Mol d'art melters

[cslas]

3 hours ago, Beets3 said:

DR in Canada is having a big sale .

Who's DR? 

[pastrygirl]

10 minutes ago, cslas said:

Who's DR? 

A chocolatier's wonderland 😍

https://dr.ca/

Edited August 28, 2019 by pastrygirl (log)

[cslas]

9 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

A chocolatier's wonderland 😍

https://dr.ca/

 

Thanks! This is making me want to drive up tonight.  I'm only about 4 hours away from Montreal.

[Desiderio]

I love my Mol d'Art! Was the first piece of equipment I bought when I first started with chocolate. I got rid of a lot of stuff in the past few years, but that one will be buried with me 🤣.

[cslas]

On 8/27/2019 at 7:25 AM, Kerry Beal said:

There are a number of new digital melters these days - competition maybe?

 

Why not phone and ask?

By digital meter, do you mean one with a digital temperature reading vs. a dial? 

[Kerry Beal]

7 hours ago, cslas said:

By digital meter, do you mean one with a digital temperature reading vs. a dial? 

Yes - and most of them have a probe that goes into the pan. Mold'art also makes one with a digital readout - it does not have a probe. 

 

[cslas]

On 8/27/2019 at 11:56 AM, Jim D. said:

I know I am in a minority on eGullet, but I use a tempering machine, specifically the Chocovision Delta. It can temper up to 7.7kg at a time and as little as 1.4Kg (which comes in handy when you are not making a lot of chocolates at a time). It can handle more than the stated maximum if you have additional chocolate melted and ready to add to the bowl. Its advantage to me is that I premelt the chocolate overnight, pour it in, set the control, and can do other things while the machine does its job, raising the temp to the desired highest point, then down to the lowest point for tempering, then up to the working temp. Its thermostat keeps the chocolate in temper for a long time (with, of course, the usual adjustments needed to deal with overtempering). The biggest downside is its cost, which is $2,329 (though it can be found for a little less than that). That's a lot more than the Mol d'art, but it also does a lot more. Another downside is that dumping chocolate out of molds requires considerably more attention than is needed when using a melter, simply because the Delta bowl is round, whereas the Mol d'art container is rectangular.

 

 

Maybe I've imagined it, but is the Delta a new version of the ChocoVision Revolation X3210?

[Jim D.]

36 minutes ago, cslas said:

 

 

Maybe I've imagined it, but is the Delta a new version of the ChocoVision Revolation X3210?

 

Yes, I think it's more computerized than the earlier model.

[sbain]

@Desiderio can you help me understand how you use your mol d’art? I got one but still trying to work it into my routine (I make small batches, usually tempering only 1-2 kg at a time, tabling method.) do you melt in the mol d’art then temper by tabling? Or seed method? Then back into the melter for working? That’s what I tried but I had issues with the chocolate getting to thick in the melter (over-tempered?), then I left it in overnight and the top half of my chocolate hardened (bottom was still melted. Weird). I want to love my mol d’art like you, but I think I need to learn to use it better. Thanks for any (detailed) advice!

[keychris]

11 hours ago, sbain said:

@Desiderio can you help me understand how you use your mol d’art? I got one but still trying to work it into my routine (I make small batches, usually tempering only 1-2 kg at a time, tabling method.) do you melt in the mol d’art then temper by tabling? Or seed method? Then back into the melter for working? That’s what I tried but I had issues with the chocolate getting to thick in the melter (over-tempered?), then I left it in overnight and the top half of my chocolate hardened (bottom was still melted. Weird). I want to love my mol d’art like you, but I think I need to learn to use it better. Thanks for any (detailed) advice!

 

tl;dr: Maintain your melt tank with a heatgun as you work.

 

Temper the chocolate as per your preferred method. I table mine, but everyone is different. Once you're tempered it, it goes back into the tank which is now set at the working temperature of the chocolate. The chocolate will thicken in a holding tank, because it's not a tempering machine, it's just holding it at one temperature and the crystallisation process isn't static, it's always occurring when the chocolate is cool enough. That's why when you left it overnight the top was hard and the bottom (where the heat is generated) wasn't. You can't leave a melt tank for long periods of time and expect the chocolate to stay in working condition, because that's not how chocolate works. Once you've tempered it, you'll need to heat it occasionally with a heat gun (how often depends on how much is in the tank, what your room temp is, how much you're stirring it etc etc) to melt out the excess crystals that are forming. There's no point (in my opinion) leaving it at the working temperature overnight because the amount of heat you'll need to add to melt that top layer will melt every other crystal in there as well and you just need to re-temper anyway, so might as well leave it at 45C overnight.

