Premade Pate a Glacer

[Patrick S]

I see that Assouline and Ting has some premade Valrhona pate a glacer (chocolate coating), which I've never seen before. Can anyone who uses this product, or another type of premade chocolate pate a glacer, tell me about this stuff, for instance how it tastes compared to a ganache, and how firm it is at room temperature (i.e. is it too firm to use as a glaze over mousse or eclairs)? Thanks in advance!

[alanamoana]

i haven't used a pre-made pate a glacer before

but

it seems that the ingredients in pate a glacer are so simple and it is so easy to put together that i wouldn't bother paying for the pre-made version...unless you calculate the food cost and it comes out cheaper...the pre-made probably has higher amounts of invert sugar, stabilizers and preservatives...only a guess

and

patrick, your glazes always look so beautiful it seems silly to try to purchase perfection when you've already achieved it!

p.s. i know you've stated it in the chocolate desserts by ph thread, but which recipe for glaze to you use most successfully?

[Patrick S]

patrick, your glazes always look so beautiful it seems silly to try to purchase perfection when you've already achieved it! 

p.s. i know you've stated it in the chocolate desserts by ph thread, but which recipe for glaze to you use most successfully?

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Well, thanks! The attraction is just convenience, really. I like the idea of a tub-o-glaze that is glossy, stores well and just needs to be heated. . .

I haven't used a great many glazes, but I can tell you that I really like the Herme glaze -- though it take a little time to make and on one occasion cracked on refrigeration. I tried Sherry Yard's glaze recently (not on the Halsey tart, incidentally) and didn't like it near as much -- too viscous and not shiny enough.

[alanamoana]

my most recent boss had a glaze recipe that would disgust you with how much gelatin it contained...like 100 sheets per batch (restaurant sized...)...but it really was rubbery. it looked pretty cool though as we used "black" cocoa powder and the glaze was almost perfectly black and shiny. but to be honest, i wouldn't use it at home.

i asked about the herme recipe because over the years i've used many recipes and they all claim to stay shiny and beautiful after freezing, refrigerating, defrosting, etc. and most of them fail at one point or another. i've come to realize that you have to have different recipes for different applications, especially if flavor comes into play.

i would think with the pre-made glaze, it will probably not have a very distinct flavor (as it probably doesn't use a ton of real chocolate) which makes it good for many applications.

hmmmm, tub-o-glaze

[chiantiglace]

Patrick, as the chefs here tell me, pate a glacer is a fine product for very large end use. Its mostly used in applications like glazes, ice creams, and bases (ie. for large amounts of spong cakes or sheet cake desserts, its good to have a bottom layer of pate a glacer for easy seperation and removal of slices.

There are many uses for pate a glacer for cheaper notes (faster) in the kitchen. But if you are doing a nice piece, or chocolates, and need tempered chocolate, use tempered chocolate and dont replace it with pate a glacer.

[SweetSide]

I see that Assouline and Ting has some premade Valrhona pate a glacer (chocolate coating), which I've never seen before. Can anyone who uses this product, or another type of premade chocolate pate a glacer, tell me about this stuff, for instance how it tastes compared to a ganache, and how firm it is at room temperature (i.e. is it too firm to use as a glaze over mousse or eclairs)? Thanks in advance!

←

Patrick, what I know to be Pate a Glacer is "dipping chocolate" or "coating chocolate", not a glaze in itself. It's hard like chocolate. You would use it -- and we used it in school -- for decorations and trims and the like when we didn't want to temper chocolate or the chocolate would be in conditions that were warmer.

Think chocolate with the cocoa butter substituted by tropical oils that are solid at room temperature.

Use like chocolate, only doesn't have the same mouthfeel and creaminess of chocolate.

Edited April 28, 2006 by SweetSide (log)

[alanamoana]

"soft" coating

I think SweetSide is correct, but I also think it is a generic term as the product linked to above shows. It is more like a glaze but called "soft" pate a glacer. I think the french also call a glaze "glacage" (with the funny cedilla).

In the US we more commonly use the term "coating compound" for a chocolate-like product which contains the vegetable oils SweetSide mentioned eliminating the need to temper as for real chocolate (couverture).

[SweetSide]

"soft" coating

I think SweetSide is correct, but I also think it is a generic term as the product linked to above shows.  It is more like a glaze but called "soft" pate a glacer.  I think the french also call a glaze "glacage" (with the funny cedilla).

In the US we more commonly use the term "coating compound" for a chocolate-like product which contains the vegetable oils SweetSide mentioned eliminating the need to temper as for real chocolate (couverture).

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Yes, I've used these soft ones in school also. These we did use for making glazes for cakes. Forgot about that. Sometimes school is a blur -- you do everything only once or twice and move on....

[dejaq]

Hello Patrick,

Pate a' glace' is a unique creature that "emulates" chocolate but requires no tempering the only draback it does not set up as hard typically. It is available cheaply and in my opinion wouldn't warrant attepting to find the higher melting point fats, cocoa blend, finer sucrose that would make up the composition, it is simply too economical. According to Patrick Musel and speaking for my self also DGF makes the finest Pate a' glace around anywhere, the sheen is lusterous and it is stable, Cacao barry is now packing in those plastic tubs verses those horrific cans they used to use for EVER! In France as we all know beneath the oven is typically a "holding Box" that would keep it fluidic 24/7. i hope this helps

Cheers,

Michael

[Patrick S]

Michael, Anthony, Cheryl, alanamoana -- you all have been very helpful. Thank you so much!