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Post by Randy on Aug 29, 2017 11:48:34 GMT -5
Yes, I agree John needs to write a book at some point.
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Post by Randy on Aug 28, 2017 11:23:21 GMT -5
I am starting a small artisanal chocolate business out of my home to start; going the cottage industry route to start. I would like to know what books you might recommend, technical, non-technical, related to chocolate making bean to bar and business related. Any other advice you might have for me is also certainly appreciated?
FYI, I've also have appointments set this week to meet with our local SBDC (Small Business Development Center) and Chamber of Commerce, to help with be business end of things. Thanks in advance, Randy
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Post by Randy on Aug 26, 2017 9:33:31 GMT -5
My main reason is I plan on making a dairy free milk chocolate using dried coconut milk or a milk made from potatoes; can't use soy because many people, including my girl friend, have soy allergies. John Nanci has advised me that it is almost impossible to properly temper such a chocolate except for the seeding with silk method. Also, tempering seems to give some the most grief in the chocolate making process and seeding is an almost fail proof way of tempering.
John also describes a way of using silk to make silk, which is just like tempering chocolate using silk, except you use more of it. This shortens the silk making process down to about the same account of time it takes to temper chocolate, which might be the way to go for many; buying your initial seeding silk from John in the winter months when he offers it!
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Post by Randy on Aug 26, 2017 8:46:18 GMT -5
Yes, I have seen those pictures. Thanks So much for the advice. I'll start low and go from there!
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Post by Randy on Aug 25, 2017 18:29:20 GMT -5
I have a question about making your own Cocoa Butter Silk or Seed. I hope this is the best place to ask this question, I'm assuming that this thread is under the "Small Scale Chocolate Business" thread or category. If one of the moderators feels it would be better posted elsewhere, by all means post it there.
I tried to do a search for the info and didn't find what I was looking for. I watched John's (The Alchemist) videos, one on making Silk using the Sansaire Sous Vide, and the other Cocoa Butter Seed Tempering. In the first one the instructions state to set the Sansaire to between 92.4°F or 92.6°F, he sets it at 92.4; and in the other video John mentions to put the Cocoa Butter in an incubator at 93°F for 24 hrs. My question is just how precise and stable does this temperature need to be? I don't have any experience yet on making Cocoa Butter Silk or Seed.
I have a Forsous Sous Vide immersion cooker much like the Sansaire, but the specs on it are a little different. With the Sansaire it appears from the video that you can set it in increments of 0.2°F, i.e. 92.4, 92.6°F and so on. Sansaire's Specs indicate that it has a temperature stability of +/- 0.1°F degree at 140°F. My Forsous's specs state that it has a Temperature Stability: °C ±1% and can be set in increments of 0.5°C, i.e. 33.5, 34.0, 34.5°C, and in increments of 0.9°F on the Fahrenheit scale, i.e. 92.3, 93.2, 94.1°F. It appears to maintain a very stable temperature as indicated on it's display in increments of 0.1°F, holding rock solid at 92.3°F, once it was stabilized.
I would like to be able to use my Forsous Sous Vide immersion cooker if it can hold the Cocoa Butter at an accurate and stable enough temperature. I would certainly appreciate any advice from anyone who has experience making Cocoa Butter Silk. Otherwise, once I get my initial order of ingredients from John I'll set it at 93.2°F and give it a go!
Thanks in advance for any advice you have to offer.
Randy
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Post by Randy on Aug 25, 2017 18:08:33 GMT -5
Hey Bill, I'm new to this as well, but it sounds like you need to temper the chocolate after taking it out of the melanger so it will set up with the right crystalline structure and stay hard at room temps!
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Post by Randy on Aug 25, 2017 17:13:17 GMT -5
I have a question about making your own Cocoa Butter Silk or Seed. I hope this is the best place to ask this question, I'm assuming that this thread is under the "Small Scale Chocolate Business" thread or category. If one of the moderators feels it would be better posted elsewhere, by all means post it there.
I tried to do a search for the info and didn't find what I was looking for. I watched John's (The Alchemist) videos, one on making Silk using the Sansaire Sous Vide, and the other Cocoa Butter Seed Tempering. In the first one the instructions state to set the Sansaire to between 92.4oF or 92.6oF, he sets it at 92.4; and in the other video John mentions to put the Cocoa Butter in an incubator at 93oF for 24 hrs. My question is just how precise and stable does this temperature need to be? I don't have any experience yet on making Cocoa Butter Silk or Seed.
I have a Forsous Sous Vide immersion cooker much like the Sansaire, but the specs on it are a little different. With the Sansaire it appears from the video that you can set it in increments of 0.2oF, i.e. 92.4, 92.6°F and so on. Sansaire's Specs indicate that it has a temperature stability of +/- 0.1oF degree at 140oF. My Forsous's specs state that it has a Temperature Stability: °C ±1% and can be set in increments of 0.5°C, i.e. 33.5, 34.0, 34.5°C, and in increments of 0.9°F on the Fahrenheit scale, i.e. 92.3, 93.2, 94.1°F. It appears to maintain a very stable temperature as indicated on it's display in increments of 0.1°F, holding rock solid at 92.3°F, once it was stabilized.
I would like to be able to use my Forsous Sous Vide immersion cooker if it can hold the Cocoa Butter at an accurate and stable enough temperature. I would certainly appreciate any advice from anyone who has experience making Cocoa Butter Silk. Otherwise, once I get my initial order of ingredients from John I'll set it at 93.2°F and give it a go!
Thanks in advance for any advice you have to offer. Randy
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Post by Randy on Aug 18, 2017 10:33:04 GMT -5
Great! can't wait to learn more!
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