[GRiker]

Just reading up on the tips and tricks here getting ready to play with my newly acquired 6 kg Mol d'art melter I got on eBay.  Looks like the seller has another one to sell as well (click this link to see the listing).  The one I got was a little dirty and has a little wear on the cord, but looks in good condition overall.  I haven't used it yet, but wanted to post this second melter from eBay since I've been watching for one for a while and they don't come along very often.  Bidding ends Wednesday, 7/7/2021

[GRiker]

I'm looking for a second pan for my newly acquired melter. tcfsales.com lists the Pan Dimensions: 325 x 265 x 100 mm.  A 1/2 size restaurant pan is 325 x 265 and I can get a 4 inch or ~100mm deep.  Any reason I shouldn't buy a restaurant pan for $10 instead of the extra pan listed for $55?

[pastrygirl]

9 minutes ago, GRiker said:

I'm looking for a second pan for my newly acquired melter. tcfsales.com lists the Pan Dimensions: 325 x 265 x 100 mm.  A 1/2 size restaurant pan is 325 x 265 and I can get a 4 inch or ~100mm deep.  Any reason I shouldn't buy a restaurant pan for $10 instead of the extra pan listed for $55?

Check the fit, you may be able to get away with it.  The corner radius might be different.  I have a couple of deeper ones that fit and even allow me to work with more than 6 kg. 

Edited July 7, 2021 by pastrygirl (log)

[GRiker]

@pastrygirlThank you for the insight.  I will make my way to a restaurant supply house with my melter and see if the corner radius fits.  Thanks again.

[Kerry Beal]

19 hours ago, GRiker said:

I'm looking for a second pan for my newly acquired melter. tcfsales.com lists the Pan Dimensions: 325 x 265 x 100 mm.  A 1/2 size restaurant pan is 325 x 265 and I can get a 4 inch or ~100mm deep.  Any reason I shouldn't buy a restaurant pan for $10 instead of the extra pan listed for $55?

I've never found a standard North American restaurant pan to fit in a Mol'dart.

[pastrygirl]

 

@GRiker this is a winco pan, not a perfect fit but it works, wasn’t $65, and I can fit an extra 2 kg. 

 

 

[GRiker]

@pastrygirlGood to see how it fits.  I’ll see what I can find.  Thanks. 

[Jim D.]

I'm having an issue with my Mol d'Art that I can't solve.  I use the melter for dumping molds as I make shells.  When I have finished the session, I let the chocolate cool and eventually harden (obviously out of temper).  Then I set the Mol d'Art pan aside until I am ready to seal the molds.  I set the melter at a high temp overnight, and by morning the chocolate is mostly melted.  The problem is that it often (though not always) has little particles in it that don't melt readily.  I assume they are cocoa butter that has separated from the couverture.  Nothing simple gets rid of those bits; only many passes with an immersion blender does the trick.  Not only is this a nuisance that shouldn't be necessary, but the blender creates little air bubbles.  When I put the chocolate in a dehydrator overnight (even when the chocolate was allowed to harden in a very thick layer), there are no such unmelted bits.  Any ideas?

[Kerry Beal]

2 hours ago, Jim D. said:

I'm having an issue with my Mol d'Art that I can't solve.  I use the melter for dumping molds as I make shells.  When I have finished the session, I let the chocolate cool and eventually harden (obviously out of temper).  Then I set the Mol d'Art pan aside until I am ready to seal the molds.  I set the melter at a high temp overnight, and by morning the chocolate is mostly melted.  The problem is that it often (though not always) has little particles in it that don't melt readily.  I assume they are cocoa butter that has separated from the couverture.  Nothing simple gets rid of those bits; only many passes with an immersion blender does the trick.  Not only is this a nuisance that shouldn't be necessary, but the blender creates little air bubbles.  When I put the chocolate in a dehydrator overnight (even when the chocolate was allowed to harden in a very thick layer), there are no such unmelted bits.  Any ideas?

If it's in temper initially when you turn it off - I wonder if putting it in the fridge to remove the latent heat and remelting the still tempered chocolate in the morning would make a difference. 

[GRiker]

3 hours ago, Jim D. said:

The problem is that it often (though not always) has little particles in it that don't melt readily.

