Report:eG Chocolate and Confectionery Conference

Kerry Beal · April 27, 2009

Wanted to let everyone know I have uploaded additional pictures from the conference on a public album (by pagosselin), in the ImageGullet. Unable to figure out how to add to the original thread!
Pat G
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Pat,

You open two windows in your computer - in the first you bring up 'view' in your album in imageGullet - in the second the reply in this thread.

Click on the 'click for actual URL' line. This will bring up the URL. Now copy the highlighted URL. Go over to the reply in thread area - hit the little IMG button, then paste the URL you copied. Alternately if you just drag the URL from one window into the other you can put square brackets containing the letters IMG in front and square brackets containing /IMG behind the URL.

Desiderio · April 29, 2009

Ok first of all thank you for sharing all of these with us!

I haven't got chance to read everything yet, but I do have a question about mold and shells, I have noticed Brian from tomric placing the molds on their side to dry, is this a technique all of you are using? I have just tried this and realized that bottom closing come out much cleaner and neater that the way I was doing before. I use that technique for hollow molds but never used for molds or shells I was going to fill, if that make sense. I really like it and I will be using that from now on. Thank you for showing it, I guess some things need to be seen directly with a master to learn, I can't wait to get into a professional class one of these days!

Kerry Beal · April 29, 2009

Ok first of all thank you for sharing all of these with us!
I haven't got chance to read everything yet, but I do have a question about mold and shells, I have noticed Brian from tomric placing the molds on their side to dry, is this a technique all of you are using? I have just tried this and realized that bottom closing come out much cleaner and neater that the way I was doing before. I use that technique for hollow molds but never used for molds or shells I was going to fill, if that make sense. I really like it and I will be using that from now on. Thank you for showing it, I guess some things need to be seen directly with a master to learn, I can't wait to get into a professional class one of these days!
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These days I put mine all on their sides, being careful the scrape the ones that aren't going to be filled in the molds (ie cups) much more thoroughly than the ones that are.

cmflick · April 29, 2009

Ok first of all thank you for sharing all of these with us!
I haven't got chance to read everything yet, but I do have a question about mold and shells, I have noticed Brian from tomric placing the molds on their side to dry, is this a technique all of you are using? I have just tried this and realized that bottom closing come out much cleaner and neater that the way I was doing before. I use that technique for hollow molds but never used for molds or shells I was going to fill, if that make sense. I really like it and I will be using that from now on. Thank you for showing it, I guess some things need to be seen directly with a master to learn, I can't wait to get into a professional class one of these days!
←
These days I put mine all on their sides, being careful the scrape the ones that aren't going to be filled in the molds (ie cups) much more thoroughly than the ones that are.
←

I hadn't noticed putting the molds on the sides when I first looked at the pictures. Doesn't the chocolate settle to one side in the mold while it is crystallizing giving you a shell that is thicker on one side than the other? I usually invert mine onto parchment paper to crystallize, but I'll have to give this a try.

Anna N · April 29, 2009

Ok first of all thank you for sharing all of these with us!
I haven't got chance to read everything yet, but I do have a question about mold and shells, I have noticed Brian from tomric placing the molds on their side to dry, is this a technique all of you are using? I have just tried this and realized that bottom closing come out much cleaner and neater that the way I was doing before. I use that technique for hollow molds but never used for molds or shells I was going to fill, if that make sense. I really like it and I will be using that from now on. Thank you for showing it, I guess some things need to be seen directly with a master to learn, I can't wait to get into a professional class one of these days!
←
These days I put mine all on their sides, being careful the scrape the ones that aren't going to be filled in the molds (ie cups) much more thoroughly than the ones that are.
←
I hadn't noticed putting the molds on the sides when I first looked at the pictures. Doesn't the chocolate settle to one side in the mold while it is crystallizing giving you a shell that is thicker on one side than the other? I usually invert mine onto parchment paper to crystallize, but I'll have to give this a try.
←

I saw Bernard Callebaut do a demo on TV recently and he inverted his molds but did not put them directly on the parchment rather he elevated each end over whatever was handy! But I imagine you could use caramel rulers for this purpose.

