Cocoa butter for decor

[RichardJones]

Hi All,

I've done a quick search on this topic but cannot find the answers I was after. I hope no one minds if I start a new thread.

I've never used cocoa butter for decor before but would like to use some coloured CB for a sculpture I am working on. I heard that if you are airbrushing CB you do not need to temper it as its passage through the nozzle of the gun will have the desired effect. Others say the CB should be tempered.

And I have read mixed opinions on CB applied by hand to moulds. My instinct says that, like chocolate detail, it would need to be tempered but others say not. I would never attempt to temper a small quantity of chocolate but CB often comes in bottles of just a few hundred grammes.

Who is correct/what are the parameters?

Thanks,

Richard

Edited April 20, 2010 by RichardJones (log)

[Lisa Shock]

I always temper, just in case. But, then, it gets pretty hot here and things can go out of temper in storage pretty easily.

Some of these products are shipped in a tempered state, and, a low temp direct melt will preserve that temper. Some people rely on that to work. I don't trust it, been burned, never again. If you are using tiny amounts for, say, painting colored decor into chocolate molds, you can spot temper on a table or palette.

[HQAntithesis]

The way I learned it was that the agitation provides crystallisation: whether it be from airbrush, spraygun, paintbrush or fingertip. But it's not guaranteed:

- if applying with a finger or paintbrush and your finger/brush/mould/cocoa butter is too hot, the crystallisation may not take place or may not be adequate

- if applying through spraying and the cocoa butter/air temperature/mould is too hot, the crystallisation may not take place or may not be adequate

You're best off precrystallising the cocoa butter, but only a little bit and letting the mechanical agitation finish the process.

[Kerry Beal]

If I've got coloured cocoa butter in a bottle of some sort - I melt until there is still some unmelted left - it seems to be cool enough that way that I don't have problems. If the whole bottle melts - it is too hot and it pools and never hardens up. But with air brushing it can be fully melted, cause it gets cooled when it sprays.

[pastrygirl]

Sort of related question I was considering recently: why are there different tempering temperature ranges for different chocolates? If the cocoa butter is what is being tempered to begin with, why does it matter what other stuff is in there, and whether it is milk, dark, or white chocolate?

[Kerry Beal]

Sort of related question I was considering recently: why are there different tempering temperature ranges for different chocolates? If the cocoa butter is what is being tempered to begin with, why does it matter what other stuff is in there, and whether it is milk, dark, or white chocolate?

It's due to the eutectic effect that the other added fats (ie milk fat) have on the cocoa butter.

[pastrygirl]

ahhh, but of course.

[ejw50]

At the chocolate conference, one of the Uster Chef's temperature

aiming point for the airbrush was 95. 95 in meant 85 out, which

was the temperature she aimed for. From what I saw, she did

not temper the cocoa butter in any special way.

Edited May 1, 2010 by ejw50 (log)

[RichardJones]

Thanks for your help on this one. I had my first play with coloured cocoa butter last weekend. Here are some of the results:

At 12 o' clock, red CB swirled in mould with finger.

At 2 o' clock, gold lustre sprinkled into mould then red CB swirled with finger.

At 4 o' clock, well, it's out of focus (arty photographer) but I squirted CB into the mould with a 49p miniature spray from the supermarket, then let the CB run around the mould.

At 7 o' clock, even spread of gold lustre (also hard to see).

At 10 o' clock, a light sprinkling of gold lustre, then CB speckled off toothbrush.

As for the tempering aspect, I stood the CB (in its plastic bottle) in a tall glass and filled the glass with boiling water. I let it sit for a good ten minutes to let a portion of the CB melt. Then I let it sit at room temperature, frequently agitating it (so the unmelted CB would seed). It seemed to work fine like this.

[Kerry Beal]

Purdy!

Edited June 12, 2010 by Kerry Beal (log)

[RichardJones]

I'm afraid purdy is not a word which translates across the pond... what does it mean? x

[Kerry Beal]

I'm afraid purdy is not a word which translates across the pond... what does it mean? x

Means pretty.

From an urban dictionary - purdy

A variation on the term "pretty." Usually used in an overly exaggerated tone, so as to suggest a lack of intelligence.

Huh huh, she shur is purdy.

[RichardJones]

Oh, thanks!