Cocoa Butter

[ChocoGrok]

Help! I'm trying to locate a source for cocoa butter. I've checked the local Trader Joes and Whole Foods, and they do not carry it. Is cocoa butter an item that needs to be ordered from a speciality store? Thanks!

[Art]

Help!  I'm trying to locate a source for cocoa butter.  I've checked the local Trader Joes and Whole Foods, and they do not carry it.  Is cocoa butter an item that needs to be ordered from a speciality store?  Thanks!

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Cocoa butter is often a bit hard to track down. It also isn't cheap. This is the reason why so many chocolate manufacturers add soy lecithin -- it allows you to make chocolate without having to add as much (if any) additional cocoa butter.

Here are a couple of resources:

Chef Shop has it in granules which are very handy to work with:

http://chefshop.com/Itemdesc.asp?ic=4654&eq=4654baking&Tp=

Albert Uster Imports ( http://www.auiswiss.com/ ) has cocoa butter as well. It is a bit hard to find in their store but in the end, it costs $46 for 5.5 lbs which works out to about $8.00/lb.

Hope this helps,

-Art

[alanamoana]

click icaviar as well

[hummingbirdkiss]

a regular health food store will carry it in pint jars

right next to the coconut oil

and palm oil ....most old fashioned Health food markets and coops have it

Edited August 6, 2007 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[ChocoGrok]

Thanks everyone for the leads.

[Patrick S]

Some cake decorating stores carry it too.

[lorinda]

I was wondering what you all do with cocoa butter ... I found a tub in my local store and was going to get it.

[gfron1]

What do you do with it? You send it quickly to ChocoGrok?

[ChocoGrok]

Stamping!

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...676&hl=stamping

[pagosselin]

Stamping! 

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...676&hl=stamping

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Lorann Oils also sells the cocoa butter. 1-800-862-8620

Can be pricing to ship though.

[SundaySous]

If this is truly a 911 situation I can't imagine a confection shop or upscale restaurant not helping you out.

[alanamoana]

Stamping! 

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...676&hl=stamping

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if that's what you're using it for, then you probably want colored cocoa butter which can be purchased in many shades with or without "sparkle" from Chefrubber or from PCB

[cookman]

I thought I read somewhere that cocoa butter had an "indefinite" shelf life if stored properly. Recently, however, I was adding some cocoa butter to some chocolate I was tempering and the cocoa butter seemed to have a slightly "off" smell to me. Anyone know how long cocoa butter will keep?

[John DePaula]

The shelf-life is not unlimited. And really, it just depends on how well it was stored away from light and moisture and heat.

I'd say, at least a year under normal conditions but probably not much longer.

[Sebastian]

Natural ccb will last longer than deodorized. If properly stored (low temps, not direct light exposure, low moisture, no strong odors), deodorized ccb should provide you with 1 years shelf life. natural ccb's will be longer.

[HQAntithesis]

The shelf life indicated on Callebaut's website say 2 years after production date and 1 year after production date for Mycryo.

http://www.callebaut.com/en/3305

[aguynamedrobert]

I would agree that around 1 1/2 to 2 years would the time I would keep it. In a perfect situtation, which none of our homes are, I think it could last much longer but over 2 years in a normal house is pushing it...

[merlicky]

Not really a where question, but more of a how question...

How much cocoa butter do you use when trying to cut back chocolate. I want to use some white chocolate for enrobing certain truffles, but it is way too thick to be workable.

[Kerry Beal]

Not really a where question, but more of a how question...

How much cocoa butter do you use when trying to cut back chocolate.  I want to use some white chocolate for enrobing certain truffles, but it is way too thick to be workable.

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Start by adding about 5% by weight, then adjusting as necessary.

[Darienne]

If you have a Michael's, they stock it in the Wilton aisle. Perhaps they carry it in Hobby Lobby or other such stores too.

It's a LorAnn product.

[Droo]

What's the difference between liquid cocoa butter (at room temp),  blocks, and mycryo in terms of use/application?

 

I understand that mycryo is deodourised but that's pretty much it.

 

[Lisa Shock]

Mycryo is very high in beta crystals, when it's in the powder form. Generally, it's used like a 'seed' when tempering whereas liquid cocoa butter may or may not be in temper and a block of cocoa butter is in temper but might fall out of temper when melted depending on how it's handled.

 

If you are trying to spray chocolate, mycryo is a good choice for making it a little thinner because it also pretty much guarantees a good snappy result. It's expensive to use alone or in large volume, though.

[Kerry Beal]

And I've never seen liquid cocoa butter at room temperature.

[Lisa Shock]

I was also wondering what you consider to be room temperature?

[Droo]

Well don't I feel silly! 

 

I bought this: http://www.cacao-barry.com/en-OC/chocolate-couverture-cocoa/ncb-hdo3/deodorized-cocoa-butter?categorypath=0-9-19

and as it came in a bucket I assumed it was liquid. I've just opened it and yes, it is a solid.

 

I assume this product has the same characteristics as a block, as mentioned above?