Kerry Beal · April 29, 2009

I hadn't noticed putting the molds on the sides when I first looked at the pictures. Doesn't the chocolate settle to one side in the mold while it is crystallizing giving you a shell that is thicker on one side than the other? I usually invert mine onto parchment paper to crystallize, but I'll have to give this a try.
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I scrape them one way - then turn them over on the other side. It balances out - they are never thicker on one side.

Chocolot · April 29, 2009

I hadn't noticed putting the molds on the sides when I first looked at the pictures. Doesn't the chocolate settle to one side in the mold while it is crystallizing giving you a shell that is thicker on one side than the other? I usually invert mine onto parchment paper to crystallize, but I'll have to give this a try.
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I scrape them one way - then turn them over on the other side. It balances out - they are never thicker on one side.
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What is the advantage of putting them on their side?

Kerry Beal · April 29, 2009

I hadn't noticed putting the molds on the sides when I first looked at the pictures. Doesn't the chocolate settle to one side in the mold while it is crystallizing giving you a shell that is thicker on one side than the other? I usually invert mine onto parchment paper to crystallize, but I'll have to give this a try.
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I scrape them one way - then turn them over on the other side. It balances out - they are never thicker on one side.
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What is the advantage of putting them on their side?
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I think better cooling might be one factor. And of course I saw JP Wybauw do it that way - and I've been doing it that way ever since.

Molds placed face down on parchment can trap heat. As the chocolate fully crystallizes, the latent heat of crystallization is given off. Probably not a huge problem with little molds, but enough heat can be generated in an easter egg mold to throw the chocolate at the top of the mold out of temper.

ejw50 · April 30, 2009

I hadn't noticed putting the molds on the sides when I first looked at the pictures. Doesn't the chocolate settle to one side in the mold while it is crystallizing giving you a shell that is thicker on one side than the other? I usually invert mine onto parchment paper to crystallize, but I'll have to give this a try.
←
I scrape them one way - then turn them over on the other side. It balances out - they are never thicker on one side.
←
What is the advantage of putting them on their side?
←
I think better cooling might be one factor. And of course I saw JP Wybauw do it that way - and I've been doing it that way ever since.
Molds placed face down on parchment can trap heat. As the chocolate fully crystallizes, the latent heat of crystallization is given off. Probably not a huge problem with little molds, but enough heat can be generated in an easter egg mold to throw the chocolate at the top of the mold out of temper.
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David asked Wybauw about this, and he (Wybauw) also recommends the face down parchment technique

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=95787

Edited April 30, 2009 by ejw50 (log)

cmflick · April 30, 2009

Ok first of all thank you for sharing all of these with us!
I haven't got chance to read everything yet, but I do have a question about mold and shells, I have noticed Brian from tomric placing the molds on their side to dry, is this a technique all of you are using? I have just tried this and realized that bottom closing come out much cleaner and neater that the way I was doing before. I use that technique for hollow molds but never used for molds or shells I was going to fill, if that make sense. I really like it and I will be using that from now on. Thank you for showing it, I guess some things need to be seen directly with a master to learn, I can't wait to get into a professional class one of these days!
←
These days I put mine all on their sides, being careful the scrape the ones that aren't going to be filled in the molds (ie cups) much more thoroughly than the ones that are.
←
I hadn't noticed putting the molds on the sides when I first looked at the pictures. Doesn't the chocolate settle to one side in the mold while it is crystallizing giving you a shell that is thicker on one side than the other? I usually invert mine onto parchment paper to crystallize, but I'll have to give this a try.
←
I saw Bernard Callebaut do a demo on TV recently and he inverted his molds but did not put them directly on the parchment rather he elevated each end over whatever was handy! But I imagine you could use caramel rulers for this purpose.
←

I used to elevate the molds inverted on a rack until I watched one of the Cacao Barry online course videos where they suggested inverting onto parchment. Their rationale was that this caused a collar to be formed around the shell and you got a better seal. I used to have problems with sealing until I started inverting directly onto parchment.

