Texture sheets for chocolates

[Desiderio]

Ok finally I got my testure sheets ( still to hot to order transfer sheets ), I am going to use them for chocolates , and I was wondering a silly question, can i cut the sheets like I would for transfer sheets to fit the chocolate size?And can I reause them?

Thank you much

[Tweety69bird]

Are they the plastic ones? If yes, then for sure you can reuse them over and over, but once you cut them they're cut... so maybe you want to think twice before you do that. You can always just cut (well, melt through) off the portion of chocolate that you don't want with a hot knife so you get the size you want.

[John DePaula]

Yes, Vanessa, you can certainly cut them. I do so to fit my magnetic chocolate molds. And yes, you can reuse them. I just pop them into the dishwasher, after rinsing, with some dish washing liquid (not the abrasive dish detergent stuff).

And finally, no, it's not a silly question!

So what shapes did you buy? Can't wait to see your newest work.

[Desiderio]

Thank you so much for your replays .

I actually bought the design you have on your beautifull pomegranade chocolates ( if I recall correct? ).

I wanted to buy more but it was alreay a large order of molds .I will buy more stuff in november since I am going in Italy and I know I can get most of the molds there that actually I buy here and are imported form Italy ( funny isnt it??!! )

[alanamoana]

John, when you use magnetic molds with texture sheets, do you ever have problems with chocolate leaking or oozing through...making for not so perfect shapes? I've seen your demo (thank you! it was very informative), and your chocolates look perfect, so just wondering if you have any tricks to avoid problems.

Thanks!

alana

Yes, Vanessa, you can certainly cut them.  I do so to fit my magnetic chocolate molds.  And yes, you can reuse them.  I just pop them into the dishwasher, after rinsing, with some dish washing liquid (not the abrasive dish detergent stuff).

And finally, no, it's not a silly question! 

So what shapes did you buy?  Can't wait to see your newest work.

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[mrose]

If you run them through dishwasher be careful & pull them after rinse cycle esp .commerical ones. They do melt & deform. Been there done that.

[Kerry Beal]

John.

Can you link to the demo mentioned above?

Is that how your avatar chocolate is made?

[alanamoana]

here's a link to john's demo on using transfer/texture sheets with magnetic molds.

i'm still trying to figure out if you filled the swirls by hand with colored cocoa butter for the chocolate on your avatar

[sote23]

here's a link to john's demo on using transfer/texture sheets with magnetic molds.

i'm still trying to figure out if you filled the swirls by hand with colored cocoa butter for the chocolate on your avatar 

←

yes, I was wondering the same thing about the colored cocoa butter as well as any leakage issues.

Luis

[John DePaula]

John, when you use magnetic molds with texture sheets, do you ever have problems with chocolate leaking or oozing through...making for not so perfect shapes?  I've seen your demo (thank you! it was very informative), and your chocolates look perfect, so just wondering if you have any tricks to avoid problems.

Thanks!

alana

←

Hi Alana,

There is leakage sometimes but usually, any leakage snaps off cleanly and the chocolates look pretty good. I thought it’d be a big problem with the Arabesque structure sheet, but actually I have more problems with the Braid (tresse) one. As with all molded chocolates, good temper is key.

By the way, as in the demo with transfer sheets I am painting-in the chocolate for structure sheets so I minimize bubbles and get maximim detail from the pattern.

In another thread, folks were talking about having problems with the transfer sheets not transferring. I was getting this problem on and off, too, and finally I decided to warm up my chocolate just a tiny bit more than I would consider “safe” i.e. still in temper - 34°C. Voila! Good solid transfers every time now.

Hope this answers your question. (let me know, if not)

Edited September 14, 2006 by John DePaula (log)

[John DePaula]

John.

Can you link to the demo mentioned above?

Is that how your avatar chocolate is made?

←

Demo: Transfer Sheets on Chocolate Bonbons, Using Magnetic Chocolate Molds

here's a link to john's demo on using transfer/texture sheets with magnetic molds.

i'm still trying to figure out if you filled the swirls by hand with colored cocoa butter for the chocolate on your avatar 

←

Yes, it's horribly time consuming and as you all know, this business is all about volume which is why I can't do this very much anymore.

To answer your question, Yes the red swirls are filled in by hand with a palette knife, then covered with white chocolate. I love the effect but it just takes too much time.

[Desiderio]

Thank you John for the tip on the transfer sheets ,thats going to be a big help when I try again , I got little bit frustrated when I tryed ( home made ones though ).

I can only immagine how time consuming those decorations are , but they lookg just gourgeous ( cant immagine doing it on big scale as you said ,price would have to be way high for chocolates like that ).

[alanamoana]

John, when you use magnetic molds with texture sheets, do you ever have problems with chocolate leaking or oozing through...making for not so perfect shapes?  I've seen your demo (thank you! it was very informative), and your chocolates look perfect, so just wondering if you have any tricks to avoid problems.

Thanks!

alana

←

Hi Alana,

There is leakage sometimes but usually, any leakage snaps off cleanly and the chocolates look pretty good. I thought it’d be a big problem with the Arabesque structure sheet, but actually I have more problems with the Braid (tresse) one. As with all molded chocolates, good temper is key.

