fred
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Post by fred on Feb 15, 2020 16:49:25 GMT -5
I did a chocolate tasting with two colleagues which was really fun. We tried a range of single origin chocolates from French Broad and Goodnow Farms.
We all liked the Guatemalan bars from both companies. I started "studying" the bars and they are actually pretty different:
I decided to see if I can make a chocolate that comes close in flavor and texture! I have not had a huge amount of success with my dark chocolate, but I am not a huge dark chocolate lover so it is a little difficult...
I picked the "Guatemalan Lachua - 2019 - Nibs / Roasted" from Chocolate Alchemy. To be honest, I spent way too much time trying to figure out the exact origin of the two bars above and then compare it to the four Guatemalen beans offered at Chocolate Alchemy but I couldn't get very far (nobody gives you an exact address or latitude/longitude), but I liked the description of the "Lachua" and went with that (and it's new!).
As near as I can tell from studying those two bars an assuming the cacao is 55% fat, neither bar adds a significant amount of cocoa butter (although Goodnow lists cocoa butter as an ingredient). Interestingly, the French Broad bar has a significant amount of Iron which makes me think it must be from a different source...
So maybe I should try something like this?
Cacao 75% Sugar 25%
Cocoa Butter 0%
I was originally going to do this: Cacao 70% Sugar 25% Cocoa Butter 5%
But I don't know if either company even puts that much cocoa butter in their chocolate...
BTW, to confirm my numbers, for the Goodnow bar: serving size 55g, total fat 23g, 77%: 0.55*0.77*55 = 23.3 So in other words, 55% of the 77% bar by weight is close to the total amount of fat (in grams) for the whole bar which doesn't leave much room for cocoa butter!
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fred
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Post by fred on Feb 16, 2020 14:15:49 GMT -5
As a followup, I did a direct comparison for "Peru Ucayali". Goodnow Farms makes a bar that is 70% cacao. I made a bar that is 80% cacao. Mine had no added sugar and was a bit harsh by comparison. I believe I can taste the added cocoa butter in the Goodnow bar. Another interesting thing - if the fraction of fat in the cacao liquor was 50% instead of 55%, that would make a significant difference in my calculations. At 50%, the Goodnow bars I've looked at both have a little over 7% added cocoa butter...
EDIT: I'm not sure about the 55% rule... I've looked at a few nibs on Amazon and they come in with a lower ratio. I'm thinking I will add at least 5%-10% cocoa butter.
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Post by Sebastian on Feb 17, 2020 6:43:08 GMT -5
Remember that chocolate flavor is really, really, REALLY dependent upon how the beans were treated post harvest (fermentation, drying, roasting, and to some extent how they were ground) - so trying to match up flavor profiles simply from country of origin may drive you bonkers. You can have beans from the exact same tree that are fermented differently and you'd swear they are from different countries, they taste so different. If you're trying to match a specific specialty cocoa flavor profile, but aren't in control of the post harvest practices - you're going to find you've really got your work cut out for you
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Post by Chip on Feb 17, 2020 15:54:21 GMT -5
fred , I also have found lately that at the taste of my chocolate has been impacted by the source of the cocoa butter and the actual sugar used. I was using "raw sugar" for a few batches and noted a hint of molasses in the flavor, almost a dark, sweet note, that was missing when using regular Domino processed sugar. Then I tried a few batches of "organic, minimally processed" sugar and again there were flavor hints in there not present in the processed "table" sugar. I sourced some butter from Guatemala and it was a robust, hearty batch. Then I sourced some from Ecuador and it was much lighter, not only in color but in flavor as well. It didn't have as heavy a "chocolate" aroma either. Neither was deodorized. I try to go as natural as possible. For people like me who tend to shop for convenience and price, single sourcing may be darn near impossible. Even the beans I really, really liked from John haven't been available for over a year.
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fred
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Post by fred on Feb 17, 2020 17:49:30 GMT -5
Sebastian an Chip - thank you guys for chiming in! I figured you'd both be able to help me out with this I guess I'm not trying to match other bars so much as making a good tasting bar. Do you guys have recommendations for %sugar and %butter that would give me more of a "crowd pleaser"? I liked the simplicity and purity of the 80% bar with no added butter, but it is definitely not a "crowd pleaser"...with the nibs I've tried so far it tends to be "interesting" but also challenging and eh bitter. Sebastian, I think you've confirmed what I was worried about... I really do rely on John's tasting notes and however he likes to roast the beans. But as you point out, even the way I run my melanger is going to have an impact on the flavor. Chip, I've definitely stuck with Domino white sugar for the reasons you point out. Cocoa butter is also tricky - these fancy companies like Goodnow and French Broad are making their own - but that might actually save them some money (or maybe it just makes a more consistent product...?). They do sell the cocoa powder which maybe makes it more worthwhile. Or maybe the farmers have a cheaper beans they try to get rid of... Goodnow has a unique flavor that I think comes from their butter or the way the make it. Chip, I'm with you on the cost. This has become an expensive hobby for me. I'm actually thinking of getting the small attachment for my Premier which is supposed to be better for 1lb batches. Then I could try dark chocolate from a few of John's exotic beans once in a while and order in 1lb increments. Since my bulk chocolate is almost always milk, I am definitely going to switch over to a different source like the one you suggested earlier.
