Chocolates with that showroom finish, 2004 - 2011

[Lior]

Thanks Kerry!

"use the interference powders dry on the surface of unmolded chocolates"

I don't get this one!! I assume it can only mean chocolates that have been taken out of a mold? To decorated a finished chocolate?

[Kerry Beal]

Thanks Kerry!

"use the interference powders dry on the surface of unmolded chocolates"

I don't get this one!! I assume it can only mean chocolates that have been taken out of a mold? To decorated a finished chocolate?

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Yup, that's what I was trying to say - in my not very elegant fashion! I find them great when I've got a bit of bloom or an otherwise boring looking chocolate that just needs a little dressing up.

[HQAntithesis]

Oh thats what an interference powder is, I just thought it was another name for metallic powder. My bad .

[tammylc]

You can see many of my airbrushed dark chocolates upthread here. I never use a white chocolate layer, and my colors come out plenty bright, so I don't think it's necessary. I will add just a smidge of white cocoa butter to my darker colors. Not enough to make them pastel, just enough to give them some better opacity from the titanium dioxide.

As I think the answers already have shown, there's really no right or wrong here. Have fun and experiment, see what happens!

[Kerry Beal]

Metallic powders look the colour they will be when applied. Interference colours all tend to look silver until you put them on.

[Lior]

Ok got it, thanks all so much. And Kerry, a special thanks. I will get to my experiments and see what happens!

[Lior]

It is silly that I have this color phobia, not to mention an airbrush phobia. It took this long to give it a try. I was scared to add too much color and so of course, in the end, I think I did not add enough. I added about 1/2 maybe less teaspoon to 100 grams of cb. I melted the cb, added the green powder and brought temp to about 35- I did not measure temp. I don't have a demisphere mold so I used the closest to.

Not quite right yet. I used green, white chocolate and on a few some gold dust.

Edited April 25, 2010 by Lior (log)

[curls]

It is silly that I have this color phobia, not to mention an airbrush phobia. It took this long to give it a try. I was scared to add too much color and so of course, in the end, I think I did not add enough. I added about 1/2 maybe less teaspoon to 100 grams of cb. I melted the cb, added the green powder and brought temp to about 35- I did not measure temp. I don't have a demisphere mold so I used the closest to.

Not quite right yet. I used green, white chocolate and on a few some gold dust.

They look great! I really like the frogs and the apples. Hope you continue having fun with color.

[Lior]

Thank you so much for the P.R. (positive reinforcement)!!

[Kouign Aman]

I like the first two 'domed' chocolates a lot. The translucent green is lovely.

The Frogs are First Class. Perfectly Frog!

[Lior]

Kouign Aman-thank you very much!! I had fun doing it. I will continue my experiments! Have a great day (at least it is the beginning of a new day by me...)!!

[Chris Hennes]

After this year's eGullet Candy and Confectionery Conference/Workshop I got up the motivation to give molded chocolates another go, and finally achieved success. It seems that my issue with the temper being off was basically entirely due to latent heat of crystallization, which (after some considerable guidance from Steve and company at the workshop) I have finally gotten under control. For me, the critical missing step turned out to be putting the mold in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes once it got its final scrape-down. My guess is this is happening to me because I am working with the chocolate at the very upper end of its working range: does that make sense? If I dropped down a couple degrees from that, do you think that the issue would go away entirely? I don't have a good handle on how much heat gets released as the chocolate crystallizes.

[lebowits]

After this year's eGullet Candy and Confectionery Conference/Workshop I got up the motivation to give molded chocolates another go, and finally achieved success. It seems that my issue with the temper being off was basically entirely due to latent heat of crystallization, which (after some considerable guidance from Steve and company at the workshop) I have finally gotten under control. For me, the critical missing step turned out to be putting the mold in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes once it got its final scrape-down. My guess is this is happening to me because I am working with the chocolate at the very upper end of its working range: does that make sense? If I dropped down a couple degrees from that, do you think that the issue would go away entirely? I don't have a good handle on how much heat gets released as the chocolate crystallizes.

I routinely "bump" my chocolate up near the top of it's working temp range, especially with milk chocolate which tends (for me at least) to be the most viscous.

After I cast my shells, I place the molds on their sides for a few minutes to let the chocolate begin to crystallize. Placing them on their sides, allows the latent heat of crystallization to dissipate from both the face and back of the mold. Once the chocolate has lost it's "gloss", I place the molds in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to fully set the chocolate before filling.

After the centers have crystallized enough to "foot" the pieces without "heaving", I put on the foot, and place the molds in the refrigerator for about an hour. This assures that all of the chocolate is well on into crystallization and pretty much guarantees that the shells separate from the cavities. After removing the molds from the refrigerator, I let them come up to room temp for an hour or so before un-molding. Letting them warm up before popping them out alleviates any worries about condensation forming on them.

[mostlylana]

Sounds like a good process you've got Steve. That darn latent heat has gotten me a few times - with 100g. bars and my hollow Easter bunnies. I don't really understand how the big boys do it with their spinning machines... My bunny molds don't have any openings. I measure in a certain amount of chocolate and click the 2 sides together and become the human spinning machine. Unless I do this in a cold room, I'm hooped. Milk and white chocolates are fine but dark will go out of temper. After 3-4 minutes of 'spinning' the molds go into the fridge with a fan. This is the only way I can get good results with dark bunnies. The bars aren't as bad but they also are fussy. But back to the big boys with their spinning machines... I've seen them in different professional kitchens and they are in the main working room. How does the latent heat not affect their products?!

