Chocolates with that showroom finish, 2004 - 2011

[Chris Hennes]

Inspired by some beautiful Valentine's Day chocolates Truffle Guy posted in another thread, I experimented with some new-to-me techniques this past weekend. I have usually either used the airbrush or hand-decorated with a paint brush, so this was my first attempt at doing both. My brush strokes still need some work, but overall I'm pleased with the general idea...

Are there specific brushes people have found work well for them? I picked up a bunch of random brushes, and as I get more focused on trying to get a certain effect, I find I often don't have quite the right brush, and i'm wondering what your favorites are.

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Wow, those have some serious "bling!" factor!! I love the sparkle, and the brush effect looks great to me. I'd buy them!

[Mette]

Smiley riley - They look ab-fab! (and small Riley as well )

Welcome to the chocolate community!

Edited February 23, 2008 by Mette (log)

[tammylc]

Wow, those have some serious "bling!" factor!! I love the sparkle, and the brush effect looks great to me. I'd buy them! 

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Thanks, Chris. I've recently invested in more of the "pearl" colored cocoa butters, and they definitely add some bling that the plain colors are lacking.

[Smiley Riley]

Inspired by some beautiful Valentine's Day chocolates Truffle Guy posted in another thread, I experimented with some new-to-me techniques this past weekend. I have usually either used the airbrush or hand-decorated with a paint brush, so this was my first attempt at doing both. My brush strokes still need some work, but overall I'm pleased with the general idea...

Are there specific brushes people have found work well for them? I picked up a bunch of random brushes, and as I get more focused on trying to get a certain effect, I find I often don't have quite the right brush, and i'm wondering what your favorites are.

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Wow, those have some serious "bling!" factor!! I love the sparkle, and the brush effect looks great to me. I'd buy them!

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Thanks on both counts Mette, glad to be part of the community now

[prairiegirl]

I want to point out the two guitars. The one on the left was moulded at room temperature. I used my laser infrared thermometer and the temperature of the mould was 22 Celsius. That is my house temperature (room temp).

The guitar on the right, I heated the mould using a heat gun and the temperature was at approx 27 celsius. You can see the difference in the blemishing of the chocolate.

The chocolate itself is milk and I had it at about 28-29 celsius. The milk colours of the two guitars are different as the left was with Cocoa Barry and the right was Callabaut light milk. I ran out of one and then had to switch to the other brand!

[CanadianBakin']

My hat is off to all of you who can dip chocolates. I thought since I'm a fairly accomplished baker, how hard could it be? Well... I suck! I'm trying to make Venus Nipples from Indulge by Claire Clark. (Fantastic book by the way) You pipe a white chocolate/coffee ganache onto a tray, chill for an hour, then dip in tempered white chocolate. I managed to temper the chocolate ok. I don't have any dipping tools so this may be the problem. I lifted them off the parchment with an offset spatula then tried to dip them with a fork. She said to use a plastic glove if you don't have a dipping fork but that didn't work for me. The fork made a mess of the bottoms of the truffles since the ganache is a little soft and they (the bottoms) ended up with no chocolate on them. The chocolate on the top side set up nicely but the bottom is a disaster. Any ideas? Or is it just a matter of practice?

[gfron1]

Having watched Kerry and heard her answer similar questions, I'll give it a go! I think Kerry would say to dip the bottom first, let it set, then dip the whole thing. Is that right Kerry (grinning like a teacher's pet)? (All the other chocolate folks are throwing truffles at my buttkissingself)

[Desiderio]

I would probably either add more chocolate to the formula so isnt that soft or form chocolate circles ( either wirh a chocolate stencil or make a very thin layer of tempered chocolate and cut a bounch of small circles before it sets) then pipe the ganache nipples on the circles then dip. Also a metal fork will cut into the soft ganache and if you dont want to go to the trouble of making the chocolate base circles, you can try using a plastic fork ( in wich the 2 middle teeth are removed to let room for the extra chocolate to drop ), thats what I use and I still have to find a a better tool ( yes an enrober :-D ).

Edited March 10, 2008 by Desiderio (log)

[Kerry Beal]

I would probably either add more chocolate to the formula so isnt that soft or form chocolate circles ( either wirh a chocolate stencil or make a very thin layer of tempered chocolate and cut a bounch of small circles before it sets) then pipe the ganache nipples on the circles then dip. Also a metal fork will cut into the soft ganache and if you dont want to go to the trouble of making the chocolate base circles, you can try using a plastic fork ( in wich the 2 middle teeth are removed to let room for the extra chocolate to drop ), thats what I use and I still have to find a a better tool ( yes an enrober :-D ).

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What she says! I'm a big fan of small thin circles and pipe the ganache right onto them. That will give a good base for dipping.

[Kerry Beal]

Having watched Kerry and heard her answer similar questions, I'll give it a go!  I think Kerry would say to dip the bottom first, let it set, then dip the whole thing.  Is that right Kerry (grinning like a teacher's pet)?  (All the other chocolate folks are throwing truffles at my buttkissingself)

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oops - missed this the first read through. That would also work, but it can be challenging to turn them tip down for the second dip.

[CanadianBakin']

You guys are awesome!! Thanks so much! Circles it is.

That would also work, but it can be challenging to turn them tip down for the second dip.

