Chocolates with that showroom finish, 2004 - 2011

[bripastryguy]

I'm talking with my Sous Chef and discussing how we once started to use the cocoa butter "buffing" method and a cotton ball, we have never had a problem no matter what method we decide to use dor decorating the molds. They seem to come out nearly perfect every time. The temperatures in my kitchen go to the extremes, we must have great luck, I will post some pics when we get a chance.

[ejw50]

I'm talking with my Sous Chef and discussing how we once started to use the cocoa butter "buffing" method and a cotton ball, we have never had a problem no matter what method we decide to use dor decorating the molds. They seem to come out nearly perfect every time. The temperatures in my kitchen go to the extremes, we must have great luck, I will post some pics when we get a chance.

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quick Q on your technique: you are buffing after it dries out, and the cocoa butter is some residual after you washed the mold with water?

[bripastryguy]

unfortunately we dont care for the molds as well as we should, but here's what we do...

they have been washed with a little soap and warm water, allowed to air dry.

Once dry we mely cocoa butter then use a cotton ball to coat the inside with an ultra fine layer of cocoa butter (depending the temperature in my shop we would or would not refrigerate them) then we decorated the molds by either dusting, spraying or painting. Then we usually just have to do one coat of the molds (we bastard temper in the microwave and its seems to be doing the right job-no bloom, streaks, almost perfect). Fill the molds, cap em then refrigerate. As the molds chill you can actually see that the chocolates are pulling away from the sides. Rap the mold on the table and there you go. If you read this this thread, all of this has been discussed in depth

[Lior]

Well most of you who started this topic must be perfect by now, as the pictures were already great when posted. I hope I will get to that point one day. Right now I am feeling frustrated! I worked with colored cocoa butter-natural ones from Chefrubber. I mostly melted it, and then mixed till I thought it was ok. Kind of thick but liquidy mostly. Some got left in the mould, but I think the chocolate looks okay - I want to know your expert opinions.... scary as it is...

Also, no matter what I do, I always get the same dull shapes on the bars, same bars same place. I try cooling slower, quicker, shining it, washing it, nothing helps. Do you know what else I can do? Perhaps my moulds are not good? It doesn't always look so obvious as in the photo - it all depends on the lighting, but it is there!

Thanks for any help, I have a festival coming up and it is my first...

edited cause I forgot the pictures!!

Thanks

Edited November 28, 2007 by Lior (log)

[Lior]

Here are real close close ups:

Thanks again

[Kerry Beal]

Try painting a thin layer of chocolate on that dull spot before molding and see if it helps. Alternately try polishing the dull spot with a tiny bit of cocoa butter.

It looks like the dull spot you get on metal molds with large flat surfaces (or on the cheap plastic molds) but I recognize those as polycarbonate molds.

When you look at the mold do you see any dullness in that area?

[Lior]

Thanks for responding! You always help!! When I look at the mold I sometimes see what looks like a thumb smudge or thumb print and I shine it away, but it always shows up on the chocolate!! I tried putting some cacao butter on but it came out whitish- shouldn't it come out clear? Any tips on the cocoa butter colors? Well thanks for now.

[Kerry Beal]

Thanks for responding! You always help!!   When I look at the mold I sometimes see what looks like a thumb smudge or thumb print and I shine it away, but it always shows up on the chocolate!! I tried putting some cacao butter on but it came out whitish- shouldn't it come out clear? Any tips on the cocoa butter  colors? Well thanks for now.

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Do you only have one of that mold? It might be a defective mold if you see that spot everytime. Looking at the italian molds I have, some do show some marks.

If you paint cocoa butter on, even a thin layer, it will show up as white, but if you use a tiny bit on a cloth and let the warmth of your finger melt it a bit you won't see it.

[Lior]

Hi. I have 5 like that and each one has something. I don't know if I did it or if it came like that. I am generally very careful with the care of my molds, but who knows? Oh, and if I put some cacao butter on a cloth, it is melted c.b. ??

Thanks

[Kerry Beal]

Hi. I have 5 like that and each one has something. I don't know if I did it or if it came like that. I am generally very careful with the care of my molds, but who knows? Oh, and if I put some cacao butter on a cloth, it is melted c.b. ??

Thanks

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It could be melted or not, really I just thinking you could try to get a really thin layer of cocoa butter between the mold and the chocolate, not even really enough to see, just enough to polish up the dull spot.

Are the marks in the same spots in all of the 5 molds? If they are then I suspect that they are actually molding the marks right into the molds, in which case no amount of polishing etc will help.

I notice that JVK is selling molds exactly like the ones from the italian company, I wonder if they are exactly the same or if there are faults with the molds if the JVK ones would be superior.

[Lior]

I assume they are the same. No, the marks are not in the same place. A little scratch here, a blemish there... I wish I checked them carefully when they arrived! A thing we should always do!! I will try a bit of cocoa butter tomorrow... I wonder if anyone else has this problem with these molds...

I will let yiu know if I have any results!

