Working Smart in the Chocolate Kitchen

[Kerry Beal]

I really enjoyed the topic about working cleanly in the chocolate kitchen and that got me thinking about tricks we might have to work more 'smartly' in our chocolate kitchens.

I find that over time I have become much more efficient in the kitchen than I was when I first started working with chocolate. Back then I usually tempered milk, dark and white at the same time, then tried to juggle keeping them in temper while trying to finish the one item I was working on.

When I temper a batch of a particular chocolate I try to accomplish as much as I can before going on to another chocolate. So if I were to temper a batch of dark chocolate I pour a bunch of molds, put them in the fridge then pour a bunch of cuvette or cup molds for later use. When the first batch of molds have crystallized - they come out of the fridge - the cup molds hit the fridge - I pipe fillings into the first molds and back them off. When the cuvette molds come out of the fridge the backed off molds are ready to go back in until they are ready to unmold.

Typically I'll also paint thinly the inside of some molds with the dark chocolate that will then be molded with milk chocolate. If I have figural molds in my plans, then I'll paint the dark part of the eyes on them.

With the same batch I might mold a couple of plates of little coffee beans or frogs - something that might be used on top of those cuvette molds later on or added to a box of chocolates for a whimsical touch.

If I have dipped items that need decoration then I'll use some of my dark chocolate to drizzle on those products.

With the chocolate left which is still in temper - I might make a ganache that benefits from being made with tempered chocolate or some bark.

So any great tricks that folks have for working more efficiently in their chocolate kitchen?

[Beth Wilson]

Isn't it funny the things that you learn and wish you had known in the beginning.

Like knowing how long certain things take so you learn to start them earlier in the day rather than later. I can't tell you how many times it took extra time to get the chocolate into perfect temper and of course it got later and later into the evening.....who knew that chocolate needed so much tlc.

I have been acquiring a nice pile of pans, silpats and spatulas gradually over the years so when I do get the chocolate into temper I don't have to stop and wash up all the time. I have a ton of stuff to load into the dishwasher at the end of the night but at least I didn't have to stop when the chocolate is in temper.

I used to loose the temper while I was off cleaning up for my next batch and the frustration was making me rethink my career choice!

I love silicon spatulas!

[Lior]

I work similarly to Kerry. Plan out what needs the particular chocolate I have tempered and do all those things. Works well.

What about left over ganache? I am trying to get the exact quantity needed for the number of molds I use with each ganache. It is improving but still not correct. I have umpteen containers of varying amounts of leftover ganache in my freezer waiting for me to do something with them "later" on a "less busy day" blah blah blah!!

This week I spent Thursday using all my week's leftover ganache (not the frozen ones). I rolled them into truffles balls, dipped and rolled into coatings, sold some, sent some to my daughter"s school for the teachers, and froze some. It was nice and fun and I was thrilled not to add to my frozen collection. I thought "if I make them quite tiny and freeze them, I can use them for tastes at festivals..." Or for dessert or little gifts or for tastes....

DO you have leftover problems?

Edited September 27, 2008 by Lior (log)

[Kerry Beal]

I put my ganaches into disposable piping bags and heat seal the end. Makes it easy to pipe without the filling squirting out of the back of the bag. Leftovers get the tip end heat sealed - labeled and dated - then into the fridge. Sometimes I'll combine two fillings in a molded chocolate when I don;t have enough of either - so mocha and liquid caramel might get combined.

If I have scraps of jellies or guitar cut ganaches - they can go in a kitchen sink bark to take to work or give away to who ever looks like they need it.

Edited September 27, 2008 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Lior]

I consistently have trouble reheating my ganache- it usually breaks. I do it gently so I don't know why this happens!! It is quicker for me to make new ganache... I am an expert in fixing broken ganache!!!!!! My most annoying habit is that of breaking ganache. It still remains a mystery to me and I am fanatic about using perfect ganache so this is really the Ganache War. Perhaps the ganache gods didn't like my choice of business name...

[Kerry Beal]

I reheat in the microwave at 10% power, just 20 to 30 seconds at a time, until the piping bag contents are soft enough to pipe. Haven't seen them break inside the bag.

[Lior]

I know I know. you have explained thisto me and believe me, I learn all your tips off by heart!!! But for me, I break the ganache!!! Maybe I am not as gentle as I think. But thanks thank thanks!!!

[tammylc]

I put my ganaches into disposable piping bags and heat seal the end.  Makes it easy to pipe without the filling squirting out of the back of the bag.  Leftovers get the tip end heat sealed - labeled and dated - then into the fridge.  Sometimes I'll combine two fillings in a molded chocolate when I don;t have enough of either - so mocha and liquid caramel might get combined.

If I have scraps of jellies or guitar cut ganaches - they can go in a kitchen sink bark to take to work or give away to who ever looks like they need it.

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Thank you Kerry, for all your amazing tips and tricks. But the thing I am most grateful of all for is that you don't take chocolate quite so seriously as some of the rest of us (myself included). It's a good reminder and lesson for me!

[Kerry Beal]

I know I've mentioned this one elsewhere - but this topic seems like a good spot to bring it up again. I have one of those stainless steel milkshake cups like this one. When I want to fill a piping bag, I put it in the cup, with the cuff draped over the top then I can use both hands to either ladle chocolate into the bag or scoop ganache from the bowl.

[ejw50]

Microsoft Excel.

I record the ratios of ingredients. I record the required ganache weight for a particular mold type. Then I can scale to any number of molds or mold types with not too much waste in material. Excel prevents calculation errors.

