular things around it, its my work horse actually I am pretty mean to it as well :laugh: .When I am done using it and between colors I just use some paper towles to clean up the jar and when I am done I just take it apart and wash it with warm to hot water ( but not always ) I use a needle to clean up the hole in case it gets clogged with cocoa butter ,but it doesnt happen too often.

Also if you plan on using the air propellent that it came with it , be aware that isnt food safe .

Vanessa

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I also use it for this purpose. My compressor was more on the cheap side and didnt have enough ummph (psi) to do the job. I have switched to a 2 gallon oiless compressor, alittle but works great, it has pressure regulator and my friend is going to install a set up that uses quick disconnects so that I can use anyone of my 3 airbrushes (paint gun-like auto motive guys use, the badger and my airbrush for fine detail and cake work) They are definetly workhorses especially for the price.

"Chocolate has no calories....

Chocolate is food for the soul, The soul has no weight, therefore no calories" so said a customer, a lovely southern woman, after consuming chocolate indulgence

SWEET KARMA DESSERTS

www.sweetkarmadesserts.com

550 East Meadow Ave. East meadow, NY 11554

516-794-4478

Brian Fishman

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Is anyone airbrushing with luster dusts?  What do you mix them with, and in what ratio?

chef rubber sells these pre-mixed with alcohol. i'm sure you can do the same using denatured alcohol which will evaporate after spraying. don't know what ratio though. enough to make a liquid?

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Is anyone airbrushing with luster dusts?  What do you mix them with, and in what ratio?

chef rubber sells these pre-mixed with alcohol. i'm sure you can do the same using denatured alcohol which will evaporate after spraying. don't know what ratio though. enough to make a liquid?

would there be any problem with clogging the nozzle?

John DePaula
formerly of DePaula Confections
Hand-crafted artisanal chocolates & gourmet confections - …Because Pleasure Matters…
--------------------
When asked “What are the secrets of good cooking? Escoffier replied, “There are three: butter, butter and butter.”

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I've experimented with it. Didn't have any significant clogging issues. But I was just using vodka, which didn't evaporate as well as I would have liked, and I figured there had to be some people on here who'd tried it!

Tammy's Tastings

Creating unique food and drink experiences

eGullet Foodblogs #1 and #2
Dinner for 40

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I've experimented with it.  Didn't have any significant clogging issues.  But I was just using vodka, which didn't evaporate as well as I would have liked, and I figured there had to be some people on here who'd tried it!

Is denatured alcohol safe or do you need something like Everclear?

Mark

www.roseconfections.com

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i would worry more about the safety of the luster dusts over the use of denatured alcohol. the alcohol will evaporate, but you are actually ingesting the luster dusts.

you'll notice on chef rubber's web site that they offer fda approved lusters and "decor" colors. the decor colors are not fda approved. doesn't mean that they're poisonous per se, but they aren't meant for consumption in large amounts.

from information i've read, denatured alcohol isn't a problem.

edited to add: but if you're at all concerned, vodka or everclear or another clear alcohol would probably work just as well.

Edited by alanamoana (log)
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I'm not sure denatured alcohol is what you'd want in this instance, unless you're referring to something different than what I'm finding in my web searches:

"Denatured alcohol is ethanol to which poisonous and foul-tasting chemicals

have been added to make it unfit for drinking. There is more than one

recipe for denaturing alcohol; some add methanol or isopropanol, some

gasoline, and so on."

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem00/chem00102.htm

I believe Everclear is recommended, because its higher alcohol content means that it evaporates more quickly.

Tammy's Tastings

Creating unique food and drink experiences

eGullet Foodblogs #1 and #2
Dinner for 40

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  • 2 months later...

Could anyone recommend an airbrush and suitable compressor for spraying coloured cocoa butter into moulds for making chocolates?

Advantages/disadvantages etc. Any advice much appreciated.Many thanks :cool:

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I have been using a less expensive one by Badger 250, I have it hooked to a 2 gallon compressor (pretty noisy-but the price was right) I have to turn the pressure down or my whole shop becomes like a Cheech and Chong Movie.

You get the whole setup and really good airbrush supplies from Bearair.com

"Chocolate has no calories....

Chocolate is food for the soul, The soul has no weight, therefore no calories" so said a customer, a lovely southern woman, after consuming chocolate indulgence

SWEET KARMA DESSERTS

www.sweetkarmadesserts.com

550 East Meadow Ave. East meadow, NY 11554

516-794-4478

Brian Fishman

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hi! I am interested in the comment about the compressor can not being safe for eating. I am sure I saw a demo done in which the compressor can was used... Does anyone have more info on this? How do I know if it is safe or not?

Thanks,

Lior

You can look up the chemicals from the ingredient list online. I thought I did so when I first got the can of propellant and, because of what I found chose not to use them. It's been a long time and I don't remember exactly what I found but it wasn't good.

John DePaula
formerly of DePaula Confections
Hand-crafted artisanal chocolates & gourmet confections - …Because Pleasure Matters…
--------------------
When asked “What are the secrets of good cooking? Escoffier replied, “There are three: butter, butter and butter.”

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  • 2 months later...

Hi! I emailed Badger and asked about the safety of the compressor can for food and they do not recommend using it for food products. Thank you somuch for warning me. I clearly remember seeing a N.Love demo in which he used the can!!! I will have to order the compressor- I need so many things to start up a little business!!!

Lior

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