EZtemper - The Help You Need to Achieve Perfectly Tempered Chocolate FAST!

[minas6907]

Cool effect on those bars!

[lesliec]

 

First trial with this mold - clearly not a very exciting effect. 

 

 

 

I beg leave to disagree.  I think the idea of fossils in chocolate is very cool!

[Chocolot]

Kerry, Was the chocolate liquid when you put it in the ez? Liquid and in temper, or solid and in temper?

[Kerry Beal]

Liquid and in temper.

[Alleguede]

Did you crystallize it with the EZ temper?

[Kerry Beal]

Yes I did.

[Kerry Beal]

Lisabeth's report on our adventures.

[Kerry Beal]

Over on the Manitoulin thread I've been using my EZtemper to help me made some wedding favours. Check it out here.

[Kerry Beal]

 

So this evening I had a couple of chocolatiers over to play with meltaways. Two batches made - one with 1% silk - the other with 2%. My kitchen was over 30º C so it wasn't a completely fair assessment. We popped both batches in the fridge after pouring them until they firmed up.

 

Both set up in a reasonable time - both had the wonderfully silky meltaway texture. The 2% batch while still cool shattered a bit on the cut lines, the 1% did not. The 1% was softer than the 2%, a bit too soft at +30º C - but at a more reasonable room temperature later the 1% was fine. 

 

I expect that people will want to do their own experimentation and decide which texture best suits the product that they are making. 

[Alleguede]

So a good average would be 1.5% then.

In terms of final texture it shouldn't make much more of a difference because depending on which chocolate one uses well the CButter content could be different.

Just bringing my 2 ct as usual.

[Kerry Beal]

So a good average would be 1.5% then.

In terms of final texture it shouldn't make much more of a difference because depending on which chocolate one uses well the CButter content could be different.

Just bringing my 2 ct as usual.

Exactly! And not only the cocoa butter content in the chocolate - the coconut oil that is used is going to be a factor in recipe development I think.  The coconut oil that I use most at home is (gasp) hydrogenated and as firm as shortening at room temperature - very different than most of the coconut oils that I see in bottles. The stuff we were using for this had been in the warm car and was semi solid when we scooped it out.

 

One other thought about the meltaways - if you already have an established recipe using a particular chocolate and a particular coconut oil that gives you the texture that you want - then 1% will probably be all you need. The main reason that the EZtemper is such a joy for making meltaways is removing the extremely fiddly techniques required to temper them. No more very liquidly mixture pouring off your slab onto the floor - or dealing with an ice bath and having to stir constantly to make sure you don't get clumps and watch for that exact right moment between liquid and solid when it's time to pour them out.

 

I need to do one of those Ron Popiel commercials!

Edited July 26, 2015 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Alleguede]

But as we tested it out the other day.

If you were to use any other solution let's say mycrio (great for cooking) your melt away would have to be around 35c to actually melt. Or dirty a marble to slab temper it.

But in the case of the silk it can even be added at 30c or 28c and it will act the same way?

That factor is an important one.

No need to crystallize in any way when you add that silk. Right?

[Kerry Beal]

That is correct - you can add it anywhere below 33.5C (but lower means it's thicker when you pour it into your frames).

 

And you don't need to do any other crystallization.

[markwightman]

Hi,

 

This looks really interesting and I'm sure it works as well as everyone is saying it does. I just want to check something though. This is doing, in principle, exactly what MyCryo is doing, is that correct? I get that MyCryo doesn't always melt instantly, but it does melt though, and it does temper. Just not sure yet what the real added value is here. You can buy an awful lot of MyCryo for the cost of a machine.

 

Thanks,

 

-Mark

[Chocolot]

Hi,

 

This looks really interesting and I'm sure it works as well as everyone is saying it does. I just want to check something though. This is doing, in principle, exactly what MyCryo is doing, is that correct? I get that MyCryo doesn't always melt instantly, but it does melt though, and it does temper. Just not sure yet what the real added value is here. You can buy an awful lot of MyCryo for the cost of a machine.

 

Thanks,

 

-Mark

 

Mark, You bring up an interesting point. I have used Mycryo for years and yes, it does work, but no where near as well the the silk. You have to be very precise on temperatures and amounts. I have never been fully happy with the residual unmelted lumps. The EZ is pricey, but it is so easy to use. The temps are not as critical nor the amounts. I have been using the EZ since May and REALLY like it. Today, I am making 6 1500 gm batches of ganache. With the silk, I will be able to cut the ganache and have it ready to enrobe in hours, not days. With Mycryo, I would be fighting lumps. Is the EZ necessary to produce tempered chocolate and ganache? No, but it is so much easier and foolproof, especially when you need something quick. I am a fan!

[Kerry Beal]

What she said! I think one of the main advantages is the range of temperatures over which you can add the seed with successful pre-crystallization occurring. If I tried to add mycryo to meltaway that was cooled to 28C or so it would never incorporate hence not pre-crystallize.

[Kerry Beal]

Using the freeze dried Chapman's Caramel Chocolate Pecan Slice Cream - I made some bark. 

 

 

Freeze dried Slice Cream

 

 

Dark and milk chocolate pre-crystallized with 1% EZtemper silk 

 

 

Diced Slice cream

 

 

15 minutes later!

[Kerry Beal]

Excitement this week - Alleguede went to the Chocolate Academy in Montreal to teach them all about their new EZtemper. 

 

 

 

 

 

He survived the serious grilling by the chefs - and reports are he handled it extremely well!

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

Used the EZtemper to temper some dark milk chocolate to make freeze dried corn bark last night. This is amazingly tasty stuff. And ready to be packaged up very shortly after making it.

 

 

 

[Deryn]

What a great idea, Kerry. Does that corn bark have a definite sweet corn taste or is it just like a crunchy sweet 'something'?

[Anna N]

What a great idea, Kerry. Does that corn bark have a definite sweet corn taste or is it just like a crunchy sweet 'something'?

Cannot speak for the bark but I can tell you the corn is about as "corny" as you can get. I think of it as essence of corn.

Edited to add

Of course I'm hoping I might be able to speak for the bark!

Edited August 28, 2015 by Anna N (log)

[Deryn]

I have done organic corn in my freeze-dryer but never thought to throw some chocolate on it. I don't (yet - someday I hope) have an EZTemper but I could try that combo out myself since I already have the corn on hand. Even if I don't manage to temper the chocolate perfectly I could get the idea I am sure.

[Kerry Beal]

Give it a try - maybe add some freeze dried red pepper too - it's quite wonderful!

[gfron1]

OK, its finally my turn. I got mine in May or June but its been too hot. Today its finally dropping down to a high of 70º (before it heats up again), and luckily its right when I have a big special order for tomorrow. Heading back to read from the beginning. My understanding is simply melt my chocolate to working temp, add 1% cocoa butter cream in and go. If it really is that simple then swinging the lid is the toughest part of learning how to use this machine. Results to come.

[Chocolot]

OK, its finally my turn. I got mine in May or June but its been too hot. Today its finally dropping down to a high of 70º (before it heats up again), and luckily its right when I have a big special order for tomorrow. Heading back to read from the beginning. My understanding is simply melt my chocolate to working temp, add 1% cocoa butter cream in and go. If it really is that simple then swinging the lid is the toughest part of learning how to use this machine. Results to come.

 

It really is that easy Rob, but put the silk in a few degrees above working temp. It works in better and tempers beautifully. Good luck. You are going to love it.