Alternatives to Amoretti compounds

[JeanneCake]

Hi ... question for professional pastry chefs .... Amoretti has been my go to for compounds for years, despite their rising costs over the last four years.  They've got  much more of an online presence now, and they are trying to push a lot of selling through their website.  They are running a "Black Friday" sales promotion - you buy so much, you get so much off your order good through Nov 30.  Since most of their compounds run between 70 and 100 for a 2.2# jar, I can really only afford to buy when there's a promotion.  So I stock up once a year and get everything I will need for the next year.

 

My order is currently up to almost 1,700 and when I asked if this qualified for free shipping, I was told no - because it was an online order.  Free shipping was offered only for orders placed through a customer service rep and over $300.  But, you can't use the promotion if you call in an order.  I pointed out that the promotion does not contain any restrictions, nor does it say for online orders only but they are adamant that they will not allow me to place this order through a customer service rep and get the discount and if I go ahead with the online order, they'll give me a code for free shipping on my NEXT order.

 

Are there alternatives to Amoretti out there with the same or better quality?  I don't want to play this game with them any more.  I'm a small business and to me, a $1700 order isn't chump change for such a specific product (I spend this on regular stuff like flour, sugar, dairy, etc on a weekly basis) and with so many other companies offering free shipping and sales promotions maybe it's time to explore other players in this space.

[Jim D.]

I certainly don't blame you for being annoyed. You would have to calculate whether you save more by using the promotion or by saving the shipping costs--a difficult calculation. The only other reputable flavorings (including compounds) I know of are from Sosa (available from AUI Fine Foods), but I think their prices are much higher than Amoretti's.

[JeanneCake]

30 minutes ago, Jim D. said:

I certainly don't blame you for being annoyed. You would have to calculate whether you save more by using the promotion or by saving the shipping costs--a difficult calculation. The only other reputable flavorings (including compounds) I know of are from Sosa (available from AUI Fine Foods), but I think their prices are much higher than Amoretti's.

 

That's good to know about Sosa; AUI offers a 10% discount on orders over $750 and shipping is free with orders above $300 (I think.  It could be $250, I'm not sure).  If I don't go ahead with the Amoretti order I might just start getting the Sosa compounds from them.  Amoretti's compounds are very good, but the arbitrary application of rules after the fact more than annoy me.  It makes no difference to them, I'm a small business and my $1700 isn't appreciated and the lack of an order won't faze them in the least.

[Jim D.]

I don't know what the service areas are for AUI reps. but Robin Sullivan is mine, and she is terrific (sent me samples of all the Felchlin milk chocolates). Also not sure if you are already familiar with AUI. I can send you by PM her information if you want that.

[JeanneCake]

Update:  On a whim, I emailed my former Amoretti rep, who is now located in Germany (I've been buying from them for at least 12 years).  I told her what was going on and asked if there was someone I could talk to because I wasn't getting anywhere with the social media "messages" (they were polite but it was canned answers). I was able to speak to a management person in CA who agreed that the promotion should have had clear guidelines and was able to help me get the order processed AND to my shock and amazement, the shipping (for at least 30 pounds of stuff) was only $25.  I was almost on the floor when she told me that.  I fully expected shipping to be at least $150 for that much stuff (I had at least 13 2.2# jars).

 

They will be clearer about promotions in the future so I won't have to worry about this next year LOL!  I'm happy to say they did their best to resolve the issue and it worked out to the benefit of both of us (I am still a loyal customer and they got a big sale from one person

 

[tikidoc]

On 11/28/2018 at 6:41 PM, Jim D. said:

I don't know what the service areas are for AUI reps. but Robin Sullivan is mine, and she is terrific (sent me samples of all the Felchlin milk chocolates). Also not sure if you are already familiar with AUI. I can send you by PM her information if you want that.

 

I am not a business, just a hobbyist, but I love AUI. I buy couverture and a few other ingredients (frozen fruit purees mostly) from them once or twice a year, and my rep drops it off at my office or meets me somewhere along his route when he is in town (Richmond VA). The savings on shipping keep me a loyal customer.

[ChocoMom]

I know I'm coming in late on this, but as @Jim D. mentioned, the AUI is a great alternative.  I have not purchased the SOSA fillings, but I have tried three of the OSA fillings from Felchlin, and WOW!    I tested them out on several long-time customers, and got rave reviews.   The tub is larger than what you're getting @JeanneCake,  at 5kg / 11 pound buckets, but for that, most of the pricing lingers around the $107 area.  And, its keeps a LONG time. 

 

My last order wasn't very large, but I did get free shipping with a $240 order.   Its something to keep in mind, maybe, for the future.   I have yet to try anything from Felchlin that does not absolutely blow me away. 

[JeanneCake]

Thank you everyone!  I already buy lots of things from AUI (Felchlin, Ponthier purees, tart shells, hazelnut paste - the Akacakoka is amazing; fondant, gum paste... sometimes my rep refers to my kitchen as her second warehouse ) but I'd been using Amoretti compounds before AUI introduced their compounds.  Compared side by side; the AUI orange turns whatever you add it to a bright, day-glow orange that visually is not appealing; whereas the Amoretti orange is a more delicate color, a truer orange flavor and has little bits of zest in it for texture.  I'm using compounds mostly in cheesecake batter, in amaretto panna cotta (so I don't have to use alcohol, although at the price Amoretti is charging it might be cheaper to use the booze!), sometimes in italian meringue buttercream (when I need a strong coffee flavor but I don't want to use so much coffee syrup that I end up changing the texture of the buttercream; or for when I want to boost the caramel flavor but don't want to add so much caramel sauce that the buttercream becomes too soft).

