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Agave
Apr 28, 2011 5:59:06 GMT -5
Post by feedme on Apr 28, 2011 5:59:06 GMT -5
Is anyone here using agave instead of sugar?
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nat
Neophyte
Posts: 19
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Agave
Apr 28, 2011 23:49:24 GMT -5
Post by nat on Apr 28, 2011 23:49:24 GMT -5
Hi RQute, There are many posts here and on the "other" chocolate forum site about using Agave to sweeten chocolate. Bottom line- you need to have a dry form of agave, which is sold, but is mostly made of the indigestible sugar inulin rather than the fructose found in the syrup. As this inulin is indigestible by humans, but the gut bacteria love it, it can lead to gas problems. This is the same inulin found in jerusalem artichockes or sunchokes and a few other plants like yacon. May be worth experimenting with though, let us know what you find! -Nat ____________________ Nat Bletter, PhD Chocolate R&D Madre Chocolate madrechocolate.com
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Agave
Feb 26, 2016 5:47:11 GMT -5
Post by rosentrevithick on Feb 26, 2016 5:47:11 GMT -5
I successfully make chocolate with agave syrup. It's very tasty but I prefer honey.
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Agave
Feb 26, 2016 20:34:55 GMT -5
Post by Thomas on Feb 26, 2016 20:34:55 GMT -5
I successfully make chocolate with agave syrup. It's very tasty but I prefer honey. Do you mean you make truffles and other candies with agave syrup and chocolate? I just wanted to understand what you mean by chocolate. People on this site do both. That is, make chocolate from the cacao beans or make truffles and pralines with chocolate. Regards, Thomas
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Agave
Feb 27, 2016 5:56:39 GMT -5
Post by rosentrevithick on Feb 27, 2016 5:56:39 GMT -5
I mean real chocolate. However, I suspect that my method of making homemade chocolate is very different from many on here. I see mention of expensive machinery. I make mine on the stove and use a granite slab to make sure that the ingredients combine properly.
How do you make yours?
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Agave
Feb 27, 2016 11:04:14 GMT -5
Post by Thomas on Feb 27, 2016 11:04:14 GMT -5
I also make chocolate at home as a hobby. Here's how I do it:
- Roast the beans in a convection oven - Crack the beans with a crankandstein (http://www.crankandstein.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6) - Winnow with a homemade device (http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedcleaner.html) - Mix the nibs, sugar, etc. in the Premier Wonder Grinder 1.5L (http://indichocolate.com/collections/chocolate-making-machines) - Temper in a single stainless steel bowl. Place over pot of boiling water to heat and in a sink of cold water to cool. And stir, stir, stir, stir. - I put the tempered chocolate in a Mol 'dart Melter to maintain the temperature while I put the chocolate into molds. (http://www.moldart.be/en/shop/chocolate-machinery/dry-heat-chocolate-melter-6-kg/) - I only mold when the ambient temperature is cool enough as I let the molds set on my kitchen counter with a fan on them.
I think most of the people on this site use a very similar method as listed above. If your mixing on a granite stone (i.e. metate), that would be more labor intensive and would limit the amount that one can produce. How much do you make at one time? I've never made it this way.
Regards,
Thomas
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Agave
Feb 28, 2016 5:52:55 GMT -5
Post by rosentrevithick on Feb 28, 2016 5:52:55 GMT -5
Stop! Stop this at once! My bank balance cannot take the excitement! ;-)
I only make about 200g at a time. It's really just something I do from time to time as a present for others or to satisfy a craving for very intense flavours. I cannot be trusted to have more than that in the house!
I didn't know you could temper using a bowl of cold water. Very interesting.
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Agave
Feb 28, 2016 5:55:11 GMT -5
Post by rosentrevithick on Feb 28, 2016 5:55:11 GMT -5
I suspect that this forum is for people with a different focus to mine, but I'm going to stick around (if that's okay) because it's all very interesting.
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Agave
Feb 28, 2016 10:21:32 GMT -5
Post by Thomas on Feb 28, 2016 10:21:32 GMT -5
You should definitely stick around. It's all about making chocolate. Also, you may like www.thechocolatelife.com. The focus on that site is more general but you may find it interesting as well. - Thomas
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Agave
Feb 29, 2016 5:12:15 GMT -5
Post by rosentrevithick on Feb 29, 2016 5:12:15 GMT -5
Thank you very much. I shall keep on eye on what's going on here.
Just about to check out the link.
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Agave
Sept 9, 2016 14:35:37 GMT -5
Post by melisandegosselin on Sept 9, 2016 14:35:37 GMT -5
You can even try Stevia, though most of the people have issue with the after taste but when added in proper concentration give amazing results
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