Melanger experimentation

[Jim D.]

Another melanger question:  I have a batch of almond praline paste I made in the food processor.  Of course it retained a certain crunchiness because the caramel doesn't grind up thoroughly.  Over time, however, the crunchiness has turned to an unpleasant gumminess.  I would like to make a completely new batch using the melanger and then, toward the end of the process, add the gummy batch.  The goal is to make everything completely smooth (or as smooth as a tabletop melanger can). Do you think there is any danger of ruining the whole batch with the bad amount, or will the melanger be able to handle everything?

[Kerry Beal]

4 hours ago, Jim D. said:

But I can't get the knob with the spring to engage--it seems the spindle is not quite long enough.  Without the new splash guards, it's fine, but not with the three layers of stainless (splash guard + holder of the stirring devices + stone holder).  Perhaps the longer spindle I mentioned from the video is necessary after all.  I guess I will find out when I get a call back.

I think I recall having that issue initially and it was a matter of making sure every part was in it's place if that makes sense. 

[Kerry Beal]

2 hours ago, Jim D. said:

Another melanger question:  I have a batch of almond praline paste I made in the food processor.  Of course it retained a certain crunchiness because the caramel doesn't grind up thoroughly.  Over time, however, the crunchiness has turned to an unpleasant gumminess.  I would like to make a completely new batch using the melanger and then, toward the end of the process, add the gummy batch.  The goal is to make everything completely smooth (or as smooth as a tabletop melanger can). Do you think there is any danger of ruining the whole batch with the bad amount, or will the melanger be able to handle everything?

Million dollar question - it probably depends on the proportions. 

[pastrygirl]

5 hours ago, Jim D. said:

 I have a batch of almond praline paste I made in the food processor.  Of course it retained a certain crunchiness because the caramel doesn't grind up thoroughly.  Over time, however, the crunchiness has turned to an unpleasant gumminess.  I would like to make a completely new batch using the melanger and then, toward the end of the process, add the gummy batch.  The goal is to make everything completely smooth (or as smooth as a tabletop melanger can). Do you think there is any danger of ruining the whole batch with the bad amount, or will the melanger be able to handle everything?

 

I think it's risky.  If the paste is sticky from the sugar having absorbed humidity aka water, it might not be something the melanger can help with.  Don't you keep your CB warm in a dehydrator?  Put some praline paste in there overnight and see if it changes anything.

[pastrygirl]

I've been doing a little melanger experimentation of my own lately, in a quest to create a vegan, nut-free white chocolate substitute.

 

Toasted oats seems promising for an oatmeal cookie flavor. White rice flour is appropriately bland.  Popcorn took a lot more CB than the others, would be better if I could use butter.  

 

Not sure how the various starches are going to act in ganache.  I may add hemp seeds to some of the rice one for a softer fat blend. 

[Kerry Beal]

7 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

 

I think it's risky.  If the paste is sticky from the sugar having absorbed humidity aka water, it might not be something the melanger can help with.  Don't you keep your CB warm in a dehydrator?  Put some praline paste in there overnight and see if it changes anything.

I was trying to think of a way he could 'cook' the moisture out of the sticky praline - and significant changes in texture were all that came to mind. This might be the solution. 

Edited February 20, 2023 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Jim D.]

7 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

 

I think it's risky.  If the paste is sticky from the sugar having absorbed humidity aka water, it might not be something the melanger can help with.  Don't you keep your CB warm in a dehydrator?  Put some praline paste in there overnight and see if it changes anything.

 

Excellent idea.  I will report back on how it turns out.

[Jim D.]

7 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

I've been doing a little melanger experimentation of my own lately, in a quest to create a vegan, nut-free white chocolate substitute.

 

Toasted oats seems promising for an oatmeal cookie flavor. White rice flour is appropriately bland.  Popcorn took a lot more CB than the others, would be better if I could use butter.  

 

Not sure how the various starches are going to act in ganache.  I may add hemp seeds to some of the rice one for a softer fat blend. 

 

I realize you live in Seattle, but will you have enough customers to justify this experimentation?  (Or maybe you have a Kerry-esque love of experimenting?)  At the indoor market in which I am participating for the first time, I have had one potential customer ask if I had anything vegan.  I think I looked so unprepared for the request (all I could point to was my solid Felchlin Arriba chocolate tablet) that he gave me a scornful look and walked away.  This is my first experience with face-to-face sales, so I'm learning. 😀  My most challenging requests in making chocolates have been from those who, for religious reasons, avoid coffee, tea, and alcohol.

[pastrygirl]

4 hours ago, Jim D. said:

 

I realize you live in Seattle, but will you have enough customers to justify this experimentation?  (Or maybe you have a Kerry-esque love of experimenting?)  

I have a huge special order - 850 four piece bonbon boxes but they want 50 of them vegan/no nuts. For what they’re paying me, it’s worth figuring out a couple of flavors! I do enjoy experimenting though    
 

The shells will be dark but I want some lighter vegan centers. Getting the fats right is a challenge.  If I’m happy with the vegan flavors I’ll add them to my regular offerings and see how they do. 

[Jim D.]

14 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

 

I think it's risky.  If the paste is sticky from the sugar having absorbed humidity aka water, it might not be something the melanger can help with.  Don't you keep your CB warm in a dehydrator?  Put some praline paste in there overnight and see if it changes anything.

