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funnel dispenser

Chocoguyin Pemby

By Chocoguyin Pemby
in Pastry & Baking

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Chocoguyin Pemby

Chocoguyin Pemby

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Hi all - I am thinking of getting a funnel dispenser - I came across one made by Fat Daddio's - does anyone have any experience with using one of these either plastic or stainless steel?  I want to use for portioning caramel and perhaps chocolate   Looking for any input   TIA

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minas6907

minas6907

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Posted

Heres my honest opinion, and I apologize if I sound a bit harsh, but I just have a thing against Fat Daddios. Is this the funnel your looking at?

https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Daddios-Confectionary-Funnel-Nozzle/dp/B007OXRK4K/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=confectionery+funnel+fat+daddios&qid=1555718739&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

They show a picture of the funnel being used to deposit chocolate into a polycarbonate mold, but think about the clean up, its very time consuming, a disposable piping bag is much more effective for that task, or even a ladel. I've seen plenty of pictures online of cheap confectionery funnels being used to dispense chocolate, but I just don't see how that's practical. A confectionery funnel is extremely useful for depositing hot liquids or gels that one would be unable to pipe out from a bag (especially into a small cavity), such as caramel, gummies, jellies, fondants. Those are all candies that you cant load up a piping bag with and pipe out in a timely manner, they are just too hot, some are too viscus, and others would set up right in the bag because one wouldnt be able to go fast enough.

 

May I ask, when you say that you want to portion caramel, are you boiling up a caramel, then using the funnel to deposit the hot caramel into a mold? Or are you having in mind doing something like preparing a caramel, cooling it, then filling the funnel with the room temp caramel mixture, and depositing the caramel filling into a polycarbonate mold? I ask because it almost sounds like you want a confectionery funnel to use instead of a piping bag. In all frankness, if you get the funnel for depositing tempered chocolate into a mold, it just wont work as well as you may imagine it would. However, if your getting it for depositing boiled caramels, thats different. But it its the latter, I would still not recommend the Fat Daddios funnel. Its made from polycarbonate plastic, which would form cracks over time because of the very hot liquid being poured into it, and I would be inclined to say that the little nozzle that screws onto the bottom would be garbage.

 

Personally, I have this funnel from Matfer:

https://www.amazon.com/Matfer-Bourgeat-Stainless-Confectionary-Nozzles/dp/B00201DJ46/ref=sr_1_28?keywords=confectionery+funnel&qid=1555718662&s=gateway&sr=8-28

 

Its a good funnel, I've had it for about 8ish years, never had a problem with it. I use it with a decent around of frequency, enough to sometimes consider getting another one. If I had to recommend another funnel, you can get a Winco for $50.

 https://www.amazon.com/Winco-SF-7-Stainless-Confectionery-Nozzles/dp/B009R97DSC/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=confectionery+funnel&qid=1555718662&s=gateway&sr=8-6

 

It does cost more the the Fat Daddios, but the stainless will last waaaaay longer then the plastic funnel. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

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Chocoguyin Pemby

Chocoguyin Pemby

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4 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

I have this one but I don't use it a whole lot.  What do you want to know?  https://www.dr.ca/confectionery-and-kitchen-depositing-funnel.html

 

 

Hi I am wondering if it will dispense caramel - i usually take the caramel to 245-245F and pour into silicone molds from the All-clad pot it is made in - this is very heavy to do 1 handed and I am just looking for an alternative.  the molds have 24 cavities each and a batch fills 2 molds and I always end up with a little trail between cavities - just trying to work faster and cleaner. 

same for filling bonbons - not a big fan of piping - maybe i just need to do more to get better and improve my technique - I just love my gadgets though!!

5 minutes ago, minas6907 said:

It does cost more the the Fat Daddios, but the stainless will last waaaaay longer then the plastic funnel. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

I think i don't really need this - I pour piping hot caramel into molds like 250F hot - thanks for your advice - i think i should just keep doing what I am doing and deal with it - it's not like i am doing huge batches - getting ready to make a batch of stout caramels

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pastrygirl

pastrygirl

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Posted

I agree with @minas6907, the plastic one looks like it would have limited use.  A funnel should work for your caramels and things that are too hot or fluid to pipe. It won't work as well for a thicker ganache because you're relying on gravity and flow rate instead of squeezing it through the piping bag.

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Kerry Beal

Kerry Beal

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Posted

I have a couple of the bigger confectionary funnels - one with a stick, the other like the Matfer above. I don't find them useful day to day - pate de fruit hardens too quickly to deposit with them, most ganache doesn't flow, and most caramel I make doesn't really lend itself to the funnel.

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the Chocolate Doctor
www.thechocolatedoctor.ca

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Confectionary Course • Confectionary Course Q&A
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Chocolot

Chocolot

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Chocoguyin Pemby said:

Hi I am wondering if it will dispense caramel - i usually take the caramel to 245-245F and pour into silicone molds from the All-clad pot it is made in - this is very heavy to do 1 handed and I am just looking for an alternative.  the molds have 24 cavities each and a batch fills 2 molds and I always end up with a little trail between cavities - just trying to work faster and cleaner. 

same for filling bonbons - not a big fan of piping - maybe i just need to do more to get better and improve my technique - I just love my gadgets though!!