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Post by Chip on Feb 17, 2020 18:59:51 GMT -5
fred, From what I can tell, and Sebastian can chime in if I'm way off base, the cocoa butter is used to better control the fat content of the chocolate, and with the fat content comes "mouth feel." I know my darks are a lot more "snappy" than commercially made dark, but I don't use any artificial ingredients or ingredients other than cocoa liquor which I make myself, cocoa butter which I purchase, sugar, which I purchase and vanilla powder, again, purchased. I have yet to spend the money on a press to produce my own butter, that is coming down the line sooner or later. I know some folk use lecithin for various purposes, as well as purified butter and ghee, but I try to stay with just the "big three."
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fred
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Post by fred on Feb 18, 2020 0:21:19 GMT -5
Chip, I think you are getting to what I'm trying to figure out. I've made a fair number of batches of 80/20 chocolate (80% cacao, 20% sugar) and no cocoa butter. Plenty of fat in that (around 40%), but it is a pretty harsh chocolate compared to the commercial ones. I have also tried making a 70/30 chocolate with no additional cocoa butter and the texture of that was off (too little fat as you would suspect). So, I'm thinking of one of these recipes for dark chocolate: 60% cacao, 10% butter, 30% sugar 70% cacao, 5% butter, 25% sugar The first may have a better chance of being a "crowd pleaser" - it should be sweeter and have plenty of fat for a good mouth feel. The second will have a strong chocolate flavor, and is a little more conservative, but for some reason my chocolate seems to be on the bitter side (I don't know if it's me, the beans I pick or some other part of the whole process). I haven't tried adding vanilla to the dark chocolate (the purist in me doesn't want to do that for the single origin chocolate). And I agree with you: I only use good ingredients and avoid adding lecithin! Chip - what percentages do you use in your dark chocolate? I'll have to go back and look at John's basic video to remind myself what he used, but your insight on this would be great. Sebastian - can you suggest any ratios? That is any suggestion you can share
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fred
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Post by fred on Feb 18, 2020 13:49:25 GMT -5
Chip , Sebastian - so I'm not convinced I can get a nice flavor and mouth feel easily. I'm going to play it safe and go for the 60/10/30 recipe. Those single origin companies have put a lot of time and effort into getting the flavor right which I'm sure includes their purchasing, roasting, cocoa butter production, ingredient balancing and melanging. I'm trying the blind one-shot approach so I'll play it safe and hope for the best. I do have a lot of faith in the roasted nibs and cocoa butter from Chocolate Alchemy which I'm using for this so there's that!
Also, FWIW, I did some analysis of other other commercial dark chocolate bars which have 40%-50% sugar depending on the bar. The 50% one actually has a pretty low fat content which makes me wonder how they got the melanging to work. I'm guessing "Belgian" in chocolate means more fat and sugar
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Post by Chip on Feb 18, 2020 13:49:46 GMT -5
fred, I always start out with a 70% dark formula. I use 600g cocoa liquor, 300g sugar, 100g cocoa butter. I tweak it from there, up and down here and there depending on the beans, butter, sugar, etc. But generally this is a pretty good chocolate. A bit "snappish" however, but tastes good. I have a tendency to let my stuff "rest" between steps. I roast, let them rest for 2-3 days. I crack and winnow, then put in a bin for a week. Then I juice into liquor, and let it rest another 3 days. Then I use a food processor to grind all my liquor into a smaller, easier to use granular state. That I put in another bin and just use it when making chocolate. So, for me, bean to being put in the melange is about a 2 week process. Partially because I just don't have all the time necessary to do it faster, but I have found it makes a pretty good product when allowed to rest. I normally put the liquor, butter and sugar in and gradually increase the pressure on the stones over a 12 hour period. Then I let it grind int he melange for another 24 hours at least. Sometimes more, sometimes less depending if I need the chocolate sooner. I use cocoa butter to cool once I take it out of the melange (usually comes out at about 108F or so) and cool it to 100. Then let it sit until it reaches 98F and then add the silk. Stir the silk in until completely incorporated and let it sit, stirring occasionally to about 92F (dark) and 89-90 (milk) before pouring into molds.
