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Cutting chocolates


pattyc

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I am starting up a small chocolate business and have begun my search for a guitar to cut chocolates involving ganaches, etc. prior to enrobing. Knowing how expensive they are is somewhat daunting in that I'd like to think there are alternatives to cutting the perfect and standard shapes one gets with a guitar. Are there any alternative ideas out there that have proven successful, or ideas on where to purchase new or used guitars?

Patty

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The lowest price I've seen on a guitar cutter is $1742.40 at CulinaryCookware.com. I'm sure there have got to be used guitars out there, but other than eBay, I'm not sure where to look.

They are expensive, but nothing can match them for efficiency and precision. You can use a knife, though it would be hard to match the consistency, and almost impossible to cut ganache without a slightly raised edge which will make dipping cleanly difficult. Maybe someone out there with more experience has another method or some pointers?

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Thanks Neil I wasn't aware of www.culinarycookware.com and it's less expensive than the two I found on the internet: www.villagekitchen.com for $1950; and www.pastrychef.com for $1799. The prices seem inflated for this particular equipment but perhaps it's because they're all imported from Europe and the cost probably includes export/import tax as well as middleman costs.

Steve, I think someone could probably come up with an American made alternative for a whole lot less. Any takers?

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The lowest price I've seen on a guitar cutter is $1742.40 at CulinaryCookware.com. I'm sure there have got to be used guitars out there, but other than eBay, I'm not sure where to look.

They are expensive, but nothing can match them for efficiency and precision. You can use a knife, though it would be hard to match the consistency, and almost impossible to cut ganache without a slightly raised edge which will make dipping cleanly difficult. Maybe someone out there with more experience has another method or some pointers?

perhaps the reason it's so spendy is that (as proudly proclaimed on the site) they are an authorized defense dept. vendor. remember those $3000 toilet seats? (whatever is the defense dept buying there, i wonder?)

"Laughter is brightest where food is best."

www.chezcherie.com

Author of The I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook ,The I Love Trader Joe's Party Cookbook and The I Love Trader Joe's Around the World Cookbook

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I've wanted one for a while.......I figure I'll eventually make one myself. I don't begin to understand the pricing on these.....it's not like a complicated machine with computor operated parts...........

I keep thinking that it works alot like a silk screen: in that, it's a hinged frame. Why couldn't you drill holes for your wires and string them? What to use on the bottom has me stumped, mainly because of sanitary reasons. If you had something like styrofoam glued down on a board you could take a saw and make cut out grooves to match your wire widths....and it should work-no?

So how to make this sanitary? Make your hinged frame out of plastic-perhaps there are plastic silk screen frames? How could you coat the styrofoam?

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Somehow use a router to cut channels on some sort of plexiglass material for the base?

It's too bad there isn't a website devoted to selling used equipment to those of us in the pasty, baking, and confectionery business.

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Just thinking... If you poured ganache into the grates used for floresent lighting, on a sheet tray lined with parchment, and then frezee the ganache. I don't know hwo easy it would to unmold the little guys, or if you could at all, but it's an idea.

Cory Barrett

Pastry Chef

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I think they are so expensive because: 1) they are basically individually hand made since there isn't a big enough market to build an automated factory for them, and 2) they are built to last, very strong, heavy construction, and as someone above said, able to be sanitized. They also usually come with 4 or 5 frames with different wire spacing, and the slots in the base are spaced to accomodate all of the sizes.

Personally, if I were using it to start a business, I would bite the bullet and buy one. You will make the money back in speed and effiency.

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The lowest price I've seen on a guitar cutter is $1742.40 at CulinaryCookware.com. I'm sure there have got to be used guitars out there, but other than eBay, I'm not sure where to look.

I bought one last summer from Previn in Philadelphia. They had to special order it from France, and it took about 6 weeks, but I paid less than $1400. It's a heavy duty steel unit and comes with three frames.

