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Post by LLY on Aug 9, 2016 15:27:14 GMT -5
Hello,
Today I had a problem that I couldn't understand, the recipe was the same as usual and the viscosity should be OK.
After finish grinding, I added the cacao butter the reduce the temperature, and I saw that the chocolate (white one) becoming very very thick and it was impossible to mould, so I add untempred cocao butter and it dosn't help at all, although I add around 5% and its a lot. The transition temperature to solid was high because it was thick.
One option is that the chocolate absorb water from the air, despite that it was in liquid state less time than usual (sometimes I leave him outside for 12 hours to cool down), second option in overcrystalization.
The phenomena of overcrystalization makes the chocolate very thick? why the problem dosen't solved when I add untempred cocao butter?
It's important to mention that the weather is very hot and humid.
The final result chocolate that is almost solid when moulding, bad apperance, no contraction but solid like temper chocolate.
Can someone help me what is the problem?
Thank you!
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Post by dublinguy on Aug 10, 2016 7:02:44 GMT -5
Hi LLY,
Can you provide details on which ingredients you used?
You mention grinding, then white chocolate - were you talking about grinding sugar or milk powder, or something else?
I'm almost certain it's not overtempering / overcrystallization that is your problem (that would be resolved easily by reheating the chocolate above 100F).
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Post by LLY on Aug 12, 2016 12:04:28 GMT -5
Hello, To my white chocolate recipe I added 5% of nuts (aim to substitute the butter in the whole mile powder - I use skim milk). Never had problems with viscosity. What are the differnece between over-tempering and high moist (that the chocolate absorb) both of them are to viscous, right? I'm afraid that leaving the chocolate in liquid state for too long in hot and humid environment will cause to absorbtion of water.. Those are the only two things that can cause the problem (the recipe doesn't change)..
Thank's
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Post by Thomas on Aug 12, 2016 21:45:33 GMT -5
Over crystallization is easily resolved by heating up the chocolate. I don't know about high moisture content. Maybe add some lecithin.
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gap
Apprentice
Posts: 390
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Post by gap on Aug 14, 2016 3:50:35 GMT -5
Yes - lecithin will help if moisture has been absorbed. As Thomas said, if you have overcrystallisation, you can heat up the chocolate and it will thin out. If it has absorbed moisture, it will not thin out.
You mentioend your weather was humid - this leads me to guess it may be moisture being absorbed by the chocolate (which is common with white chocolate).
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Post by dublinguy on Aug 14, 2016 7:06:52 GMT -5
Is there dew/condensation in the room where you prepare the white chocolate?
I know that chocolate can absorb (slowly) moisture above 75% relative humidity, but it would probably result in the chocolate being just slightly thicker, not what you described.
What type of nuts are you using? How do store them?
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Post by LLY on Aug 15, 2016 6:17:33 GMT -5
Thank you all for your answers. I guess that is over-tempering (although I made a new batch) because the large increase in viscosity is took place just above working temperature, I tried to add liquid untempered cocoa butter but it dosen't helped. As a general rule now, I don't add ingredients otherwise it can affect the formula. The humid is high, I guess more than 75% but not reach to due point. The Macadmia nuts are store as paste in the freeze.
What is the main difference between over-tempering and absorbtion of water? I know that when you 2-3 degrees more the the working temperature the chocolate is fluid again if you were in a over-crystalliztion, what about relatively high water content? it will make to chocolate above the working temperature to be dense?
What do you mean by adding lecithin? I will need to grind it more and it will just absorb water from the air.
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gap
Apprentice
Posts: 390
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Post by gap on Aug 15, 2016 20:08:57 GMT -5
Over-tempering means there is nothing wrong with your chocolate - it just needs to be heated to melt some of the crystals that have formed and it will go back to normal viscosity.
If your chocolate has absorbed moisture - either from the humid air or from ingredients that have a high moisture content, then you have a chocolate with too much moisture. This cannot be changed by melting the chocolate to a higher temperature. It will always have too much moisture in it and will always be too thick. Adding lecithin (0.5% by weight) will help "bind" some of the moisture and make the chocolate more fluid.
