|
Post by jackamus on Dec 2, 2021 12:39:05 GMT -5
(1) Is there any reason why I should not melt seed chocolate by going straight to the cooling temperature rather than the higher normal melting temperature? Has anything to do with crystal structure?
(2) Once the chocolate has been tempered and allowed to cool to a solid state can it be re-melted back to the tempering temperature and re-moulded?
|
|
|
Post by Ben on Dec 3, 2021 9:45:54 GMT -5
1) I'm not 100% sure of what you're asking here. Generally, the process when seeding is to melt the main mass of chocolate to the 'melt' temp (108-120F) to ensure that there is no crystallization. Then, seed is added to bring down the temperature and seed the crystallization process. At what temp are you asking about adding seed?
2) Yes. I was once at a beginner's bonbon class that a chocoatier friend was running and he showed a simple process of slowly melting chocolate in the microwave and pulling every so often to stir. As long as you didn't overheat the chocolate and there were still some solid bits to seed, the chocolate remained in temper.
|
|
|
Post by jackamus on Dec 3, 2021 11:07:28 GMT -5
Thank you for responding. I will make question a little clearer. I referred to 'seed' chocolate as the 'mass' of chocolate that I made in the melanger. I allowed it to cool and cut it into small pieces. It is this chocolate that I would then want to temper. There is a high melting temperature then a cooling temperature then a tempering temp.
Is it necessary to melt the 'mass' chocolate at the higher temp or can I simply melt it straight to the 'cool' temp and then temper? Or must I melt the chocolate at higher temp in order to remove the crystalline structure and then proceed to cooling and tempering?
|
|
|
Post by Ben on Dec 3, 2021 11:24:20 GMT -5
Ah, that is clearer. Seed chocolate is chocolate that is already crystallized that is used to jump-start the crystallization process. This can also be done with silk (crystallized-but-still soft cocoa butter) or solid tempered cocoa butter.
To temper untempered chocolate pulled from a stone grinder and allowed to cool, yes, you'd want to melt it all the way to the higher melting point to ensure that there is no crystallization. Without that step, you are likely to have unwanted crystals still lingering in the chocolate. Alternatively, you could just temper it straight from the grinder as it will already be fully melted.
|
|
|
Post by Thomas on Dec 3, 2021 11:24:35 GMT -5
Thank you for responding. I will make question a little clearer. I referred to 'seed' chocolate as the 'mass' of chocolate that I made in the melanger. I allowed it to cool and cut it into small pieces. It is this chocolate that I would then want to temper. There is a high melting temperature then a cooling temperature then a tempering temp.
Is it necessary to melt the 'mass' chocolate at the higher temp or can I simply melt it straight to the 'cool' temp and then temper? Or must I melt the chocolate at higher temp in order to remove the crystalline structure and then proceed to cooling and tempering?
'SEED' chocolate is tempered chocolate. The mass of chocolate you removed from your melanger is untempered chocolate. There is no seed coming out of the melanger. You will need to go through the normal tempering process for the 'Mass' from your melanger. Assuming you are not adding seeding it with previously tempered chocolate or cocoa butter silk. Hope this helps. Thomas
|
|
|
Post by jackamus on Dec 4, 2021 6:13:37 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Thomas on Dec 5, 2021 16:26:27 GMT -5
|
|