Click here: Previn or call: 215-985-1996

Cheers,

stscam

Steve Smith

Glacier Country

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Thank-you to everyone for your ideas. Thus far I've found only a few places that carry guitars in the States, and what I'm noticing is that there are those with plastic bases and those with metal bases. Of course the price seems to reflect the number of frames ordered as well as the composition of the base. I just called Previn after reading your last post Steve, because I couldn't locate a guitar in their latest catalog. Apparently, it is special order and the specs are being faxed to me. I was quoted $1,609.00 for the plastic base and approx $2600-$2700 for the metal base, which is quite a price difference.

Has anyone out there had negative experiences with either of these bases that would influence which one would be best to purchase?

Patty

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Heres the deal of the century....I bought my guitar directly from Belgium...guitar w/ three frames, including the shipping it cost me $1000...take into account it was about 2 years ago when the Euro v. USD was a bit better....the name of the company is Prefamac...i think they have a website...they were very helpful and it only took about a week or so to get it.....believe me, i tried many different methods for cutting ganache and nothing compares to a guitar...if you paln on doing any kind of serious chocolate production, you need to invest..

good luck

Jason

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Bridge Kitchenware sells a double guitar for $1050 according to their 2003/2004 catalog. I'm not completely sure if that price is still valid, but if not it couldn't have gone up much. They don't have that item listed online.

They're in New York and the number is 800.274.3435 (212.838.1901)

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First of all, I am now convinced that the look I will want for my chocolates will necessitate having a guitar. I have taken everyone's ideas on companies and websites to check out and have done my homework. My idea is to go with a guitar with a metal base, because I'm thinking it might ultimately be more durable for the amount of use it will get. J.B. Prince sells a metal base guitar for $1996, with 3 metal frames, which at this point seems to be the best price, as opposed to one with a plastic base Somewhere there must be retired chocolatiers who have all of this chocolate equipment sitting in storage.

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Just wanted to say - don't be too quick to dismiss the guitars with plastic bases based on durability. The one we used in school (which looks like all the photos I've seen on-line) had a plastic base and it was very heavy and sturdy. You can bet that students aren't known for babying equipment, and that guitar has held up great for years.

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As you suggest, Patty, it might be that an all-metal guitar will be more durable, but you shouldn't get the idea that a plastic-framed guitar is made like a Benriner mandoline or something. The side frames on my unit are 1/2" thick and the platform is made from dozens of molded pieces, all bolted to the frame. The rest of the guitar is all steel.

Good luck, and cheers,

stscam

Edited by stscam (log)

Steve Smith

Glacier Country

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Neil & Steve, thanks for your insight on the plastic base guitar. I am reconsidering the additional expense of purchasing one with a metal base, especially because I'll be the only one using it, so it certainly won't be misused and abused.

I have the Spring & Summer 2004 PCB catalog and noted on pg 119 they have something called a "cutting plate". It is described as being a tool to cut chocolates in a precise and even way. They have two models, one with 3 cm spacing and another with 4 cm spacing. It looks similar to plexiglass (although perhaps it's made of metal; it's difficult to tell from the photo), and it measures 40 x 60 cm. It has straight lines that have been deep-grooved into the 3 cm or 4 cm size, marked across the plate from end to end. From their example it looks as though you would pour the ganache on the cutting plate and use the deep-grooved lines as a cutting guide. I am wondering if anyone has experience in working with this and if it does what it is supposed to. Any ideas about this?

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Patty - I looked at the cutting plates on the PCB website and to me they look like boards you'd place on top of the ganache, stick the (included) knife through the slots and cut. They're cheap, but figure a guitar is a lifetime investment.

Cheers,

stscam

Steve Smith

Glacier Country

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The cutting plates are mainly intended for making plaquettes from tempered chocolate for use as decoration and such. Spread chocolate very thinly on acetate, let set slightly, place cutting plate on top and slice chocolate throuch the openings, rotate plate 90 degrees and cut again, flip acetate upside down and weight with a sheet pan to prevent edges from curling. If you get the guitar you can also make plaquettes by pressing the chocolate covered acetate against the wires of one of the frames.

You could use the plates to cut ganache, which would give you evenly sized squares, but you would still have the problem of raised edges making the dipped chocolates less clean looking.

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