PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2019

[MelissaH]

2 hours ago, lebowits said:

Sadly, I'm not going to make it this year.

You and I can commiserate, Steve.

[curls]

Unofficial Thursday dinner at Bulrush... if you're interested, I have created a separate topic for planning.

 

[gfron1]

We're just about two months until the next eGullet Workshop in St. Louis. Time to add your thoughts on what you hope to learn or share with the group. I still have time to bring in some experts if there are topics that warrant that, so speak now! On my end, I hope to learn more about ramping up my production to a new volume suited for my bigger workspace. And I hope to share what I learned on ganache balancing at the Coppel workshop I attended last summer.

[Kerry Beal]

I’m interested in efficient 3D molding without a spinner

 

 

[Pastrypastmidnight]

I did have the thought the other day that I’d love to hear from anyone already in business how they track and manage inventory of both raw ingredients and finished products. I know it must be done, but I don’t really know how one does it. 

Edited March 10, 2019 by Pastrypastmidnight (log)

[teonzo]

16 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

I’m interested in efficient 3D molding without a spinner

 

I wrote something when talking about easter eggs in the last days.

 

If you have a tempering machine with good capability (which is your case) then in my experience this is the quickest method without using a spinner.

 

First step. Pick the first half mold, fill the cavity / cavities to the brim with tempered chocolate, wait a bit until the chocolate reaches the correct viscosity to get your desired width. When the viscosity is correct, turn the mold upside down over the tempering machine tank, so the excess chocolate falls on the other tempered chocolate in the machine. Lay the mold upside down until the chocolate starts to crystallize. Until now the process is the exact same as for molded bonbons, the only difference is that for big figures you need a thicker chocolate shell (you need to wait for a higher viscosity). Now things changes from usual: instead of running a scraper on the mold to get a smooth plain section, you run a palette knife along the cavity perimeter, holding it at about 45° towards the bottom of the cavity.

Here is a crappy image to try to explain what you are aiming for:

 

 

After this comes the second step. You pick the second half mold, fill it to the brim, wait for correct viscosity, turn it upside down to empty it, then immediately put it over the first half mold, to compose the full figure / mold. The chocolate that normally would protrude from the mold (the one that you scrape away when making bonbons) will fall over the 45° depression of the first half mold, glueing the two halves together.

Best thing to do is working mold after mold: as you complete the first half (just after running the palette knife to make the 45° effect) you start immediately with the second half, so they two halves crystallizes together. If you work the second half after the first one is crystallized, then you risk causing cracks on the first half.

 

This method is pretty quick. Only downside is that you don't have perfect control on the final weight.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[curls]

I woud like to learn about any of the following:

• hard candy - where you jacket the colors to make two color twists or decorative patterns
• filled hard candy - jacketing nut butters in hard candy
• blown sugar / decorative sugar work
• making fudge, not the kind that uses marshmallow

 

[Pastrypastmidnight]

I’d love to learn about sugar work as well. And I’m interested in panning, although I’m not sure if any of that kind of equipment is available. 

 

Also, if anyone knows how to keep a stupid candy bar with a caramel layer from exploding out any weak spot in the stupid enrobage, I’m totally all ears (grrrr  ). 

[curls]

It would also be nice to have a discussion/session where we all share what we do with scraps, extras, re-work, etc.. 

 

What have people done to recover from mistakes? Have those turned into new products!

[gfron1]

I'm working on micro-demonstrations. Based on the comments above, I have found someone who does nougat filled hard candies. I also found a Brazilian confectioner: Rene Sackett The candies I know are Beijinho (coconut version of Brigadeiro), Cajuzinhu (lots of nuts), Olho na Sogra (looks like an eye), Maria-Mole (marshmallowy), Cocada, Goiabada (guava marmalade candy/spread), Pé-de Molque. Does that sound of interest? I'm still looking for others too.

[curls]

48 minutes ago, gfron1 said:

I'm working on micro-demonstrations. Based on the comments above, I have found someone who does nougat filled hard candies. I also found a Brazilian confectioner: Rene Sackett The candies I know are Beijinho (coconut version of Brigadeiro), Cajuzinhu (lots of nuts), Olho na Sogra (looks like an eye), Maria-Mole (marshmallowy), Cocada, Goiabada (guava marmalade candy/spread), Pé-de Molque. Does that sound of interest? I'm still looking for others too.

I’m interested! Would be great to learn stuff that I have had little or no exposure too.

 

Love guava — lived in South Florida where every Cuban bakery had at least one pastry with guava or guava & cheese.

[jbates]

1 hour ago, gfron1 said:

I'm working on micro-demonstrations. Based on the comments above, I have found someone who does nougat filled hard candies. I also found a Brazilian confectioner: Rene Sackett The candies I know are Beijinho (coconut version of Brigadeiro), Cajuzinhu (lots of nuts), Olho na Sogra (looks like an eye), Maria-Mole (marshmallowy), Cocada, Goiabada (guava marmalade candy/spread), Pé-de Molque. Does that sound of interest? I'm still looking for others too.

Sounds great, I’m in.

