Chocolate bars vs. callets?

[cslas]

Hi all,

 

So I'm in need of some more chocolate and I was thinking of stepping up to do 5 lb quantity from the 2 lb quantities I've been buying. I was looking at Callebaut 's Milk 823NV and Dark 60-40-38NV, both of which I've purchased in the past. Thus far, I've only ever used callets or small grocery store sized bars. It seems as though the 5 lb quantities are mostly available as bars, while the callets are either sold as 10 lb quantities or repackaged into the 2 lb bags I've been buying. I was wondering if using a bar vs. callets really makes a difference or is significantly harder to use or store? I've only just started playing with bonbons (inspired mostly by you guys), so it's sort of baby steps right now.

 

Also, while I've had decent luck working with the 823NV and 60-40-38NV and they seem to be more moderately priced starter chocolates, I have no idea what the NV actually means. Can someone tell me?

 

Thanks

[Kerry Beal]

NV means natural vanilla.

 

Bars should be fine - I either chop if I'm feeling energetic or put a big chunk in the microwave if I'm not.

 

 

 

 

[cslas]

Oooh natural vanilla... no wonder I liked it  Thanks for solving that mystery.

 

Good to know about the bars. I'll give them a go!

 

 

[teonzo]

Usually the same chocolate is cheaper in bar version than in callet version, so better going with bar.

The only problem is to break bars in pieces. If you chop them with a knife, then it's time consuming and you have a cutting board to clean. You can break them using a rubber mallet: lay the unopened package on a surface that can stand some hitting without getting damaged, then smash the package with the rubber mallet turning the package on all the sides. You need to give light hits, not strong ones, otherwise you end up breaking the outside plastic. After 30 seconds you have a nice package full of chocolate pieces. Plus side: it's stress relieving.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[akonsu]

On 6/21/2019 at 4:46 PM, teonzo said:

You can break them using a rubber mallet

I use a chisel and a hammer for that as well as for solid blocks of jaggery sugar. Plus side: it is a good exercise because to break it into pieces takes a while. : )

[cslas]

This is starting to sound like fun, thanks for the tips!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Breaking down chocolate bars sounds like a good way for me to hurt myself.  Why not just melt the bars?

 

[pastrygirl]

Bars/blocks are useful if you want to make chocolate curls or shavings for decorations.  And if you temper by seeding, a larger piece is easy to remove once the rest of the chocolate has cooled.  I hate it when I over-seed with small pieces then have to try to pick them out*. 

 

Other than that, I say callets (or pistoles or feves) all the way for ease of melting and measuring.

 

*one of the reasons I bought an EZ Temper, no more lumpy un-melted seed, just smooth silk

[EllaCh]

I use ice chipper, works well for me... Exactly like this one.

[Louise nadine brill]

I buy Callebaut in large 11 lb bars and use a Victorinox bread knife to chop up. I do the whole bar at once - make smaller bits for easy melting, leave larger chunks for seeding - and then keep in a food safe 5 gallon container.