Desiderio · April 30, 2009

I used to invert them directly on parchment since I have started making chocolates. Lately I don't know why (but again this is a weird time for some reason!) I am having such a hard time to achieve a nice clean closing for the chocolates and was driving me crazy, when I saw the pics of the demo I realized that when you dry the molds on the side you don't get that collar around and while it might seems to help with seal it actually doesn't, at least for me. The clean and thin collar allowed me to fill up the molds and close them with a nice smooth top if that make sense, with the thicker collar it always left a little bit of the collar showing thru the closing, I might have to take a pic to explain this. Putting the molds on their side doesn't create a problem with the thickness of the shell, I was very pleased with the result.

Now I am up for another conference, I was very sad not to be able to be there, hopefully business will take off and it will allow me to take more classes as well. I am happy that we are kinda keeping the conference going on this thread! Thank you again, after mother's day I am going to go thru the entire thread to study it!

I love you guys.

Kerry Beal · April 30, 2009

I used to invert them directly on parchment since I have started making chocolates. Lately I don't know why (but again this is a weird time for some reason!) I am having such a hard time to achieve a nice clean closing for the chocolates and was driving me crazy, when I saw the pics of the demo I realized that when you dry the molds on the side you don't get that collar around and while it might seems to help with seal it actually doesn't, at least for me. The clean and thin collar allowed me to fill up the molds and close them with a nice smooth top if that make sense, with the thicker collar it always left a little bit of the collar showing thru the closing, I might have to take a pic to explain this. Putting the molds on their side doesn't create a problem with the thickness of the shell, I was very pleased with the result.
Now I am up for another conference, I was very sad not to be able to be there, hopefully business will take off and it will allow me to take more classes as well. I am happy that we are kinda keeping the conference going on this thread! Thank you again, after mother's day I am going to go thru the entire thread to study it!
I love you guys.
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I know exactly what you mean about that little collar that shows through. I get nice smooth backs using the method I do and very little issue with leakage with most fillings. I tend to back off liquid caramel the same day I make them, so some occasionally leak.

psantucc · April 30, 2009

I've been puzzling over how one could possibly place molds on their sides to set chocolate, and finally realized I missed step 1: Don't use thin hobbyist molds!

Maybe the face down on parchment technique will work for me until I give in and spring for some new toys...

Kerry Beal · April 30, 2009

I've been puzzling over how one could possibly place molds on their sides to set chocolate, and finally realized I missed step 1: Don't use thin hobbyist molds!
Maybe the face down on parchment technique will work for me until I give in and spring for some new toys...
←

So true! Gotta have the good molds.

K

MelissaH · April 30, 2009

I tried again at home today. (Well, I made most of the fillings a while ago, and they've been chilling out in my fridge until this morning.) Here are the results:

I had better luck making the shells this time---more chocolate melted did the trick. My main problem seems to be keeping the chocolate melted and fluid for long enough to fill more than one mold at a time. By the second mold, it was thickening up enough that my shells were noticeably thicker, and I was fighting it the whole rest of the batch of shells. I used dark chocolate this time, in part to help me differentiate this new batch from the older batch, and because I wanted the dark chocolate flavor.

The other issue I found was that my fillings were much colder than the chocolate. As I said, the fillings were, for the most part, made and stashed in the fridge. I let them sit at room temp for about an hour, and everything loosened up enough to come out of the plastic pastry bags fairly easily. The biggest problem I had was that the fillings were not really loose enough to flow by themselves---the strawberry jam with kirsch butter ganache that I'd made for the first batch really needed to be pushed into the shell with a cornstarch-coated finger. I don't know if the cold fillings caused any temper issues.

As far as fillings: I made one filling this morning, to make up half of the shot that was bought for my husband at a local watering hole. I did a half-batch of Greweling's "spiked eggnog" butter ganache. I'd read in another thread about eggnog chocolates that this particular filling wound up tasting more like spices and rum than like egg. So since I'm aiming for the flavors of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum in my filling, I figured it would do the trick for me. For the spices, instead of nutmeg and vanilla bean, I used half a teaspoon of speculoos spices that I purchased (as a mix) in Belgium. And because I was only doing a tiny half-batch, I mixed it up in a bowl by hand, not with a stand mixer. I didn't necessarily want to get the filling tremendously aerated, since I'd be putting it into chocolate shells rather than piping pretty little stars on top of chocolate disks.

