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Post by adriana on Jun 7, 2016 20:29:22 GMT -5
Hello folks, I'm a new at making Chocolate and would really appreciate some advices, for instance, i'm currently making a batch with the following proportions: 26% Cocoa nibs 185g 10% cocoa butter 70g 42% suggar 296g 21% Powdred milk 148g The chocolate is running for about 20 hours in the Premier Chocolate Refiner but It is still thick, it is sticking to the side of the stone rollers as shown in the photo: link imgur.com/34eM8x3The chocolate temperature is around 56°C/ 133F. I've already made another batch with 15% cocoa butter but I didn't like the taste at all. It was a strong bitter taste, so thats why I prefer not to add more cocoa butter on it. Am I doing something wrong? What is the minimum cocoa butter in the recipe to keep it running ? Thank you very much!! Adriana
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Post by Thomas on Jun 7, 2016 22:26:11 GMT -5
Hi Adriana,
Based on my calculations (with some assumptions like 50% fat in the nibs and 29% fat in the milk), your fat content is about 29% which is a little low. This is most likely your problem. I would try a formula with at least 35% fat. Also, I prefer to make a little larger batch for the Premier. Too small and there is just not enough volume to refine and mix as well. My small batches are 1200g to 1500g. Your batch was 699g.
Regards,
Thomas
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Post by adriana on Jun 8, 2016 11:52:01 GMT -5
Hello Thomas, Thank you very much for the response. I will try adding more butter and see the difference, but I suspect there is another problem is in the nibs itself, because even with low butter, there is this strange taste I told you about. The nibs used are AMMA's: the best one available in Brazil. I'm wondering if I had to roast the nibs before grinding it or if the nibs are the problem. I thought all the nibs are pre-roasted but I may be mistaken in this. Do I need to refine it for a longer time (currently doing it for 24h), or should I try changing the nibs again? Not to mention I will add more fat in a bigger batch as you said. Kind Regards, Adriana Labarrere
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Post by Thomas on Jun 8, 2016 23:48:05 GMT -5
I don't have any experience with the AMMA nibs. I make chocolate from beans that I roast myself. All my batches start off with grinding just the nibs and they begin to liquefy after 15 mins or so. They never look like the photos you show.
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alki
Neophyte
Posts: 2
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Post by alki on Sept 23, 2016 21:47:05 GMT -5
That's exactly my problem: I roast my beans, and would like to make my chocolate only from those beans, I mean without adding cocoa butter. I have the same problem as in the picture above: the chocolate is not very fluid, even after 10 hours. I suspect there is not enough fat. What can I add to increase the fat content without adding cocoa butter? I forgot to mention: I fermented my beans, not as perfect fermentation as I didn't have enough beans. And I live in a tropical climate, so the humidity probably doesn't help.
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Post by Brad on Sept 24, 2016 19:42:02 GMT -5
There's one thing you folks are overlooking in your fat calculation vs. fluidity issue, and that's the TYPE of fat that causes chocolate to be fluid. Powdered, milk fat is a solid fat, and never contributes to the fluidity of chocolate. If you use anhydrous milk fat (ghee/clarified butter) it does. If you are calculating the fat in your powdered milk into your overall percentage, that's not going to work, and you will experience exactly what your are now - very thick chocolate.
Increase your cocoa butter content and decrease your milk fat (or add clarified butter and low fat milk powder), and you will have a much more fluid chocolate.
Cheer Brad
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jano
Neophyte
Posts: 34
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Post by jano on Sept 24, 2016 20:15:34 GMT -5
Chocolate made with ghee, oh man I want to try it, that's gonna be weird. The main site's dude just did a recent post on this "too thick" situation, maybe it'll be helpful for you, Alki. chocolatealchemy.com/2016/09/01/ask-the-alchemist-174/If you are in very humid env, maybe doing a short "bake" at 130-150F for a while would be helpful to reduce initial moisture.
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alki
Neophyte
Posts: 2
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Post by alki on Sept 24, 2016 21:03:38 GMT -5
Interesting jano, I will follow these suggestions for my next batch.
About adding glee: does it change the "shelf life", I mean will I be able to keep it at room temperature? Although we are not good at keeping chocolate for a long time: my small batches "disappear" in less than a week.
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