By the way, as in the demo with transfer sheets I am painting-in the chocolate for structure sheets so I minimize bubbles and get maximim detail from the pattern.

In another thread, folks were talking about having problems with the transfer sheets not transferring. I was getting this problem on and off, too, and finally I decided to warm up my chocolate just a tiny bit more than I would consider “safe” i.e. still in temper - 34°C. Voila! Good solid transfers every time now.

Hope this answers your question. (let me know, if not)

←

thanks john, perfect answer! i was the one with the issues with the transfer sheets and ultimately, that was my conclusion as well. just work with the chocolate a bit warmer than usual. haven't had any problems since.

i was afraid you'd say that about the arabesques...too much work. i guess i was hoping there was some magical trick that you'd figured out . but you can still use it for special occasions. i'm too impatient to even contemplate doing something like that!

[sote23]

John, when you use magnetic molds with texture sheets, do you ever have problems with chocolate leaking or oozing through...making for not so perfect shapes?  I've seen your demo (thank you! it was very informative), and your chocolates look perfect, so just wondering if you have any tricks to avoid problems.

Thanks!

alana

←

Hi Alana,

There is leakage sometimes but usually, any leakage snaps off cleanly and the chocolates look pretty good. I thought it’d be a big problem with the Arabesque structure sheet, but actually I have more problems with the Braid (tresse) one. As with all molded chocolates, good temper is key.

By the way, as in the demo with transfer sheets I am painting-in the chocolate for structure sheets so I minimize bubbles and get maximim detail from the pattern.

In another thread, folks were talking about having problems with the transfer sheets not transferring. I was getting this problem on and off, too, and finally I decided to warm up my chocolate just a tiny bit more than I would consider “safe” i.e. still in temper - 34°C. Voila! Good solid transfers every time now.

Hope this answers your question. (let me know, if not)

←

thanks john, perfect answer! i was the one with the issues with the transfer sheets and ultimately, that was my conclusion as well. just work with the chocolate a bit warmer than usual. haven't had any problems since.

i was afraid you'd say that about the arabesques...too much work. i guess i was hoping there was some magical trick that you'd figured out . but you can still use it for special occasions. i'm too impatient to even contemplate doing something like that!

←

I agree it looks great.

[pastryani]

Resurrecting this old thread to piggy-back on the OP's question:

 

When you see pics like the one below, which of the two scenarios is most likely:

 

1.  That the texture sheet was cut into squares and placed on top of each dipped chocolate (just like with transfer sheets)?

 

OR

 

2.  The chocolate was dipped and placed onto a full (uncut) texture sheet, and then just turned upside down to show the pretty pattern?

 

If it's the latter, you'd really have to tap the excess chocolate off to prevent a wide foot.

 

Also, do you all typically wash the texture sheet between uses?  I would think that, like polycarbonate molds, they get shinier with use and washing would mean  having to polish after each use.  Thanks!

[keychris]

Option 1, in my opinion

 

I don't wash or polish!

 

 

[pastryani]

Thanks keychris!  I thought #1 made more sense but I havn't seen this being done before so wasn't sure.

[Kerry Beal]

I might wash if I have a whole sheet and it's gotten mucky - certainly don't for those pieces I've cut. Don't polish.

 

I kinda wonder if those might have been option 2 as the bottoms seem to have no lip to see. 

[pastryani]

It sure looks like option 2 because of the perfectly round bottoms, but it could also be a little editing magic.   Who says touch-ups are only for people?! 

[Kerry Beal]

Indeed that might be the case - I certainly use option one when I use them.

[curls]

I go with option 2 -- the full sheet. Don't always do it... but many times when I am hand dipping candied orange peel or ginger, I put the  dipped piece on top of a texture sheet. I have also thought of making pretty chocolate shards for cupcakes or cakes using a texture sheet. I do wash and polish my texture sheets.

Edited January 10, 2016 by curls (log)

[trisme11]

I guess sort of option two but neither.

During my internship we made a lot of chocolate. Chocolates like the ones in the picture go through the machine and get covered with chocolate and then we just placed the textured sheet on top and sometimes softly tap with the wooden end of a brush. Everything is allowed to cool and then the sheets are peeled off.

[keychris]

13 minutes ago, trisme11 said:

I guess sort of option two but neither.

During my internship we made a lot of chocolate. Chocolates like the ones in the picture go through the machine and get covered with chocolate and then we just placed the textured sheet on top and sometimes softly tap with the wooden end of a brush. Everything is allowed to cool and then the sheets are peeled off.

 

This is option 1 that Pastryani has presented, just using an enrobing machine instead of hand dipping

[gfron1]

I want to ask if it could be option #3. I thought I had heard of people using texture sheets with their magnet molds. I've never done it and not sure how you would seal the bottom, but it theoretically would give you perfect tops and bottoms, cuz even with a good enrober I would expect to see some footing or capping from the smoosh of the texture sheet. I suppose a very thinly textured sheet would work on a strong magnet mold, but that deep frilly one above (which I have) I can't image working. Just a thought.

[Kerry Beal]

I'm going to nix option 3 in this case - sides glossy not shiny - and appear rounded rather than straight as a mold would make them.

 

I think someone needs to do an experiment with pictures.