I made some chocolates with this spiced rum filling alone, and others in combination with one that I'd made earlier, by following the flowing caramel recipe but using brown sugar instead of white. I was aiming for a butterscotch flavor (rather than caramel) and I think this did the trick. (Thanks, isomer!) The brown sugar started out dark enough that I couldn't use color to judge when it was fully cooked; next time I make caramel I'll need to use a thermometer so I know about what I'm after.

I did some with just the butterscotch filling. And others I did with the caramel I'd made originally, so I can do a head-to-head tasting.

Once again, everything unmolded. I discovered today that it really helps to clean off the top of the mold while the chocolate is still melted, because it helps the finished candies to unmold cleanly.

It's becoming obvious to me that a slightly warmer room could be a benefit, in that the chocolate won't harden quite so fast. In another month, I'm sure it won't be a problem here, in my non-air-conditioned house. :wink:

MelissaH

John DePaula · April 30, 2009

If your filling does not flow very well, you can pipe in approximately the correct amount; don't worry about it flowing into the corners. Then place some plastic wrap over the mold and push the filling into the corners and crevices. When done, you can refrigerate (or not) and remove the plastic wrap after the mold returns to room temperature.

isomer · May 1, 2009

I tried again at home today. (Well, I made most of the fillings a while ago, and they've been chilling out in my fridge until this morning.) Here are the results:

Melissa, you are rocking the house!!!

ejw50 · May 1, 2009

I tried again at home today. (Well, I made most of the fillings a while ago, and they've been chilling out in my fridge until this morning.) Here are the results:
I had better luck making the shells this time---more chocolate melted did the trick. My main problem seems to be keeping the chocolate melted and fluid for long enough to fill more than one mold at a time. By the second mold, it was thickening up enough that my shells were noticeably thicker, and I was fighting it the whole rest of the batch of shells. I used dark chocolate this time, in part to help me differentiate this new batch from the older batch, and because I wanted the dark chocolate flavor.
The other issue I found was that my fillings were much colder than the chocolate. As I said, the fillings were, for the most part, made and stashed in the fridge. I let them sit at room temp for about an hour, and everything loosened up enough to come out of the plastic pastry bags fairly easily. The biggest problem I had was that the fillings were not really loose enough to flow by themselves---the strawberry jam with kirsch butter ganache that I'd made for the first batch really needed to be pushed into the shell with a cornstarch-coated finger. I don't know if the cold fillings caused any temper issues.
As far as fillings: I made one filling this morning, to make up half of the shot that was bought for my husband at a local watering hole. I did a half-batch of Greweling's "spiked eggnog" butter ganache. I'd read in another thread about eggnog chocolates that this particular filling wound up tasting more like spices and rum than like egg. So since I'm aiming for the flavors of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum in my filling, I figured it would do the trick for me. For the spices, instead of nutmeg and vanilla bean, I used half a teaspoon of speculoos spices that I purchased (as a mix) in Belgium. And because I was only doing a tiny half-batch, I mixed it up in a bowl by hand, not with a stand mixer. I didn't necessarily want to get the filling tremendously aerated, since I'd be putting it into chocolate shells rather than piping pretty little stars on top of chocolate disks.
I made some chocolates with this spiced rum filling alone, and others in combination with one that I'd made earlier, by following the flowing caramel recipe but using brown sugar instead of white. I was aiming for a butterscotch flavor (rather than caramel) and I think this did the trick. (Thanks, isomer!) The brown sugar started out dark enough that I couldn't use color to judge when it was fully cooked; next time I make caramel I'll need to use a thermometer so I know about what I'm after.
I did some with just the butterscotch filling. And others I did with the caramel I'd made originally, so I can do a head-to-head tasting.
Once again, everything unmolded. I discovered today that it really helps to clean off the top of the mold while the chocolate is still melted, because it helps the finished candies to unmold cleanly.
It's becoming obvious to me that a slightly warmer room could be a benefit, in that the chocolate won't harden quite so fast. In another month, I'm sure it won't be a problem here, in my non-air-conditioned house.
MelissaH
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Pretty pics!