[lebowits]

Sounds like a good process you've got Steve. That darn latent heat has gotten me a few times - with 100g. bars and my hollow Easter bunnies. I don't really understand how the big boys do it with their spinning machines... My bunny molds don't have any openings. I measure in a certain amount of chocolate and click the 2 sides together and become the human spinning machine. Unless I do this in a cold room, I'm hooped. Milk and white chocolates are fine but dark will go out of temper. After 3-4 minutes of 'spinning' the molds go into the fridge with a fan. This is the only way I can get good results with dark bunnies. The bars aren't as bad but they also are fussy. But back to the big boys with their spinning machines... I've seen them in different professional kitchens and they are in the main working room. How does the latent heat not affect their products?!

I haven't done any 3D molds myself, but the couple of full-on chocolate kitchens I've worked in are always kept rather cool.

[Sebastian]

But back to the big boys with their spinning machines... I've seen them in different professional kitchens and they are in the main working room. How does the latent heat not affect their products?!

It can. Crucial things are:

1) mould design - some moulds and materials are far worse than others w/ regards to heat transfer (or trapping...)

2) cooling - both temperature and airflow are critical. the 'big boys' as you put it have a very good understanding of how to optimize their process conditions to be just right.

3) time - heat transfer is about materials, temperature, and time. just as colder temperatures aren't necessarily better (ie finding the right temp), there's a right time factor to identify as well

4) chocolate thickness is also quite important, especially for 3D moulds. solid moulding large objects is by far the most difficult. usually done in layers.

[Lior]

This is odd. I hear from many that they put their molds in the fridge. I hardly hardly ever do this. I have the air on at 20 to begin with then after I make the mold shells I right away lower it to 17C. I also have a small dehumidifier always going 24/7. The trolley with the molds is a bit closer to the air cond unit than where I work. I usually do not have any problems. Do you believe the fridge step is a must? Mine are shiny but perhaps they can be even shinier? Does anyone else skip the fridge?

[Kerry Beal]

I use the two fridge steps in my kitchen - I don't have any other cool spot in my kitchen. But I don't use it for dipped objects - just molded.

[Lior]

Hi Kerry! What is the 2 step? At both stages of making molded bonbons? Do you have air cond-what is the ambient temp of where you work?

I am always concerned about the humidity inside the fridge. I am looking into a mini dehumidifier fo the fridge I have. I have altered the thermostat but then humidity is a worry.

Thanks

[Kerry Beal]

Hi Kerry! What is the 2 step? At both stages of making molded bonbons? Do you have air cond-what is the ambient temp of where you work?

I am always concerned about the humidity inside the fridge. I am looking into a mini dehumidifier fo the fridge I have. I have altered the thermostat but then humidity is a worry.

Thanks

Yup - put them in after making the shell for about 10 minutes, then after backing off for another 10 ti 15 - until I can see they have mostly separated. They aren't in there long enough for humidity to be an issue.

Room temp around 22 to 24.

[Lior]

Well maybe I should try this and see if it makes a diff. Have you tried not using the fridge ever? I guess 22-24 is a bit high without a fridge. Thanks Kerry.

[mostlylana]

When I do shell moulding I don't usually use the fridge either. As Steve said, put the moulds on their side for air flow and that is usually OK if your room is cool. However I do use the fridge once they're capped. Just be sure to leave them in the mould for at least an hour once they're out of the fridge to avoid any condensation.

3D molding and thick bar molding is a different story. The 3D molds I use don't have any opening so can really hold the heat. Not only do I have to use the fridge but the fridge with a fan in it!

Sebastian, I think one of your points is right on for me. I make my bunnies hollow but I like the walls to be thick. I have noticed if I make them thinner the result is much better. You also mentioned mould design. I think that's a factor too. The areas that are out of temper are always in the crease where the head and body attach (and, of course, on the inside of the bunny).

I was in Paul DeBondt's kitchen and watched him make one of his amazing eggs. He put it on the spinner for 10 - 15 minutes if I recall and then it went into the fridge. His room temp. wasn't noticeably cool. His egg was fabulous! We didn't open up the egg so don't really know how thick the walls were...

[pastrygirl]

NOT that showroom finish:

Orange cocoa butter painted in, white chocolate finger-swirled then molded in dark chocolate (filled with Greweling's white chocolate passion fruit ganache). I did four molds this way and a significant number of pieces have places where the orange stuck to the mold, as with the bottom piece in the picture. I had the same issue with some chocolates I had made around New Years:

Clearly I am doing something wrong. Is the white chocolate not warm enough to adhere to the cocoa butter properly? Am I just out of temper somewhere? The ones today were in new molds, so the molds should not have been dirty. I am sure I have done a combo like this successfully before. Hmmm

[Kerry Beal]

Clearly I am doing something wrong. Is the white chocolate not warm enough to adhere to the cocoa butter properly? Am I just out of temper somewhere? The ones today were in new molds, so the molds should not have been dirty. I am sure I have done a combo like this successfully before. Hmmm

Might be the white chocolate isn't warm enough. Also new molds often don't work as well until they build up a layer of cocoa butter.

But it's a really neat look!

Edited July 28, 2010 by Kerry Beal (log)

[pastrygirl]

Might be the white chocolate isn't warm enough. Also new molds often don't work as well until they build up a layer of cocoa butter.

But it's a really neat look!

Molds can be too clean?? Ya learn sump'in every day....