If you are making chocolate in a humid environment, the chocolate can absorb moisture from the air. Maybe if the humidity is too high, there is a limit on whether or not you can make chocolate (I don't know, just posing the question)?
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Post by dublinguy on Aug 16, 2016 3:32:50 GMT -5
I still don't think it's overtempering. The presence of nut oil which are liquid at room temperature makes this possibility even more unlikely.
There can be lots of moisture and condensation happening in a freezer. Is your nut butter stored in a fully sealed container? If you take your nut butter at room temperature where the humidity is high, then place it in the freezer, it's likely that some ice will form on the butter (it could be droplets that are barely visible). When you thaw the nut butter, these will turn into small droplets of water, also difficult to spot. This could be your issue ...
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Post by LLY on Aug 16, 2016 14:14:01 GMT -5
Maybe the nut butter is the problem, But I don't want to grind it again every time, maybe i will just roast them and crush them before using.. I have more in my freezer, next time I will add some more lecithin (usually in my white chocolate I add only 0.1%)
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Post by dublinguy on Aug 17, 2016 3:19:47 GMT -5
I'm surprised you feel the need to freeze your nut butter? Do you roast the raw nuts yourself or do you buy them already roasted? If they are roasted commercially, they would have a low moisture content (<1.5%) and given the high fat percentage, it should keep at room temperature (sealed) for weeks. Has it gone bad in the past when you didn't freeze it?
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Post by LLY on Aug 17, 2016 4:19:14 GMT -5
I roast them by myself. Its the first time I used frozen nut butter and not frozen nuts. It didn't get bad in the past when I didn't freeze them, but it could be also that I didn't achieve over-crystallization. Outside, the nuts can exhibit degradation after 2-3 mounts, so I prefers do hold them in the freezer. I made a new batch it it was slightly viscous them usual, but in this case lecithin will help me, I will increase the amount to 0.3%.
But the prominent question: if my chocolate are getting thicker around working temperature or slightly above while he is fluid when I heat heat him, that an indication for ever-tempering? i.e, when the water content is relatively high, it should stay thicker also above the working temperature?
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Post by dublinguy on Aug 17, 2016 6:54:09 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure your problem is linked to too much moisture in your chocolate mix.
On Macadamia nuts: before drying/roasting , these nuts can have 25% moisture. It takes weeks of drying for food processors to take the moisture down to 1.5% or less. If you process them yourself, it's difficult to say how much moisture they contain. The freezer certainly does not help in that matter.
As for overcrystallization/over-tempering, again it's extremely unlikely.
I'd recommend you buy Macadamia nuts that have been roasted commercially, make the paste yourself (store it in sealed container, not in the freezer), and incorporate it into your chocolate.
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Post by LLY on Aug 18, 2016 3:39:12 GMT -5
OK maybe its better. Just a small note: I made a new batch, same macadamias and same formula, I failed to temper it for the first time (very thick) and than retemper it completely from the beginning, i.e raise the temperature to 37C, it was a slight thick cut the moulding was OK. I need to finish the paste, so next time I will add more lecithin to decrease viscosity..
Thanks
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Post by LLY on Aug 31, 2016 4:16:08 GMT -5
Hello again, After I analysed the problem I think I have some insights and of course lessons for the future. Trying to use again the Macadamia nuts from the freezer had failed, same phenomena has occurred, and not once, I tried to retemper it two more times with no change (and even add some cocoa butter and lecithin). As I see it is definitely too much moisture, otherwise I cant explain why the same formula failed again and the chocolate become thicker and even solidified in ~30C. I guess that because it is not over-tempering, the chocolate doesn't solidified (!) but either lose his fluidity because of the water.
To save the nuts that remain, I will roast the paste on the pan for minute or two to vaporize the moisture.
What is your opinion about lost of fluidity very close to working temperature due to excessive moisture?
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