I think i don't really need this - I pour piping hot caramel into molds like 250F hot - thanks for your advice - i think i should just keep doing what I am doing and deal with it - it's not like i am doing huge batches - getting ready to make a batch of stout caramels

 

I also use silicone molds for my caramel. I just pour the caramel into the molds, then using a wide sheet rock scraper, scrape the caramel into the cavities and at the same time, clean off the top of the mold so there are no trails.

Using a funnel would drive me crazy having to release the flow for each cavity. The funnel gets real heavy at arms length. This isn't the best example of scrapping, but I have gotten better.

 

 

IMG_0999.thumb.jpg.36f0d401501d23a0c4333389d171ea99.jpg

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Ruth Kendrick

Chocolot
Artisan Chocolates and Toffees
www.chocolot.com

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akonsu

akonsu

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Posted
1 hour ago, Chocolot said:

I also use silicone molds for my caramel. I just pour the caramel into the molds

I think that a funnel is mostly useful when pouring into corn starch molds.

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Chocoguyin Pemby

Chocoguyin Pemby

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2 hours ago, Chocolot said:

 

I also use silicone molds for my caramel. I just pour the caramel into the molds, then using a wide sheet rock scraper, scrape the caramel into the cavities and at the same time, clean off the top of the mold so there are no trails.

Using a funnel would drive me crazy having to release the flow for each cavity. The funnel gets real heavy at arms length. This isn't the best example of scrapping, but I have gotten better.

 

 

IMG_0999.thumb.jpg.36f0d401501d23a0c4333389d171ea99.jpg

Uhhh your molds are on a whole different level than mine lol - I'm not going to show you mine..... you are playing in the NHL and I am playing senior mens rec league - I'm canadian eh so you figure that out.  No seriously I love those molds but we are leagues apart and i will stick to my pot to pour and forget about it.....  the funnel I mean...now I want those molds....damn you and your helpfulness... 

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teonzo

teonzo

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Posted

If you ever decide to buy a funnel, then absolutely don't try to save money. Buy a solid one with a good choice of nozzles of various sizes. Go only for stainless steel, forget about the plastic ones: sooner or later something you are pouring will gel and clog the nozzle, you want to be able to heat it without damage.

 

 

 

Teo

 

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Teo

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jbates

jbates

Posted
Posted
On 4/19/2019 at 9:38 PM, Chocolot said:

 

I also use silicone molds for my caramel. I just pour the caramel into the molds, then using a wide sheet rock scraper, scrape the caramel into the cavities and at the same time, clean off the top of the mold so there are no trails.

Using a funnel would drive me crazy having to release the flow for each cavity. The funnel gets real heavy at arms length. This isn't the best example of scrapping, but I have gotten better.

 

 

IMG_0999.thumb.jpg.36f0d401501d23a0c4333389d171ea99.jpg

Ooh, I like the idea of using bigger molds like those. Are they something I can buy directly or a custom order?

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Kerry Beal

Kerry Beal

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3 hours ago, jbates said:

Ooh, I like the idea of using bigger molds like those. Are they something I can buy directly or a custom order?

These are from Chef Rubber

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the Chocolate Doctor
www.thechocolatedoctor.ca

www.eztemper.com

 

Confectionary Course • Confectionary Course Q&A
eGullet foodblog 2006 • eGullet Foodblog 2012

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Chocoguyin Pemby

Chocoguyin Pemby

Posted
  • Topic Starter
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On 4/19/2019 at 9:38 PM, Chocolot said:

 

I also use silicone molds for my caramel. I just pour the caramel into the molds, then using a wide sheet rock scraper, scrape the caramel into the cavities and at the same time, clean off the top of the mold so there are no trails.

Using a funnel would drive me crazy having to release the flow for each cavity. The funnel gets real heavy at arms length. This isn't the best example of scrapping, but I have gotten better.

 

 

IMG_0999.thumb.jpg.36f0d401501d23a0c4333389d171ea99.jpg

Hi I have a couple of question - what size cavities are in that mold?   How do you unmold the caramels?  the silicone ones i use sometimes deform the caramel when unmolding.  I think I want to get one of those molds. 

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Chocolot

Chocolot

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They are just under an inch. With chocolate, they are at least an inch. The caramel just pops out. They don't deform unless I have undercooked my batch. They are from Chef Rubber and about $100 each. There are three of them in the pix. They are also great with meltaways. There are 88 pieces per mold.

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Ruth Kendrick

Chocolot
Artisan Chocolates and Toffees
www.chocolot.com

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liuzhou

liuzhou

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Posted
6 hours ago, Chocolot said:

They are just under an inch. With chocolate, they are at least an inch. The caramel just pops out. They don't deform unless I have undercooked my batch. They are from Chef Rubber and about $100 each.

 

Enough already! This is a family friendly forum!

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...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

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Chocoguyin Pemby

Chocoguyin Pemby

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23 hours ago, Chocolot said:

They are just under an inch. With chocolate, they are at least an inch. The caramel just pops out. They don't deform unless I have undercooked my batch. They are from Chef Rubber and about $100 each. There are three of them in the pix. They are also great with meltaways. There are 88 pieces per mold.

Thanks for the info - I think I'm going to get one of those - FYI the link in your signature does not go to your website - I had to manually input it - what a drag - to find your real website and your selection looks delicious. 

 

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