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Post by flori1234 on Jan 21, 2019 18:20:56 GMT -5
Hi!
I just got the premier chocolate refiner 1.5l and looking forward to use it!
1. I have seen scenarios where there is a hot air gun in use during the chocolate making process. Is it essential or what is the worst (realistic) outcome if I don't? just trying to keep it simple at the start and not buying too many "things", but also don't want to do something wrong!
2. Premiers videos suggest a separate oil & sugar run for 1 hour each. I feel that I have been reading about people using a sugar-oil mix. So is it advisable to just put them both in slowly at the same time?
3. For the ones out there that use the 1.5 liter refiner too, and have already hands-on experience, what is the minimum possible batch size that would not harm the machine? I want to keep the test-batches as small as possible.
looking forward to hopefully also share my experience with the premier here soon! thanks! Flo
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gap
Apprentice
Posts: 390
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Post by gap on Jan 22, 2019 3:28:34 GMT -5
Hi Flo
1. A hairdryer can do the same thing. The idea is to heat the stone base and wheels to help the nibs release the fat quicker. 2. I run with oil for 10 seconds and then add the sugar 3. I have done a batch as small as 800g. You might be able to do smaller, but that's the smallest I've done. I tend to do 1-2kg batches though.
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Post by snowghost on Jan 22, 2019 4:11:58 GMT -5
1. The heating is just to warm the stones before grinding. You can put it in a slightly warm oven (not above 60c) for about 30 minutes 2. the initial oil-sugar mix for an hour is a clean process, to clean the machine ready for food use, after it was built. 3. no idea, but be aware that there is a fair bit lost from inability to scrape the chocolate out completely. The smaller the amount of beans, the larger the 'lost' chocolate is, as a percentage.
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Post by flori1234 on Jan 22, 2019 9:59:23 GMT -5
Thank you both for the helpful answers! snowghost when you say put in the oven, you mean the metal vessel with stone base and the stones (including plastic scrapers)?
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Post by Chip on Jan 22, 2019 11:47:59 GMT -5
My hot air gun setup is to warm the stones but also to keep the mixture at a preset temperature I have chosen. I mostly choose 105.7F to keep my melange grinding at. The setup works well, and after you crank down the stones the temp is usually in the 108 109 range so the heat guns don't fire.
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Post by snowghost on Jan 23, 2019 3:14:03 GMT -5
Thank you both for the helpful answers! snowghost when you say put in the oven, you mean the metal vessel with stone base and the stones (including plastic scrapers)? Yes, the whole lot.
In other words, heat at the start of the refining process is important. Some good, more, not so good. So don't go all gung ho and get it to boiling.
After an hour or so it generates enough heat on it's own that you'll see about 50c anyway, in the refiner.
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Post by flori1234 on Feb 7, 2019 15:27:44 GMT -5
snowghost, great idea to use a reptile heater lamp!
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