 

Experiment complete.  The paste got much thicker than it had been, and all the crunch and gumminess are gone.  Perhaps the texture resulted from cooking off the water the paste had absorbed, and the caramel was melted by the heat?  It tastes the same.  Still, I'm not going to risk ruining the large batch I plan to make with the melanger--and the sticky amount was not enough to be concerned about.

[Jim D.]

18 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

I think I recall having that issue initially and it was a matter of making sure every part was in it's place if that makes sense. 

 

I managed to reach Jimmy at Premier.  He sent a diagram (see below) showing how the parts are supposed to be attached (note that the splash guard goes between the roller holder and the stirring mechanism).  I took a video of me trying to attach the knob that holds everything together, and it appears I may have a defective part.  It's always comforting to know one is not totally crazy.

.

Edited February 20, 2023 by Jim D. (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Which part did he think was defective? The stem or the knob?

[pastrygirl]

In some kind of Canadian serendipity, I went to the natural market to look for powdered soy milk (as suggested by Kerry in a pm) and found this instead (made in Toronto). Sweet, no strong flavors, melts nicely. I’ll make it work for the moment. 

[Jim D.]

42 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Which part did he think was defective? The stem or the knob?

He didn't say.  He said he would consult with "his team" and see what the issue was.  In the video depicting the model just before the current one, the machine arrives with a short spindle, which the user is directed to replace with a longer one.  Now they found a way to ship the melanger with the long spindle.  My guess is that the short one got put in my box, even though Jimmy said boxing errors had almost never happened.  You know, companies always assume the user is the problem.  Since the two spindles do exist, I think this makes the most sense.  As long as I don't have to ship the whole melanger back to New Jersey....  It seems to me this machine is under constant development (and improvement, one hopes).  In videos the stainless version does seem much sturdier than the one with some plastic parts.  There is an interesting video from Manoa chocolate company in Hawaii in which the speaker compares the Premier to another machine.  He said (this is hard to believe) they tend to treat these small melangers as throwaway items used for experimenting with new flavors.  In particular they use them for a chocolate bar with honey, which, because of the water in honey, they have to make in very small batches--apparently chocolate will tolerate some water but not a lot.  With Premier's move to more stainless parts, they seem to be aiming at a somewhat different market; this version certainly costs more.

[Jim D.]

42 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

In some kind of Canadian serendipity, I went to the natural market to look for powdered soy milk (as suggested by Kerry in a pm) and found this instead (made in Toronto). Sweet, no strong flavors, melts nicely. I’ll make it work for the moment. 

 

Pastrygirl is using "baking chips."  😲  What's next--coating chocolate?  Oh well, Felchlin makes it.  Vegan customers are driving you into uncharted territory.

[Kerry Beal]

Just to make you all jealous - I have the small bowl with the stainless parts that is still in development and I've been doing some beta testing. I've made a couple of batches of strawberry chocolate and a batch of hazelnut paste. 

 

The beauty of this one is the brass bushings - they don't get chewed up like the nylon ones. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ring from the top of a Donvier ice cream maker to serve as a splash guard.

 

 

Used my ultrasonic cutter to cut the top of a Chinese food container to make a lid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[curls]

What is your preferred method for breaking in a new melanger? I see suggestions for running it with oil and running it with sugar.

[Jim D.]

45 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Just to make you all jealous - I have the small bowl with the stainless parts that is still in development and I've been doing some beta testing. I've made a couple of batches of strawberry chocolate and a batch of hazelnut paste. 

 

The beauty of this one is the brass bushings - they don't get chewed up like the nylon ones. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ring from the top of a Donvier ice cream maker to serve as a splash guard.

 

 

Used my ultrasonic cutter to cut the top of a Chinese food container to make a lid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Just to make you all jealous"  I think it's no exaggeration to say we hate you.

[pastrygirl]

1 hour ago, Jim D. said:

 

Pastrygirl is using "baking chips."  😲  What's next--coating chocolate?  Oh well, Felchlin makes it.  Vegan customers are driving you into uncharted territory.

First ingredient (and only fat) is cocoa butter, could be worse?

 

plus, I need to deliver this order by Friday so … making it happen!

Edited February 21, 2023 by pastrygirl (log)

[Jim D.]

17 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

First ingredient (and only fat) is cocoa butter, could be worse?

 

plus, I need to deliver this order by Friday so … making it happen!

 

Congratulations on the huge order.

[curls]

1 hour ago, Jim D. said:

 

"Just to make you all jealous"  I think it's no exaggeration to say we hate you.

Speak for yourself. I like seeing what Kerry does and what toys she is playing with.

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, curls said:

What is your preferred method for breaking in a new melanger? I see suggestions for running it with oil and running it with sugar.

Sugar

[Jim D.]

14 minutes ago, curls said:

Speak for yourself. I like seeing what Kerry does and what toys she is playing with.

 

I thought it was fairly obvious that I was kidding.

[Kerry Beal]

7 minutes ago, Jim D. said:

 

I thought it was fairly obvious that I was kidding.

It was to me!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

2 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Sugar

 

Yes, and you will then have sugar dust in every crevice, crack, and body cavity in your kitchen.  Some you may not previously have known existed.

 

I've compared sugar and oil for breaking in.  Of the two, channeling Robert Frost, I'd favor sugar.