I'm afraid I don't have a solution, but have experienced a similar issue.  I have used a couple different milk chocolate 10-pound blocks from Guittard.  I put chunks in the melter at a higher temperature the night before I want to use them.  In the morning the block is completely melted except for little particles that don't want to melt.  I've used the same method as you of beating it into submission using my immersion blender - a pain.   This only happens with one type of the two blocks that I've used.  

 

Interestingly, these particles only appeared when melting the from the factory block.  After I blend it and melt it all out, putting the unused tempered chocolate away, I don't have the same issue again when I remelt.  

 

At first I thought it was because I wasn't heating the chocolate to a high enough temperature, but my thermometer told me that couldn't really be the case.  Since it only happens with new chocolate I suspect my culprit was type VI crystals.  

 

With your chocolate only sitting a short time before the remelt, it certainly can't be type VI crystals.

 

Wish I could help!

[Kerry Beal]

7 hours ago, GRiker said:

I'm afraid I don't have a solution, but have experienced a similar issue.  I have used a couple different milk chocolate 10-pound blocks from Guittard.  I put chunks in the melter at a higher temperature the night before I want to use them.  In the morning the block is completely melted except for little particles that don't want to melt.  I've used the same method as you of beating it into submission using my immersion blender - a pain.   This only happens with one type of the two blocks that I've used.  

 

Interestingly, these particles only appeared when melting the from the factory block.  After I blend it and melt it all out, putting the unused tempered chocolate away, I don't have the same issue again when I remelt.  

 

At first I thought it was because I wasn't heating the chocolate to a high enough temperature, but my thermometer told me that couldn't really be the case.  Since it only happens with new chocolate I suspect my culprit was type VI crystals.  

 

With your chocolate only sitting a short time before the remelt, it certainly can't be type VI crystals.

 

Wish I could help!

Indeed - little crystalline chunks sounds like form VI crystals - but would be weird for form VI to appear in chocolate under the conditions Jim is describing - but totally reasonable in the conditions you describe. 

 

I see it happen in 'older' cocoa butter a lot. 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Jim D.]

I'm leaving the chocolate in the Mol d'Art pan, so can't fit it in my fridge.  The chocolate is in temper when I turn off the melter, but obviously it isn't when it turns solid.  So I might have a solid block of chocolate 3-4 inches thick.  Before I got the melter, I would pour the chocolate into a baking sheet lined with parchment and let it harden.  In that case it also wouldn't be in temper and became crumbly, marbled, the usual untempered look.  But I don't recall ever having the problem when remelting that chocolate.  I've always operated on the assumption that no matter the condition of previously used chocolate, melting it would make it like new--I'm not talking about the Type VI possibility, which might result from leaving it too long.  My only guess at this point is that the block of chocolate in the melter is too thick to melt properly, but how does that make sense?  I'll have to watch to see if a thinner block melts successfully, and otherwise have my immersion blender at the ready (the bubbles that form do dissipate in time).

[Kerry Beal]

2 hours ago, Jim D. said:

I'm leaving the chocolate in the Mol d'Art pan, so can't fit it in my fridge.  The chocolate is in temper when I turn off the melter, but obviously it isn't when it turns solid.  So I might have a solid block of chocolate 3-4 inches thick.  Before I got the melter, I would pour the chocolate into a baking sheet lined with parchment and let it harden.  In that case it also wouldn't be in temper and became crumbly, marbled, the usual untempered look.  But I don't recall ever having the problem when remelting that chocolate.  I've always operated on the assumption that no matter the condition of previously used chocolate, melting it would make it like new--I'm not talking about the Type VI possibility, which might result from leaving it too long.  My only guess at this point is that the block of chocolate in the melter is too thick to melt properly, but how does that make sense?  I'll have to watch to see if a thinner block melts successfully, and otherwise have my immersion blender at the ready (the bubbles that form do dissipate in time).

Guessing you don't have a cold spot like the garage where you can put the pan to cool initially?

[Jim D.]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

Guessing you don't have a cold spot like the garage where you can put the pan to cool initially?

 

That's a good idea.  I do have a cool garage at the moment, but a week ago it was 75F here.  In trying to guess why this is happening in the melter but not in the dehydrator, I'm wondering if it's something about the source of the heat.  The melter has warming elements around the edges of the pan, whereas the dehydrator has heat totally surrounding the big bowl holding the chocolate with a fan to spread the heat around.