Need some advice... « Result #4 on Dec 21, 2009, 9:14pm »
Hi there!
I'm doing research on starting up a candy store. I'm working on recipes right now and looking around for a good tempering machine. My plans are to open a store in my hometown within a year or so. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice they'd like to send along? Anything - from popular candies to good equipment to good places to get info.
Re: New chocolate delicatessen « Result #5 on Dec 21, 2009, 3:00pm »
I have to second that! I've had little to contribute to the forum-- I'm mostly here learning and catching up with the rest of you. I would love the opportunity to try what some of the more experienced folks on this forum are creating. If only Brad would ship to Minneapolis...
Re: New chocolate delicatessen « Result #7 on Dec 21, 2009, 2:33am »
Robert;
It must be a one shot spam, because anyone who's tasted it knows MY chocolate is the best in the world, and she's not one of my customers!
BAAAA HA HA HA HA!!!!
(all joking aside, I visited the website and all this company is, is a reseller of products made from various chocolate companies around the world. Whoop de doooo...)
Re: Chocolate Alchemy Formulator « Result #8 on Dec 20, 2009, 7:28pm »
Hey John, Just a quick note to let you know that I finally downloaded your formulator and used it yesterday for a 2 kg batch of Tabasco beans I had. It was very helpful, nicely done and for the most part, easy to follow.
In this example I used % proportions of cacao butter, nibs, sugar etc that I knew I already liked just entered the actual nib quantity and tweaked it until I got the percentages I wanted:)
Re: New chocolate delicatessen « Result #9 on Dec 20, 2009, 7:17pm »
Hi, You may not realize it but you posted to a group of people who actually make chocolate.... "bean to bar"....... Amatures like myself, but also professionals and even those involved in cultivation and harvesting of cacao.
To say that you have a "selection of the best chocolates around the world" is a pretty bold statement.
(Edited to remove my comment about spam. No cause to get my knickers in a knot ya know....) peace, robert
Re: Do I have to use Cocoa butter? « Result #10 on Dec 20, 2009, 11:37am »
I make my own cocoa butter from cocoa liquor with a press I had made in a local workshop here in Costa Rica. Cocoa butter can easily be bought in Costa Rica e.g. from Costa Rican Cocoa Products in Curridabat, but it is VERY expensive compared to all the other ingredients (about $20/kg). If you want to make milk chocolate you need to add cocoa butter or some other vegetable fats, but I don't know where they can be obtained. Possibly the flavour would not be so good anyway. Homemade cocoa butter is delicious and has the additional advantage of the additional production of cocoa powder which is really excellent in cakes, brownies, icecream etc etc.