Adventures in Starting a Chocolate Business

[Lior]

Prairiegirl!! What lovely news!! It must be such a yay feeling!! I believe a lot of us underestimate ourselves- self confidence or something?? Anyway it sounds really good and I wish you much success and pleasure. Enjoy it!

[Kerry Beal]

Hey guys, check this out - our own Lior has a new and extremely professional looking website.

Guess that's the next adventure in starting a chocolate business for some eG chocolatiers!

[mrose]

I recently moved to Rhode Island. I probably will be working for a small chocolate store who wants to bring truffle production in house for the hand made look. I now scoop, roll, lightly coat by hand rolling then hand dip. I have been thinking on ways to increase productivity, I now will have an enrobing machine. I was thinking of using Tomric rubber mats making lots of small discs. Then sticking ganache balls on them & running them through the enrobing machine. Has anyone tried this type of process? or have any other good insights?

[emmalish]

Alright, Lior! You have a great selection of flavours there. I especially love the look of the double heart with the milk & dark chocolate detailing (bittersweet mark).

[carol lang]

Hey guys, check this out - our own Lior has a new and extremely professional looking website.

Guess that's the next adventure in starting a chocolate business for some eG chocolatiers!

←

Lior,

Your website is very beautiful. The work and the detail that you put in to it is evident.

The chocolates look perfect.

I have been reading about your preparation and learning both here and on ecole chocolat.

You are incredible and a role model for me.

Carol

[CaliPoutine]

Hey guys, check this out - our own Lior has a new and extremely professional looking website.

Guess that's the next adventure in starting a chocolate business for some eG chocolatiers!

←

She named a bar after you. How cool is that?

[Kerry Beal]

I recently moved to Rhode Island. I probably will be working for a small chocolate store who wants to bring truffle production in house for the hand made look. I now scoop, roll, lightly coat by hand rolling then hand dip. I have been thinking on ways to increase productivity, I now will have an enrobing machine. I was thinking of using Tomric rubber mats making lots of small discs. Then sticking ganache balls on them & running them through the enrobing machine. Has anyone tried this type of process? or have any other good insights?

←

One of the problems with running truffles though an enrober is the tendency for them to stop at the little bar that sweeps the excess chocolate off the bottom and start to roll. Then the next bunch runs into the first bunch...

One option is to prebottom them by dipping each in chocolate. I suspect your little discs might work the same way. I don't know what brand of enrober you are using, but I notice that the Selmi has a truffle grill attachment, which avoids that problem.

Speaking of enrobers I notice there is a 10 inch Hillard enrober available on e-bay right now.

[Shelby]

Lior!! I love your site!

[mrose]

I recently moved to Rhode Island. I probably will be working for a small chocolate store who wants to bring truffle production in house for the hand made look. I now scoop, roll, lightly coat by hand rolling then hand dip. I have been thinking on ways to increase productivity, I now will have an enrobing machine. I was thinking of using Tomric rubber mats making lots of small discs. Then sticking ganache balls on them & running them through the enrobing machine. Has anyone tried this type of process? or have any other good insights?

←

One of the problems with running truffles though an enrober is the tendency for them to stop at the little bar that sweeps the excess chocolate off the bottom and start to roll. Then the next bunch runs into the first bunch...

One option is to prebottom them by dipping each in chocolate. I suspect your little discs might work the same way. I don't know what brand of enrober you are using, but I notice that the Selmi has a truffle grill attachment, which avoids that problem.

Speaking of enrobers I notice there is a 10 inch Hillard enrober available on e-bay right now.

←

The enrober is an older Hillard.

[Lior]

Thank you so very much! I am still fixing it up, sorryfor any mistakes... Anyone is welcome to play editor...

[Lior]

mrose also has a bonbon...

btw, all blue words are links...

Edited August 21, 2008 by Lior (log)

[carol lang]

Lior,

I love the teddy bear in your childrens section.

Is it a solid piece or a bonbon?

Where did you get the mold?

Thanks,

Carol

[Lior]

Hi. Yes it is solid- all those kiddies ones are solid. I often decorate him with buttons with the tip of a paint brush dipped in a different chocolate color and I put a drop in each ear- it adds a lot! Well Ilovekids so I have fun with this!- I'll see if I have a photo. I got all these kiddie ones from ipfco in India, and they were kind enough to allow me to use some of their pictures. I don't know about where you are, but here it is more expensive than ordering from India and paying shipping. They also did my logo mold for me- oh and the kiddie molds are pvc and so is my logo. www.ipfco.com. Arun is the guy you need-he is great.

Edited August 21, 2008 by Lior (log)

[carol lang]

Thank you so much for sharing, Lior, they really have some great stuff.

Carol

[Spring]

Hi Lior

Your website is lovely, really professional. I noticed one tiny mistake in the truffle recipe 4 lines from the bottom where you wrote 'roast' insteat of 'toast'. Hope this isnt a petty correction

[Lior]

Thank you!!!! I will correct it! Also thanks for the airplane mold links!

[Lior]

Corrected!!

[Spring]

Thank you!!!! I will correct it!  Also thanks for the airplane mold links!

←

Youre most welcome

[Darienne]

New eG member here.

I have just finished reading the 9 pages of this thread and am exhausted just reading it. What energy!! I really do admire those of you with the courage to start out in this business. If I were 30 years younger....????

One thing apparent is that American laws on setting up a food business seem much more stringent that Ontario laws for sure. Our public health inspectors ask for far less than yours do. I think. I could be wrong.

The eG forums are amazing! I had never heard the term 'keystone' before...thanks for the meaning...and have still to find out what the BNI is and also what are 'ballotins' and 'Cambro' pans. Don't be concerned...I'll look them up.

Good to know that caramels, praline pretzels and marshmallows are less heat sensitive...My son lives in Nova Scotia and I live in Ontario and I want to be able to mail him some chocolate confections in the winter.

And what about those bacon marshmallows that Kerry suggested????

[CanadianBakin']

One thing apparent is that American laws on setting up a food business seem much more stringent that Ontario laws for sure.  Our public health inspectors ask for far less than yours do.  I think.  I could be wrong.

←

Welcome Darienne! Just wanted to let you know that here in BC the laws are pretty strict so it sounds like it's a province by province and state by state situation.

[Darienne]

←

[Kerry Beal]

Another fabulous website here from our own schneich. I love the view through the store window on page 29.

[pastrymama]

What a wonderful website. All the pastries are soooooo beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

[Kerry Beal]

You have got to check out this website. It's our own Sote23.

I've been going back over the old P&B threads for lack of new posts on eG lately and came across one from not that long ago where Luis asked "do I really need to temper chocolate?" He's obviously taken all the advice to heart and learned a ton - and just look at this gorgeous website.

So Luis - how do you make the pattern on the top of the chocolate you show in your wedding page?

[emmalish]

Wow, those are all so gorgeous! I'm interested to hear how that pattern was made too. If I had to guess, I'd think it was airbrushed on with a stencil after the chocolate had set. How about the Pineapple? Is that a transfer sheet or did you just drizzle a chocolate pattern on them?

(...I'm still looking through the site)