 

I did get the OSA fillings from Felchlin when they started carrying them; I liked the coffee one and we still have some of the strawberry.  I've never used the OSA fillings before so I'd love to hear what other pastry peeps do with them..... besides melting them and dipping the tops of cupcakes in it, or using it as a drip edge on an occasion cake (which is popular now!).   I got some of the kracklin filling (with the feuilletine in it, so good!) but it contained nuts and I didn't want to start adding it to everything and then having to worry about nut allergies...

[Jim D.]

11 hours ago, tikidoc said:

 

I am not a business, just a hobbyist, but I love AUI. I buy couverture and a few other ingredients (frozen fruit purees mostly) from them once or twice a year, and my rep drops it off at my office or meets me somewhere along his route when he is in town (Richmond VA). The savings on shipping keep me a loyal customer.

How much fruit purée do you have to buy? I saw online that there is a minimum of 12 pieces, and my rep confirmed that. Their price for people with accounts is unbelievably low (compared to the various places in Miami--Florida seems to be the fruit purée capital of the U.S.), but 12 kilos requires more freezer space than I have.

[JeanneCake]

Yeah, you do have to buy 12 at a time for the puree.  The Ponthier stuff is wonderful; I remember when Swiss Chalet brought them in; the blueberry and the coconut blew me away with how flavorful they were.  The other thing is that Ponthier comes in tubs or in pouches and I always got either one and they always came in frozen when I was buying them from Swiss Chalet.  AUI  on the other hand, sells the pouches as refrigerated and the tubs frozen.

[tikidoc]

My rep has never made me buy 12. Usually 3 or 4. Unfortunately, I have a new rep, so I don't know if the same rules will apply with my next order. I have not ordered since the rep change. I get most of my fruit purees from Hispanic groceries anyway (mango and passionfruit are a fraction of the price of the cartons).

Edited December 1, 2018 by tikidoc (log)

[pastrygirl]

3 hours ago, JeanneCake said:

when I want to boost the caramel flavor but don't want to add so much caramel sauce that the buttercream becomes too soft

 

I make a caramel ganache with Valrhona Dulcey and caramel sauce and add it to my (usually swiss meringue) buttercream.  The added chocolate keeps it firmer.

[Jim D.]

This seems an appropriate place to post an inquiry about flavorings. Ever since I saw, in one of her "bibles," Rose Levy Beranbaum's recommendation of some French "essences" (she says they are distilled from fresh fruits), I have purchased them from the small shop, La Cuisine, in Alexandria, Virginia, she recommended. Recently I went to the shop's site only to discover that it closed at the beginning of 2018. I have written the former owner (on the Facebook page) and to Rose's blog for more information on those essences. I have not heard from the owner, while Rose acknowledged the great loss of this shop, she did not have an alternate source. I even wrote to the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, but have not heard back. Rose recommended the apricot, and I also love (and use frequently) the pear, green apple, and mango. Does anyone happen to know what I am talking about and have any ideas for pursuing another source?

 

If I cannot find one, I will need to look at other options. I bought several apple flavorings when I was first making apple caramel, and all but the La Cuisine one tasted like varnish. I have used some Amoretti natural flavorings that are quite good and very authentic tasting (pineapple, mango, raspberry), but have not looked into all of the flavors I listed above. I know Sosa's reputation (and have seen a huge array of their flavorings in Melissa Coppel's kitchen), but they are very expensive and therefore make experimenting quite a proposition.

[JeanneCake]

@Jim D. something like this?     Chef's Essence Flavors  https://www.aftelier.com/category-s/1820.htm 

 

I've never used them so I cannot say if they are good or bad; and I don't know anyone who does use this brand, but  they look like they are cheaper than the Sosa essences from AUI though so maybe worth a try?

[Jim D.]

50 minutes ago, JeanneCake said:

@Jim D. something like this?     Chef's Essence Flavors  https://www.aftelier.com/category-s/1820.htm 

 

I've never used them so I cannot say if they are good or bad; and I don't know anyone who does use this brand, but  they look like they are cheaper than the Sosa essences from AUI though so maybe worth a try?

That is exactly what Rose Levy Beranbaum (I'm not sure if it was really she or someone working for her) recommended. But she didn't say whether she had tried them, and tellingly, there is no apricot.... Correction: I just looked at that site some more, and among places/people that use the flavorings is none other than Rose. They are priced at the same high level as those at La Cuisine (apple is $22 for 5 ml). I guess that if I can't locate a source for the latter, I'll give Aftelier a try. I wish Sosa sold samples. Since you have used Amoretti, have you tried any flavorings such as the ones I listed?

[JeanneCake]

Let me ask my AUI rep if she can get me some samples.  Which ones would you want (in order of preference)?  I can send them to you if she can get them.... will PM you with my email address.

 

For compounds, I've used the orange, triple strength espresso, toasted coconut, Irish Cream, Amaretto, Frangelico, white chocolate (years ago, that was a big waste of $ but it was only a sample so not really a lot of $ wasted!), champagne (it's just sweet wine so what's the point); I used cotton candy once, and it was quite good - not fake tasting at all!; and mango. The mango compound was excellent and I'd buy it again if I need it. Over the years I've used banana (meh), gingerbread (very good) eggnog (also good), chai (ok) raspberry (also good), wild strawberry (good),  strawberry champagne (good but I hate the way it smells).

 

Amoretti also makes extracts - water soluble and oil soluble.  Of these I've tried toasted marshmallow (don't bother with this one), maple (these are good, I've tried both OS and WS), Rose (I don't really care for Rose flavoring so I was neutral about this  one); Hibiscus (which was good)