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Post by chocobloc on May 31, 2018 7:06:29 GMT -5
This is the 2nd batch of dark chocolate I've made that has ended up sugar blown (I think!). Thought at first it was fat bloom from poor tempering, however surface of chocolate had lots of dots as well as whitish smears. 2nd batch has been conched but yet to be tempered and overnight has grown dark dots and white chalkiness on surface. I was so careful not to let any water get anywhere near my chocolate. Is it possible that the warm summer weather has caused humidity in the room and caused sugar crystals to form? Also is the chocolate able to be saved if I scrape off the surface and then temper it? There's 2kg worth of chocolate, and it's the second time this has happened. Any ideas or experience? Thank you!
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Post by Chip on May 31, 2018 7:31:46 GMT -5
Chocbloc, do you mean the sugar is forming these imperfections while still being conched? Or have you let it solidify and then these appear?
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Post by Ben on May 31, 2018 7:56:28 GMT -5
To add to Chip's questions, can you post some pictures of what you're seeing?
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Post by chocobloc on May 31, 2018 11:52:00 GMT -5
Hi Ben & Chip. I've added a photo above to the first post. I poured it out having been conched and left it overnight. It looked perfect pouring out of the stone grinder I use to conch. Just came down this morning to this sight! Wondering if this can happen just due to humidity in the room. Seems to me (very much a beginner) that it's sugar forming on the surface. Like I said I haven't tempered it yet. Do you think it can be saved? What do you reckon it is? I was very careful to avoid any water getting in. Any guidance will be very gratefully received!
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Post by Chip on May 31, 2018 12:27:34 GMT -5
Hi Ben & Chip. I've added a photo above to the first post. I poured it out having been conched and left it overnight. It looked perfect pouring out of the stone grinder I use to conch. Just came down this morning to this sight! Wondering if this can happen just due to humidity in the room. Seems to me (very much a beginner) that it's sugar forming on the surface. Like I said I haven't tempered it yet. Do you think it can be saved? What do you reckon it is? I was very careful to avoid any water getting in. Any guidance will be very gratefully received! To me, and remember I've not been at it all that long, it looks like a normal batch that has not been tempered. If you following the tempering techniques that Ben, Brad and John suggest (bowl tempering) and instructions can be found on this site, then you should get a good batch of chocolate if you do it correctly. I don't think anyone can expect to take a batch of chocolate straight from melange to bowl, let it sit, and have it look good. To me it looks kinda' normal for untempered chocolate that needs to be tempered.
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Post by Ben on May 31, 2018 12:31:40 GMT -5
Yep, Chip is exactly right. This is just a little fat bloom on some untempered chocolate. Melt, temper, and mold it and it should be fine.
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Post by chocobloc on May 31, 2018 14:27:45 GMT -5
Brilliant! I got worried because my batch before this was ruined by either fat bloom or sugar bloom...eating it anyway! Bit chalky. Tried retempering twice but same result. Will read guidance on this site and see if I can improve my technique! Thank you for the reassurance.
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Post by chocobloc on May 31, 2018 14:39:53 GMT -5
Sorry! Just tried searching for guide to tempering, but can't find. Could you let me know where to find it? Thanks!
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Post by Chip on May 31, 2018 19:18:46 GMT -5
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Post by Thomas on May 31, 2018 19:28:24 GMT -5
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Post by chocobloc on Jun 1, 2018 2:11:42 GMT -5
Thanks so much for the help. I've been following one guide to bean-to-bar chocolate, but will cast net wider and check out all this new info to try and learn more about avoiding pit falls!
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Post by Ben on Jun 1, 2018 7:08:29 GMT -5
Just to be clear, fat bloom doesn't ruin a batch of chocolate. You can just melt and temper it and it will be fine. This can be done over and over with no ill effects.
Sugar bloom is a different issue, but it's far, far more rare (and not what is shown in the photo). I've only ever gotten sugar bloom when I've had actual condensation form on a bar. It doesn't happen due to the chocolate being untempered, etc.
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