That's what I was doing except trying to coat the whole thing at the same time. Should I have my chocolate in a narrow enough container so it's deep enough to dip right side up? Can I just hold the nipple on the plastic fork and pour some chocolate over so the bottom doesn't get coated again? Or is it supposed to get coated again?

edited to add yet another question:

I've still got 43 ganache nipples that are just piped onto parchment and sitting in my fridge. What should I do with these or is it a lost cause at this point?

Edited March 11, 2008 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[Kerry Beal]

You guys are awesome!! Thanks so much! Circles it is.

That would also work, but it can be challenging to turn them tip down for the second dip.

That's what I was doing except trying to coat the whole thing at the same time. Should I have my chocolate in a narrow enough container so it's deep enough to dip right side up? Can I just hold the nipple on the plastic fork and pour some chocolate over so the bottom doesn't get coated again? Or is it supposed to get coated again?

edited to add yet another question:

I've still got 43 ganache nipples that are just piped onto parchment and sitting in my fridge. What should I do with these or is it a lost cause at this point?

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I'd take the 43 ganache nipples and stick them down on a circle. Then dip with a fork (look back and find Alanamoana's dipping demo). The bottom gets coated again. The circle just stops the ganache from getting mushed into the fork.

[xdrixn]

white chocolate passion mint & mushroom caramel

milk chocolate whiskey & pb&j

salt & pepper. lemon myrtle

the restaurant has converted one of the rooms (the bathroom) on the second floor where a apartment used to be into a temperature controlled workspace. The matfer r15 chocolate machine.

perhaps I should have cleaned up a bit before taking pics...think "lived in look" in the literal sense.

[Kerry Beal]

white chocolate passion mint & mushroom caramel

milk chocolate whiskey & pb&j

salt & pepper.  lemon myrtle

the restaurant has converted one of the rooms (the bathroom) on the second floor where a apartment used to be into a temperature controlled workspace.  The matfer r15  chocolate machine.

perhaps I should have cleaned up a bit before taking pics...think "lived in look" in the literal sense.

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Very nice!

Am I seeing a double burner induction hob there?

Tell me more about mushroom caramel.

[prairiegirl]

I would like to know about the induction as I will be possibly purchasing one for the shop. What brand...pros and cons? The black chocolates have givem me inspiration for a licorice flvour and look!!

Thanks for sharing all the pictures.

[gfron1]

I had the pleasure of tasting a number of Adrian's chocolates last Friday and they were all amazing - the flavor, the texture, and most impressive was the thinness of the shell and the gloss. Beautiful tempering job!

[Kerry Beal]

I had the pleasure of tasting a number of Adrian's chocolates last Friday and they were all amazing - the flavor, the texture, and most impressive was the thinness of the shell and the gloss.  Beautiful tempering job!

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Lucky boy - how did that happen?

[gfron1]

My recent trip to LA - and really great timing to enjoy Adrian's dessert tasting menu followed by the chocolates.

[xdrixn]

kerry, the mushroom caramel is made by drying out chanterelles or shitake stems and then infusion them in cream with some thyme, strain and make deglaze a dry caramel.

glad you enjoyed them rob.

I like the cooktek induction cooker a lot. It has superior control compared to some other models I've tried. My only comment is that I wish it supported a wider pot but I am still looking for one.

[adey73]

Adrian, is the Chocolate actually black?

If so do you achieve that with a colourant?

[xdrixn]

Adrian, is the Chocolate actually black?

If so do you achieve that with a colourant?

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it's the pcb blue

[David J.]

I recently bought a Badger 100LG gravity fed brush and this is one of the pieces I've made with it:

The brush lets you focus the color much better than the Badger 250, though it won't let you draw a pencil thin line. I painted the cap yellow and then the sides green to evoke a mostly ripe bananna, but I ended up with more green than I was aiming for.

Then here is a multi-colored spatter effect:

I used a toothbrush to spatter the molds. It took a quite a bit of time and produced quite a mess so I ordered a spatter tip for the airbrush in the hope it will let me replicate this with half the effort.

[prairiegirl]

David they all look very interesting. The second ones with all the splatter is unique. I also learned more about the airbrush, so thanks for sharing all the information. I have more research to do!!

[ejw50]

I recently bought a Badger 100LG gravity fed brush and this is one of the pieces I've made with it:

The brush lets you focus the color much better than the Badger 250, though it won't let you draw a pencil thin line.  I painted the cap yellow and then the sides green to evoke a mostly ripe bananna, but I ended up with more green than I was aiming for.

Then here is a multi-colored spatter effect:

I used a toothbrush to spatter the molds.  It took a quite a bit of time and produced quite a mess so I ordered a spatter tip for the airbrush in the hope it will let me replicate this with half the effort.

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Hey David

How do you draw a pencil thin line with the 250? Or are you saying the 100LG won't let you draw a pencil thin line either?

[David J.]

Hey David

How do you draw a pencil thin line with the 250?  Or are you saying the 100LG won't let you draw a pencil thin line either?

The 250 sprays a pretty broad cone of color making it only good (at least for me) for area coloring. The 100LG's spray is much narrower which allows one to actually draw lines, perhaps about 1/4" in width if you get the tip close enough. The complication is the mold cavity is concave which disturbs the airflow and slick which will cause the color to spread if blasted by too high a pressure. Perhaps I'll do some experiments to determine just what it is capable of and post pictures. I want to test the spatter tip anyway.