[Sebastian]

are the blemishes showing up where your chocolate first comes in contact with the mould as you pour the chocolate into the mould? my first guess (i'm late to the game!) when i saw your photos was that it was a cooling spot, often seen where your warm chocolate first comes in contact with a cooler mould. a thin layer of ccb as kb suggests often remedies it (stress thin), or warming the moulds to the temperature of your chocolate can do the trick as well.

[Lior]

Well it could be, but it is always in the same spots, but I will take note of this tomorrow. Since I had colored ccb I did not/could not warm the molds up. It drives me crazy when things don't come out perfectly. Perhaps my ambient temp is a bit too warm?

Well thanks, I will try it all come a new day!!

[Lior]

Oh dear! I just finished doing the 5 moulds of 6 bars each and every single one had an imperfection. I don't think it could be me ruining every bar! I carefully examined the molds and I see tiny swirls or lines here and there embedded into the polycarb but no marks that would explain the "smudges" I cooled with a fan blowing to lower the temp a bit and expediate the cooling. I watched the backs to see the chocoalte shrink away, and the last part to shrink was towards the center, as expected, and where most of the smudges are. But there are also other weird markings. I wrote to them at chocolatform srl and I hope they can somehoe help me.

Bye for now!

Lior

[prairiegirl]

When I mould larger objects such as yule logs, or the JKV tea cup and saucer I was getting the smudging/heat spots. I use a fan to blow from underneath the moulds and the room temp is at 20 celcius and that seems to remedy my problem. I did contact a few chocolatiers. Ricuitti said to use the fans at room temp, and another said "don't shock the chocolate" with sudden temp changes, such as a fridge, until the chocolate cools completely in the mould.

[Lior]

I put the molds standing up on their sides and the fan blew at their undersides... I guess it may be the molds. Annoying anyway! Thanks for the input!

[Lior]

Well no matter what I do I have strange marks. I have written to the maunfacturer now twice (chocolatform) to ask if they can advise or help or get me another new mould so I can try with it. They don't answer me. I ordered 20 moulds from them overseas shipping before and they were so friendly and kind that I promoted them to everyone who was interested. Upon examing the moulds carefully (with a magnifier!) I see some odd marks. It may have been me although I do doubt it. I want to order other bars but now I am concerned. Any suggestions? Does anyone use the bars?

Thanks!

[Kerry Beal]

Well no matter what I do I have strange marks. I have written to the maunfacturer now twice (chocolatform) to ask if they can advise or help or get me another new mould so I can try with it. They don't answer me. I ordered 20 moulds from them overseas shipping before and they were so friendly and kind that I promoted them to everyone who was interested. Upon examing the moulds carefully (with a magnifier!) I see some odd marks. It may have been me although I do doubt it. I want to order other bars but now I am concerned. Any suggestions? Does anyone use the bars?

Thanks!

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I've got a few of their bar molds too, I've been noticing that large areas don't separate as the chocolate contracts. The plastic in these molds is thinner than the other professional molds I use, and I wonder if that might be a factor.

[Lior]

Yes. The other day I sat there and watched the chocolate contract and there were certainly parts that took much longer and left marks. Everything was correct-temper, environment, according to the book. I find it hard to believe that I damaged so many molds, however, I cannot say 100% for sure that it is not me-not that it matters-they don't seem to care either way! It is a pity cause their molds arespecial-and go along with my logo theme and all! Oh dear! Perhaps custom made ones from elsewhere...

Thanks

[Lior]

In case anyone is following this "drama"...

I finally received an email from the chocolatform. Apparently they did not get my first two inquiries. I also sent a picture. Marco is sending it to the internal pastry expert (...) And hopefully I will get advice or something.

This was one:

If you look carefully at the middle section... When enlarged it is easy to see, here maybe not.

Edited December 10, 2007 by Lior (log)

[pringle007]

Good Luck!!

Edited December 10, 2007 by pringle007 (log)

[prairiegirl]

well Lior, as the debate goes on...! I would also guess to call those contraction marks. The last point in which the chocolate releases. I have a Chocolate World mould that I use to make cookies, they are a wafer and I always get that kind of marking on each and every wafer. I was at a seminar last spring and a chocolate/chef from Callebaut was presenting. I brought some of my work to show him to trouble shoot your very problem and that is what he told me it was. Hilliards chocolate systems sells a badger bristle brush that can be used to buff out some of the smudging. But for specific problem on the bar, it would not be the most appropriate method.

Please let us know what your expert tells you!

[Lior]

Thank you! Does this brush get used on the chocolate or on the mold? I will go look for it on the net. I will let you know if their expert has an answer or suggestion.

Thanks again

[mrose]

Thank you! Does this brush get used on the chocolate or on the mold? I will go look for it on the net. I will let you know if their expert has an answer or suggestion.

Thanks again

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You are looking for a boar's bristle brush. It gets used on the bar.

Edited December 11, 2007 by mrose (log)

[Lior]

Hi Mark! I will google this boar's bristle brush-sounds strange!!