Freezing Gianduja?

[Mette]

I have laid my hands on a 5 kg. slab of gianduja. There's no way I can use this up fast, so I was wondering if anybody had any experience with freezing the stuff to up the shelf life. What are the effects on the texture?

Thanks

[aguynamedrobert]

well how long are you going to leave it around for?....it already has a very high shelf life...the thing with freezing it or with any other chocolate product is that moisture can get to it and if that happens it can ruin it. I would suggest just keeping it in an air conditioned room. It will last a long time in a normal household environment. (chocolate will last years at a normal environment and I think Gianduja is right along the same lines...but I will check with some associates of mine and get a for sure answer for you)

-Robert

www.chocolateguild.com

do you live in Denmark? I saw copenhagen and I have some friends that live in that area. just wondering....

[John DePaula]

I have laid my hands on a 5 kg. slab of gianduja. There's no way I can use this up fast, so I was wondering if anybody had any experience with freezing the stuff to up the shelf life. What are the effects on the texture?

Thanks

←

I haven't frozen gianduja before, but it does have a long shelf-life - about a year if stored in a cool dry place.

I'm not recommending that you freeze it but if you do, wrap it very very well in film (plastic wrap). You don't want it to absorb any moisture or odor. When you want to use it, move it first to the refrigerator for 24 hours, then at room temp for an hour before removing the wrappings to avoid condensation.

The best would probably be sealed in a vacuum seal plastic pouch.

Hope this helps, Mette.

[aguynamedrobert]

Good advice from John...he gave you a good procedure. Not many people work with Gianduja very often so sometimes we forget how to work with it(as I was a little confused)....yes Gianduja has just about the same shelf life as chocolate. 18 months is what I often see but it can go far past as well if stored properly.

-Robert

www.chocolateguild.com

[choux]

I usually split it into 'bricks' along the lines on top and then double-wrap it in plastic wrap and then store at room temperature. I find gianduja really picks up odours and can taste stale pretty fast. But it does last a long time, I've had some wrapped for well over a year and it is fine.

[Jeffrey B]

As others have said, gianduja freezes quite well if you can eliminate moisture. I just had some that had been vacuum sealed & frozen for the last 19 months; it still tasted fine.

[alanamoana]

my only concern with gianduja is the nut content as the nuts/nut oil will go rancid before the chocolate content goes bad. if you store at room temp, make sure it is a very cool room temp. i also have a slab, but it hasn't been opened yet, so i hope it'll keep for a bit. thank goodness it is cooling down here in cali.

[scott123]

Cocoa butter absorbs odors like there's no tomorrow. Freezer odors are capital N Nasty! Melt some ice and drink it if you don't believe me.

When I buy Gianduja from Whole Foods (and white chocolate) I have to scrape off the outer 1/8" because it has absorbed the smell of the store (through multiple layers of plastic).

No matter how you store it, wrap it like crazy.

Edited November 3, 2006 by scott123 (log)

[oli]

Cocoa butter absorbs odors like there's no tomorrow. Freezer odors are capital N Nasty!  Melt some ice and drink it if you don't believe me.

When I buy Gianduja from Whole Foods (and white chocolate) I have to scrape off the outer 1/8" because it has absorbed the smell of the store (through multiple layers of plastic).

No matter how you store it, wrap it like crazy.

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Did you find you got a good price buying it from Whole Foods?

[scott123]

Cocoa butter absorbs odors like there's no tomorrow. Freezer odors are capital N Nasty!  Melt some ice and drink it if you don't believe me.

When I buy Gianduja from Whole Foods (and white chocolate) I have to scrape off the outer 1/8" because it has absorbed the smell of the store (through multiple layers of plastic).

No matter how you store it, wrap it like crazy.

←

Did you find you got a good price buying it from Whole Foods?

←

Compared to other retail sources, it's the best price on Callebaut I've found. From a wholesale perspective, though, it's quite a bit more expensive.

[Mette]

Thanks a lot for the advice. I guess I'll just have to open it, cut it into manageable bits and wrap them carefully. The cellar, where I store my choc-stuff is app. 16 c. so I'll probably be all right.

And it is better to get on with using the stuff and possibly having to chuck some of it than not to use it at all for fear of it going off