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Post by jeriggs on Oct 17, 2007 14:36:53 GMT -5
I am starting the shopping process for making chocolate at home. Here is my list: crankandstein champion commercial juicer santha melangeur escali digital scale Behmor roaster (not completely sold on this option yet, it is expensive) molds Here is what have: pots and pans stainless bowls digital thermometer bucket sheet pans spoons, spatulas, etc.
Does anyone see anything that I am missing or forgetting? After roasting the beans, how should I cool them? I saw a box fan rig that someone used to cool coffee beans, any ideas? My intention is to make chocolate to use for prailines, fudge, truffles, etc. I will be doing this large scale primarily for small sales and R&D if it grows. Saving money where I can is good, but if I need to buy it then I dont mind. I live in an apartment and intend to do it all here, but I have access to my parents house if necessary. Any thoughts or comments, reccomendations, critiques, complaints, whatever input is appreciated. Thanks, James
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Post by reelchemist on Nov 1, 2007 15:35:31 GMT -5
Just quickly looking through my 'chocolate making box' a few other useful items I use a lot are:
A hair dryer, very good for dumping heat into the Santha when it is cold - good tip from John.
An adjustible shifter for removing the Santha rollers for cleaning.
A stiff plastic washing brush that I use only for cleaning the Santha.
Lastly have on hand gladwrap or plastic wrap, I find I use this a lot as a bench coat for when I take the Santha rollers out when covered in chocolate, much easier to clean up.....and you can eat the choc shards.
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Post by ripvanwinkle on Dec 16, 2007 1:20:54 GMT -5
Reelchemist - what's a "shifter"?
I second you on the hair dryer. That's a great way to coax some heat into a fresh batch even though I warm the cocoa butter in the microwave so it is soft. Next batch I am going to put the assembled Santha bowl and rollers in the tepid oven for an hour and see if that makes the launch simpler.
Do you prepulverize your sugar and milk solids? I use my Osterizer to do that. At first I was concerned about bearing wear but the bearings seem to stay clear of the solids.
Do you allow the chocolate to harden on the rollers before cleaning up? Sounds less messy than cleaning the molten stuff off under hot water and it would be better to keep the shards rather than dumping them.
I use a toothbrush to clean the Santha bearing surface. Then dump it in the oven which I have set at minimum temp long enough so the temperature has stabilized. And I have a pizza stone on the lowest shelf to shield the Santha stones from direct radiation. The Santha stuff is on a higher shelf. After the roller stones cool I put a drop of mineral oil on the bearing axles then assemble.
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Post by ripvanwinkle on Dec 16, 2007 1:50:59 GMT -5
jeriggs - I am just one step ahead of you, having purchased an ACMC temperer and Santha already. I have made several small batches of white chocolate that tasters report that they like.
The Santha is a terrific machine. Definitely Indian too - a basic clonk clonk workhorse and very practical. I expect to get a lot of chocolate out of it in its lifetime.
I already have a Fluke food radiation/insertion thermometer - Very handy since the on-the-fly rad readings are non-contact, less messy and very accurate on moving chocolate in the temperer and melanger - compared to the insertion thermometer's readings. I don't know how much it's worth for the Fluke's accuracy but I am happy to be using it. The Fluke set me back about $125 if I remember correctly. Maybe I should tell John Nanci about it so he can sell it.
I am waiting now for some beans, the roaster, grinder, and crusher - then I will make some dark chocolate.
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Post by reelchemist on Dec 17, 2007 4:30:11 GMT -5
Shifter is just a rench.
I haven't as yet done a milk chocolate but I do use icing sugar to make my chocolate as it reduces the grind time. The icing sugar we can get here in Australia is cheap and has no corn starch - just pure cane sugar. From what I here in the USA this is harder to get.
My Santha clean up consists firstly of licking a lot of the chocolate off to the amusement of my wife and daughter - I tend to get it everywhere. Then just take apart while warm and put it in my sink fill it up with warm water (no detergent) and scrub the chocolate off with my dedicated brush, then rinse and allow to dry for a few days b4 reassembling. I just pour warm water in the Santha bowl and scrub and change the water a few times. I don't put the bottom of the bowl in water.
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Post by Alchemist on Dec 17, 2007 7:58:13 GMT -5
rip, I know about Flukes (and use them at my "day" job"). I don't think you will see Chocolate Alchemy carrying them too soon. As you say they are a bit expensive and I don't generally carry items that are way easier to get somewhere else. I carry the inexpensive digital thermometer as it has a lot of bang for it's buck, being only $30 but rock solid on it's calibration where we need it. BTW, I know what you mean about not sold on the Behmor yet. It is another three digit piece of equipment, but reproducibility is something also. Mostly I like to give the option. Besides, it DOES do a standup job on coffee if you are so inclined
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Post by ripvanwinkle on Dec 22, 2007 1:29:02 GMT -5
John, I agree with you about reproducibility. Without that we are just playing.
I keep hoping that I can make up the investment with good results and some demand! From what I see chances are that a number of the group may well be on the trail to commercial success. Rah!
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Post by ripvanwinkle on Dec 22, 2007 1:35:14 GMT -5
reelchemist - have you tried Stretch-Tite plastic wrap? Impressive stuff.
I am not sure of its (water) vapor barrier specifications- especially compared with the top numbers for Saran wrap but Stretch-Tite is a pleasure to work with. In the short run it's probably a satisfactory barrier - even for chocolate.
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yale
Neophyte
Posts: 4
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Post by yale on Dec 26, 2007 11:45:48 GMT -5
can anyone suggest me which ingredient is used, for which chocolate can be kept in room temperature without getting melted or having it freezed.
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