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Post by Randy on Dec 30, 2013 9:27:20 GMT -5
Happy Holidays, all ye chocolatiers!
I'm formulating my first MILK chocolate recipe, and I feel like a little vanilla would give it some flair. Would anyone have experience with regard to the amount of vanilla bean to add? I realize it's "to taste," but is a few beans in say, an eight-pound batch sufficient, or does it take real volume to effectively add the taste of vanilla? Also, do you ever use the pod itself, or is all the goodness in the bean? If this is covered elsewhere, I can't seem to find it.
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Post by cheebs on Dec 30, 2013 12:35:53 GMT -5
I use one chopped up pod per 8-lb batch of milk chocolate in the Santha. Add it in with the nibs or liquor.
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Post by Randy on Dec 30, 2013 15:38:52 GMT -5
Thank you, cheebs, I shall do exactly that.
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Post by Brad on Dec 31, 2013 13:47:58 GMT -5
Randy;
Please note that vanilla is generally used to modify the flavour of chocolate - not add flavour. If you can taste the vanilla in your chocolate you are using WAY too much (in my opinion).
A general rule is to use less than 1/2 of 1 percent by weight. For example, for every 1000g of chocolate you make, you would typically use up to 5g.
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Post by Randy on Dec 31, 2013 16:01:53 GMT -5
Thank you, Brad, good to know. I've never tasted a "vanilla chocolate" so I wasn't at all sure. I'll let you know how my effort turns out.
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Post by Randy on Jan 13, 2014 12:31:29 GMT -5
Just reporting in as I said I would. I put a single grade-A pod in a batch of about 8 lbs/3600g, and found it just perfect for my tastes. It added a marshmallow flavor that turned my bars into what I'm marketing as tasting like the best cup of hot chocolate you've ever had. Thanks for the help, cheebs and Brad; right on target.
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Post by tbone on Jan 16, 2014 2:42:50 GMT -5
Would you use the whole pod as is, or you scrape out and use only the inside?
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gap
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Posts: 390
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Post by gap on Jan 16, 2014 6:14:42 GMT -5
You can do either, but I would scrape the inside - it has most of the flavour and the skin (as I understand it, but I am no chemist) has more microbes than the inside seeds.
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Post by tbone on Jan 18, 2014 1:17:52 GMT -5
That is what I thought, thanks. When would you add the vanilla in the process? You need it properly ground but of course you do not want to conche out the flavor.
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gap
Apprentice
Posts: 390
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Post by gap on Jan 18, 2014 17:59:00 GMT -5
I don't actually use vanilla much so am prob not the best to comment. However, when I have used it I have added at the start.
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Post by Sebastian on Jan 19, 2014 20:06:09 GMT -5
Depends on what you're starting with. If it's an extract, add it at the very end as most of the flavors have been soluabilized. Vanilla is actually about 90% vanillin - if your'e adding pods, you're going to need to add it early enough to grind it appropriately. if you've got a very long conch cycle (days), you're going to end up volatilizing a great deal of the flavor you're adding. Personally, i'd stick with scraping the inside of the beans or using/making an extract from them - the hulls as noted can be quite dirty with all sorts of nasty things.
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