[jbates]

On 3/9/2019 at 12:23 PM, gfron1 said:

We're just about two months until the next eGullet Workshop in St. Louis. Time to add your thoughts on what you hope to learn or share with the group. I still have time to bring in some experts if there are topics that warrant that, so speak now! On my end, I hope to learn more about ramping up my production to a new volume suited for my bigger workspace. And I hope to share what I learned on ganache balancing at the Coppel workshop I attended last summer.

I’d like to hear about ganache balancing, thanks for the offer.

[teonzo]

5 hours ago, gfron1 said:

I'm working on micro-demonstrations. Based on the comments above, I have found someone who does nougat filled hard candies. I also found a Brazilian confectioner: Rene Sackett The candies I know are Beijinho (coconut version of Brigadeiro), Cajuzinhu (lots of nuts), Olho na Sogra (looks like an eye), Maria-Mole (marshmallowy), Cocada, Goiabada (guava marmalade candy/spread), Pé-de Molque. Does that sound of interest? I'm still looking for others too.

 

Too bad I live a bit far, I'd love to see all of this!

 

 

 

Teo

 

[gfron1]

Very excited to announce that Jon Schmuke has agreed to offer a hard candy demo and workshop on Saturday morning. Jon will do ribbon candies, drop candies and filled. He'll be a great fit for this group because he's also a confectionary history geek who had refurbished a number of antique candy dyes (dies?). As he and I were scheduling we also learned that Saturday, May 18th is National Hard Candy Day (who knew?!), and that Vincent Price's family were candy monarchy here in St. Louis - read short story HERE. Jon and I are going to work on locally sourced flavors using traditional methods prior to the weekend in hopes of being able to share that information as well.

This is included in the price of registration!

 

[Pastrypastmidnight]

6 minutes ago, gfron1 said:

Very excited to announce that Jon Schmuke has agreed to offer a hard candy demo and workshop on Saturday morning. Jon will do ribbon candies, drop candies and filled. He'll be a great fit for this group because he's also a confectionary history geek who had refurbished a number of antique candy dyes (dies?). As he and I were scheduling we also learned that Saturday, May 18th is National Hard Candy Day (who knew?!), and that Vincent Price's family were candy monarchy here in St. Louis - read short story HERE. Jon and I are going to work on locally sourced flavors using traditional methods prior to the weekend in hopes of being able to share that information as well.

This is included in the price of registration!

 

Super cool! I’m excited!

[TandemChocoPC]

The hard candy demo and workshop sounds awesome! 

[ptw1953]

12 minutes ago, gfron1 said:

Very excited to announce that Jon Schmuke has agreed to offer a hard candy demo and workshop on Saturday morning. Jon will do ribbon candies, drop candies and filled. He'll be a great fit for this group because he's also a confectionary history geek who had refurbished a number of antique candy dyes (dies?). As he and I were scheduling we also learned that Saturday, May 18th is National Hard Candy Day (who knew?!), and that Vincent Price's family were candy monarchy here in St. Louis - read short story HERE. Jon and I are going to work on locally sourced flavors using traditional methods prior to the weekend in hopes of being able to share that information as well.

This is included in the price of registration!

 

Vincent Price was also an accomplished cook and published an excellent cookbook, written with his, then, wife. It has been said to me, by Michelin star chefs, that he really was a top notch cook who hosted many, many dinner parties of 10 and more guests, and cooked everything from scratch...

[ptw1953]

Off topic, and apologies gfron, but anyone wishing to get the book, it is called: Treasury of Great Recipes, by vincent and Mary Price. Off now to look for my copy...

[gfron1]

I've heard their old factory is still vacant and I'm asking around to see if anything is in there that would make it worth a visit/tour. Also, the MagicChef Mansion is minutes from my house and Bulrush and they do tours on weekends.

[Kerry Beal]

3 hours ago, ptw1953 said:

Vincent Price was also an accomplished cook and published an excellent cookbook, written with his, then, wife. It has been said to me, by Michelin star chefs, that he really was a top notch cook who hosted many, many dinner parties of 10 and more guests, and cooked everything from scratch...

I believe I have that cookbook somewhere 

[curls]

@gfron1 thank you!!!! Looking forward to learning how to make ribbon candy, drop candy, and filled drop candy!  🙂

[Pastrypastmidnight]

Oh. My. Gosh. We just left Nathaniel Reid Bakery on our way through St. Louis. I would encourage everyone to make time to go when you’re there for the workshop. We ordered, like, 6 things and they were all fantastic!

[RobertM]

Gfron1......I’m in for all!  Sounds totally amazing!

[gfron1]

Time to get serious about this little shindig! As you all may have heard in the national media, we St Louisans are known for our cutting edge foods. 

I promise that we do NOT slice our bagels like this. The whole city is trying to hunt this guy down and ship him off to Kansas (no offense Kansas). 

 

But while we ponder this bagel slicing atrocity, and as I'm two weeks until I open Bulrush, here is where we stand on attendance so far. 

 I'll be accepting registrations until April 22nd. I'm still interested in hearing what topics you all would like covered, and I'll be releasing some of the social calendar shortly. This will be a great time to visit St Louis.