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Post by Brad on Oct 23, 2006 2:54:31 GMT -5
I hope someone here can help. I'm making some truffles and am hand dipping them. I've used both the tempering machine I purchased and the tempering method used in the microwave.
The problem is that as the chocolates set, the outside goes "dusty and dull" (out of temper), sometimes even with slight swirls.
HOWEVER... The chocolate underneath is tempered perfectly.
Here are some more details:
Chocolates are being hand dipped, not molded. Ambient room temperature is about 68 degrees F Humidity is about 6% Truffle filling is cold (has to be). Coverture is both milk chocolate and dark chocolate. Temperature of the chocolate when the truffles is dipped is about 88 degrees. Chocolates are being set on parchment paper lined aluminum cookie sheet.
I have tried dipping them and immediately cooling them. Doesn't work. Outside still goes dull and dusty.
I have tried dipping them and leaving them at room temperature. Doesn't work. Outside still goes dull and dusty.
I SURE HOPE SOMEONE CAN HELP. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING!
Thanks in advance.
Brad.
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Post by vivachoco on Oct 23, 2006 15:00:14 GMT -5
brad - - do ALL of the truffles get dusty / swirly? - have you tried double dipping them (since ganache is cold, first layer is often likely to crack / have swirls but the second dipping is more successful because by then you are dipping something of room temperature)? if the answer is yes to both, then i am at a loss. BUT here is what has been happening with my truffles (for dipping truffles, i usually simply melt my already tempered chocolate to 110 and take it back to temper by adding about 1/3 chopped tempered chocolates - no microwave, no tempering machine) - as i dip cold ganaches to chocolate the first 2/3 are usually glossy and nice and then then last truffles are getting dusty and swirly (as the cold centers cool off the dipping chocolate, to prolong the work time, i have been warming dipping chocolate on water bath, then continued mixing in thoroughly chopped tempered chocolate to make sure it stays in temper). what has helped is warming up ambient temperature to 80 or so. i have no heating / air conditioning in my kitchen. so before doing truffles i turn on the oven and open the oven door... to get a 'cosy warmth' - this way i have more time to work on the dipping without chocolate needing too much mixing / heating / re-tempering. so last few truffle batches have been completely dust / swirl free. not a very scientific method but it has worked for me i don't know if this is helpful... good luck!
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Post by Brad on Oct 23, 2006 16:54:16 GMT -5
Thank you for your input. It was very helpful, as it never occured to me that the small amount of chocolate I was using for dipping was cooling unevenly due to the cold truffles being dipped. Doh!
That make total sense, because the same day I did a batch of cream caramels that didn't go "dusty" - I'm guessing because they were much warmer.
I think I'm going to have to use a larger amount of chocolate to temper with, which brings me to the next question: How can you salvage chocolate once you've used it for dipping? I always seem to have impurities left over in it as they fall off the item being dipped - impurities that I don't want in the next batch, or in bars I make.
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Post by chocdoc on Oct 23, 2006 17:01:36 GMT -5
Brad,
Use the contaminated chocolate for making centres. If your truffles are too soft to dip at room temperature you need to change your recipes or your coating method. Are you fork or hand dipping?
Kerry
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Post by Alan on Oct 23, 2006 17:33:14 GMT -5
Also, rather than refrigerating, you can leave somewhat soft centers out in the air for a while to develop a "skin" that will make them less sticky and easier to work with.
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Post by vivachoco on Oct 23, 2006 20:42:57 GMT -5
Yes, bigger batch gives you more time. Also insulating the bottom part of your bowl from cooler table surface (warm towel underneath has helped).
Some books seem to suggest always dipping in ambient temperature 20 degrees cooler than your chocolate. My experience kind of suggests against that. But they also advice never to dip cold centers.
I have been working on range of truffles - super dense and intense (and easier to roll and dip; 2 parts chocolate 1 part cream) and extremely soft (2 parts cream one part chocolate), and something in between (equal parts both). The extremely soft - even when left out like choco-luvah suggests to develop a 'skin' with connection with air (which does help a bit) - really need to be cooler not to melt / get out of control in dipping chocolate - so I refridgerate them before dipping. So yes, they really are a challenge, but so totally worth the extra trouble in my opinion: served cold they are out of this world.
Fork dipping does make dipping faster than hand dipping and keeps the centers from melting so much into dipping chocolate. Maybe that way you would have less 'impurities?'
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Post by Brad on Oct 24, 2006 12:59:22 GMT -5
Thank you againf for all your fabulous advice! I was always wondering what to do with the really really soft centers, and you're right. The creaminess is a big winner with my "guinneapigs"!
The impurities come from the almond paste flaking off a bit when I dip them.