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fred
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Post by fred on Feb 18, 2020 14:05:40 GMT -5
Chip - thank you! I just posted my previous message before I saw your response. I have to admit I doubt I will ever get to the point where I try to roast my own beans - I'm really impressed you've done that! Starting from nibs or liquor is kind of my comfort zone LOL. Thank you for confirming the 60% cacao, 10% butter, 30% sugar formula. That seems very safe to me! I've run the melanger for 24 hours for dark, but based on your advice I'll try it a little longer. I haven't tried cooling with cocoa butter, but that's a good idea! I also didn't realize you could put the silk in at 98F - I think I put it in at 94F based on John's notes but honestly 98F would be a little more convenient (less cooling time). I was reading an updated version of the Premier manual and they suggest running the chocolate through some sort of metal sieve to get out any chunks. This actually sounds like a good idea since there is often bits stuck in hard-to-reach areas of the melanger that end up in the chocolate. I think I'll try this for my next batch and see how it goes (once I find a good sieve for it...). Here's a random question - do you have any advice on cleaning the melanger? I've been using regular dish soap and the melanger gets very clean, but I also know that there is some scent to the soap and I've been vaguely worried about that. I rinse as well as I can but I guess there is a chance the soap fragrance could impact the flavor of the chocolate
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Post by Chip on Feb 18, 2020 15:18:47 GMT -5
fred, I've never had any "bits" come out of the melange unless I'm using nibs directly. Then I do use the method you suggest. However, I find that using the grinder as an additional step eliminates all foreign substance from being introduced into the chocolate at all. For goodness sake, you should see the grit and nitter that comes out of those nibs! I use the champion grinder and it works like magic. I got two of them from eBay really cheap. Yes, it is tedious and messy, but I will not skip that step especially after seeing the stuff that is screened out. As far as cleaning the melange, I just put the bowl, stones and stone-holder in the sink and scrub them down with a stiff bristled brush and hot, soapy water. I take it completely apart, meaning I take the stones off the holder and clean them including the center hub area, clean out the bowl, etc. I also take apart the entire melange at least once every two months and clean out all the belt dust and other stuff that gets all caught up in there. There were a couple of times in the early days when Diamond hadn't figured everything out yet that chocolate seriously invaded the motor. Chocolate was all over the motor, pulleys, supports...everything. The only way I could figure out how to clean it was put the whole thing under the VERY HOT spray of the utility sink. I know this is HIGHLY UNADVISABLE and I took full responsibility for any damage this might have done. This also is a huge fire risk if you don't dry everything out really, really well. I then took it out, used a high pressure air gun I got on Amazon to blow most of the water out, then used a hair dryer to dry it all, and let it sit for at least 3 days. I have done this a total of 3 times now with no ill effects. Maybe I'm just stupid or lucky, or both? lol. But the chocolate was really thick and everywhere.
In the two years I have owned the Premiers I have had to replace a lot of belts as well as the center bearings, side bearings and the black gear at least twice on each machine. Taking them apart is a messy job since there is all kinds of black, greasy residue from the belts wearing over time all over and it gets everything it touches black. And it's really hard to get off as well, including your hands. I now wear latex exam gloves when taking them apart.
Probably more info than you wanted, but I thought I'd fill you in on all the ways I clean them up. By the way, mine are the tilting melange with the orange bottoms.
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fred
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Post by fred on Feb 18, 2020 15:42:09 GMT -5
Chip , thank you! This is extremely helpful and useful knowledge! So far I've been pretty lucky - I think I have a slightly later model premier. But I doubt I run my machine as frequently as you do I'm sure it is a matter of time before I am taking this thing apart and servicing it. It's very useful to have your insight on this!
Now I'm a little worried about my nibs processing, but I think I will get a sieve. The champion is a step I'm not quite ready to take. I'll probably get there eventually
-Fred
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Post by Chip on Feb 18, 2020 15:59:51 GMT -5
fred, A sieve will work, I think that's what Ben uses. Using nibs directly is much easier, but I'm also a clumsy person and using a sieve for me is cumbersome. And also with my luck (if I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all! lol) some of the "stuff" would still get through. Good luck!
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fred
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Post by fred on Feb 18, 2020 18:00:54 GMT -5
Thank you Chip! I'm looking at sieve's on Amazon as we type LOL! I know what you mean by cumbersome - it's another place for me to make a mess and waste more chocolate, but based on this discussion I think I better do it!
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fred
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Post by fred on Feb 27, 2020 18:01:40 GMT -5
Chip - something went really well with this batch I basically made your recipe with the Guatemala Lachua roasted nibs from chocolate alchemy. 60% nibs, 10% cocoa butter, 30% sugar. I also ran the machine for 48 hours as you suggested. The result is really good! Now, here's where I think I went wrong in the past - I used to only run my machine for 24 hours for dark chocolate. I actually tasted this batch after 24 hours and it was pretty astringent - it really hit the back of my throat as being harsh. After another 12 hours (36 hours total) or so that astringency really mellowed out a lot and at 48 hours it was a very nice chocolate. I think maybe the melanging time is what has been throwing my dark chocolate off. In fact, at your suggestion, my milk chocolate also was a lot better after running the machine a bit longer (24 hours instead of 14 hours). Thank you for the tip!
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