Did you study chemistry in school? I was a chemist in undergrad.

I find that I can put my ganache in vacuum bags in the freezer. Then I put the bags in warm water and they'll heat up to 86 or so, without breaking the ganache. Cut a corner out of the bag, and there's your piping bag.

The cold room actually helps with chocolate crystallization after coating or after filling the mold. I think the thing here is to either use a hair dryer to melt out some of the crystals in the 'shelling' chocolate, or else stick a tiny bit in the microwave at a time.

Edited May 1, 2009 by ejw50 (log)

pagosselin · May 3, 2009

Kerry, I want to ask what is the material you brought to the workshop, the one for cleaning the molds.

Kerry Beal · May 3, 2009

Kerry, I want to ask what is the material you brought to the workshop, the one for cleaning the molds.
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That was a piece of light weight polyester microfibre suede that I bought at a fabric store - advantage is the softness and lint free.

cmflick · May 5, 2009

I hadn't noticed putting the molds on the sides when I first looked at the pictures. Doesn't the chocolate settle to one side in the mold while it is crystallizing giving you a shell that is thicker on one side than the other? I usually invert mine onto parchment paper to crystallize, but I'll have to give this a try.
←
I scrape them one way - then turn them over on the other side. It balances out - they are never thicker on one side.
←

I tried letting the shells crystallize while standing the mold on one side today and it worked quite well. If nothing else it's a space saver while the shells are crystallizing. I also think that the shells started pulling away from the mold a little sooner when the molds were standing on edge versus inverted on parchment. I didn't notice any difference in sealing when compared to some that I made by letting the shells crystallize inverted on parchment. I haven't had a problem with the "inverted-on-parchment" collar showing through, though.

Thanks for the tip on crystallizing shells while standing the mold on a side, Kerry. I hadn't heard of this before.

MelissaH · May 9, 2009

Pretty pics!
Did you study chemistry in school? I was a chemist in undergrad.

Yes, I did.

I find that I can put my ganache in vacuum bags in the freezer. Then I put the bags in warm water and they'll heat up to 86 or so, without breaking the ganache. Cut a corner out of the bag, and there's your piping bag.

I've been using plastic piping bags, which I then heat-seal (no vacuum). I can put them straight into the fridge. I can also snip the tip and use them, and then carefully push the filling out of the tip, re-seal, and stash in the fridge for later. After the second sealing, though, I have to transfer the contents to another bag for further re-use because I'd wind up with too big a hole if I cut the end off again.

The cold room actually helps with chocolate crystallization after coating or after filling the mold. I think the thing here is to either use a hair dryer to melt out some of the crystals in the 'shelling' chocolate, or else stick a tiny bit in the microwave at a time.
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I'm finding it a mixed blessing: my chocolate seems to thicken up too quickly for me to get a nice thin un-lumpy coating inside my molds. I suspect I'll have less of a problem next time I try it, as the weather's heating up at last.

The intended recipients said that my fillings were spot-on for the flavor I intended. Which is good. :smile:

MelissaH

cmflick · May 11, 2009

Oh, and here's the fruity caramel that Erika referred to.
Passion Fruit Mango Caramels
225 grams sugar
180 grams glucose
45 grams water
60 grams butter
100 grams cream
100 grams passion fruit puree
100 grams mango puree
Bring sugar, glucose and water to 145º C (293º F), add butter and cream, bring to 120º C (248º F), add purees and bring to 123º C 253º F). Test in ice water.
Pour into frame or silicone cake pan and cool at room temperature. To cut, place in fridge, return to fridge as required to help with the cutting.
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Do you happen to recall what size slab this made? Also did you warm the cream before adding to the caramel base?

Kerry Beal · May 11, 2009

Do you happen to recall what size slab this made? Also did you warm the cream before adding to the caramel base?
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I do warm the cream. I pour into a 9 by 9 silicone pan these days.

cmflick · May 11, 2009

Do you happen to recall what size slab this made? Also did you warm the cream before adding to the caramel base?
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I do warm the cream. I pour into a 9 by 9 silicone pan these days.
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Thanks, Kerry. I'm going to try this out this week.

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