As a side note: I recently purchased a book of chocolate recipes which said it's impossible to make good quality almond paste at home. (many of the recipies called for it) They suggested purchasing commercially made paste. Hmmm... Someone just told me I couldn't do it.... I put on my stubborn hat and went to work!
Well, guess what? The santha just made some fabulous almond paste! I had to babysit the batch quite a bit at first in spite of heating the almonds and sugar and Santha bin, but after the particles of almond had gotten quite a bit smaller the machine was content chugging away on its own. (Important note: I have a "Tim the toolman" version of the Santha with a much more powerful motor). Anyway, 5 hours later I had a silky smooth paste (about 3lb is what the Santha could tolerate)! The recipe I used was simple: 1 unit of sugar to 2 units of blanched almonds. Store in refridgerator, and use as needed.
Have fun all!
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Post by babysquid2 on Oct 24, 2006 17:11:05 GMT -5
What is a Tim the Toolman version of the Santha?
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gap
Apprentice
Posts: 390
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Post by gap on Oct 24, 2006 17:14:00 GMT -5
It has more enhancements than you could poke a stick at . . . . I think Brad has done a link on it somewhere else in the forum
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Post by Alchemist on Jan 2, 2007 15:23:24 GMT -5
Brad replaced the 1/3 hp motor with a 1/2 hp motor and I believe has a ribbed belt in lieu of the smooth stock belt. Aside from that, some time back I reported on making Praline paste in the Santha. Same reason Brad did - I saw in "The Cake Bible" that it was not possible. Guess what The 1/3 hp stock Santha does a fine job of making nut pastes. I actually used all my standard chocolate equipment. Drum roasted, Cocoa milled, winnowed to remove the skins, Champion for the base nut butter and then the Santha for sugar refining. If you don't mind nut skins, you could go straight to the Santha. Nuts are MUCH softer than cocoa. Oh - the same water rule applies to nut butters - syrup and nut butters subjected to Santha sheer lock up. It is how I broke the drum seal on my first Santha. The motor, belt and frame kept on moving - the adhesive gave way.
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Post by Brad on Jan 3, 2007 3:01:38 GMT -5
Yes. The Santha I have, has a 1/2 horse motor, a cooling fan mounted on the top, more holes in the case, and a special fibreglass belt which never stretches.
That machine chews through everything. I was thinking about throwing in some car parts to see if it would crush them too as a sideline..... Just kidding!
Actually, with the modified machine I no longer need the Champion at all. I go straight from nibs to liquor with the Santha. The only thing I still have to do is heat up the granite wheels and bin base, otherwise the crushed nibs harden and cause the machine grief. I don't have to heat the bin if I'm making chocolate, because the melted cocoa butter lubricates everything quite nicely.
I've now made over 110lb of chocolate with it and haven't had to use the Champion once. It's simply "dump in and walk away".
WITH REGARD TO THE TEMPERING.....
I was still having trouble, so called on an experienced chocolatier colleague. He invited me and some of my chocolate to his shop to school me on tempering.
Here's what I found out: After heating the chocolate to about 120, I have to cool the dark chocolate down all the way to 79 before heating it up again. The milk chocolate has to be cooled to 77! No Wonder it wasn't working!!!
Once I hit those temperatures at home, everything tempered perfectly. I asked him why I had to go so low, when all the books and websites say that 84-88 degrees is the floor. His answer (which really flattered me) was that my chocolate was of a very high quality, and with chocolate of that quality the bottom temperature is often much lower.
Who am I to question that? He's the guy with 25 years of experience, and tempered my chocolate perfectly the first try after I'd been battling with it for months!
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Post by Sebastian on Jan 3, 2007 7:03:17 GMT -5
The reason your milk needs to go lower is because of the milk fat present...if any of your sources are saying 84-88 is the floor, i'd take a careful look at everything else they're saying as well. if you're using the heat, cool, reheat method of tempering (most common), i don' tkonw of any chocolates that'll temper if you heat, cool to 88-84, and then reheat..
remember that anytime you've got milk fat present, it'll depress the cooling curves... the more you have , the more it depresses it..
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Post by Alchemist on Jan 3, 2007 14:05:54 GMT -5
Checking my own sources, I list 82-85 F, but by no means say this is the lowest you can go (not saying you were implying that).
I have found my favorite way to temper right now is to let 1/3 of the chocolate I am going to temper set up completely (over night usually). This forms all the needed type V you need. Chop this up and add it back to the 2/3 at 100 F. Final temperature is 88-90 F usually, all the type I-IV crystals are destroyed, and you are ready to mold up.
I concur Brad - what we are capable of making here is very high quality chocolate.
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