At least that's the theory. I still waste some. But every time I do it, I waste less.

Edited September 28, 2008 by ejw50 (log)

[emmalish]

I know I've mentioned this one elsewhere - but this topic seems like a good spot to bring it up again.  I have one of those stainless steel milkshake cups like this one.  When I want to fill a piping bag, I put it in the cup, with the cuff draped over the top then I can use both hands to either ladle chocolate into the bag or scoop ganache from the bowl.

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I do the same thing, but just with a large drinking glass. I do it when putting frosting into a piping bag too.

[Desiderio]

I wanted to add my experience on how I work in a really hot kitchen. The commercial kitchen I rent is very hot and very large in size, 2500 square feet. The actual owners don't have the AC on because it doesn't make sense in a bakery, it would never get cooler with all those ovens on, plus they don't want spend the money for it. So other than the fact that at least isn't humid here, its a chocolate nightmare! My last production I couldn't finish my had cut chocolates and caramel, so I did only molded. I use their speed racks and cookie sheets with parchment paper on, I set up all my molds so I can work fast, put the molds upsidedown on the cookie sheets and run them to the walk in fridge (only the walking in that kitchen between things is a workout!!) if I have more molds, wich I usually do, I set up couple of racks, and do the second batch, then go get the first one and put in the second etc etc. Now the dipped chocolates would be a trick to do because the fridge thingy wouldn't work, so I am still working on it. By the way I kept the kitchen really clean while I am working because its better but also because cleaning the entire thing is out of the question expecially when on a timer! I stay pretty much in the same two spots, one for the ganache making, and one for the shells making, and at the end I clean those two spots. I had to work with the lights off on Sunday to minimize heat, the ventilation on and the back door open, there is a screen door, and the lowest I could get it was 79 F. I hope it will get better in the winter.

[Edward J]

From start to finish, I tend to "streamline" the whole process. Usually the day before I'll coat all my molds and the following morning I'll make the various ganaches.

Everything gets weighed--liquids, solids, booze, everything, I hate futzing around with measuring butter by volume or liquids by eye, everything has a weight so I take advantage of this fact. All of my recipies are written down with columns: Column one with weights for 2 molds@18 cavities, column two with 3 molds etc. there is no waste, and no "leftover" ganache to store away. Thus I can scale out verry quickly and accurately.

I'll start with the lightest ganache and work my way up to the darkest one, using the same pot to heat up the cream and the same utensils to make up the ganache, and the same disposable piping bag (when pouring into the bag, I use twist ties at the small end, and when filling the molds, use a twist tie at the large end.) A 'run" of 6 types of ganaches and 14 mold trays usually takes me under an hour.

[Lior]

Could you share theses columns? I would love to see how you do it. How you worked it out and then an example? I am working on this issue right now by trial and error!

Thanks!

[Edward J]

Well, for example two molds with 18 cavities each aprox 12 grams would go like this:

Couveture

[Edward J]

Oh dear, just found out what "snap-back" means.....and I don't like it

Here goes again:

for two molds for 3 molds

couveture 150 gr 225 g

cream 35 gr 55 gr

fruit puree 65 100

butter 20 30

Put your pot right on the scale, tare off and weigh your cream tare off again and weigh your fruit puree, tare off and weigh your butter. While cream is boiling, scale your couveture, etc, etc,add

[Kerry Beal]

Oh dear, just found out what "snap-back" means.....and I don't like it

Here goes again:

                                for two molds                                    for 3 molds

couveture                  150 gr                                                225 g

cream                      35 gr                                                  55 gr

fruit puree                65                                                      100

butter                        20                                                      30

Put your pot right on the scale, tare off and weigh your cream tare off again and weigh your fruit puree, tare off and weigh your butter.  While cream is boiling, scale your couveture, etc, etc,add

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So for each mold do you figure out how much shell and how much filling? So for your 12 gram mold how much filling would you need?

[prairiegirl]

a 12 gram mold: has a 4 gram shell meaning that the filling is about 8 grams.

I have been thru this exercise!!! I have my notes somewhere but I did weigh many a tray so that I could figure out my exact costs/bonbon.

[tammylc]

I do something similar in terms of calculating quantities. I have an Excel spreadsheet with all my recipes in it, set up to recalculate based on the total amount that I want. I use 9 gram molds, and have learned that it takes about 225 grams of ganache per mold (give or take - single molds need a little more and multiple molds a little less, presumably because of waste issues). So depending on the number of molds I'm planning to make, I just plug in the quantity of ganache I need, and then print out the formula.

I use the output from those formulas to compile my shopping list for any given production, subtotaling all the cream, for example, so I know how much to buy.

[Lior]

impressive! I just use the trial and error method!!! Okay so 200 ml of cream and so on made just a bit too much so......

Math was never my strength!!

[Edward J]

[The recipie was just for the ganache. It does take a bit of trial and error to find the right amount, but once you have it nailed down, use it to your advantage!

[Lior]

Thanks!!!

[Desiderio]

impressive! I just use the trial and error method!!! Okay so 200 ml of cream and so on made just a bit too much so......

Math was never my strength!!

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It isn't mine either!! I hate to have to mathematize everything, but I would love to have a system like that, I did molds, shells and filling calculations, but never actually did a sheet, maybe I could ask my hubby to do that for me since he is the math kinda guy and very good with spreadsheets. This is a good topic.

[Lior]

What a brilliant idea!! My hubby is also the math type!! Maybe they should start a topic!!!!