Post by Alan on Jun 2, 2006 17:41:00 GMT -5
Hello all,
Just wanted to say that after the baking stone discovery some time ago I've noticed that the problems I had been having with my horrible oven when using low volume roasts have completely disappeared. The temperature swing has diminished (down to 5 F from 30 F), and therefore, the roasting time has increased as the upper end of the temp. swing has come way down. This has led to a related increase in consistency and evenness of roast. Additionally, I'd recommend to anyone who wants as much transparency as possible in the roasting process to not only use the baking stone "fix," but also to roast in a single layer on a thin pan at a low temp (for criollo-heavy cacao) and use two thermometers: one on top of the stone (right below the cacao) to read the actual radiant heat level, and another in the cacao itself to read the temp of the beans. In this way you will know all the variables that are important to reproduce a certain type of roast time and time again. One last note: consider removing every obviously flat, broken (including beans with holes where the germ is located), germinated or overly small bean as well. This minimizes off flavor components from under-fermented, mouldy, or germinated beans. Often these beans are acrid or otherwise distasteful. I won't go into germ (radicle) extraction or everyone will just think I'm crazy.
Just one opinion.
Just wanted to say that after the baking stone discovery some time ago I've noticed that the problems I had been having with my horrible oven when using low volume roasts have completely disappeared. The temperature swing has diminished (down to 5 F from 30 F), and therefore, the roasting time has increased as the upper end of the temp. swing has come way down. This has led to a related increase in consistency and evenness of roast. Additionally, I'd recommend to anyone who wants as much transparency as possible in the roasting process to not only use the baking stone "fix," but also to roast in a single layer on a thin pan at a low temp (for criollo-heavy cacao) and use two thermometers: one on top of the stone (right below the cacao) to read the actual radiant heat level, and another in the cacao itself to read the temp of the beans. In this way you will know all the variables that are important to reproduce a certain type of roast time and time again. One last note: consider removing every obviously flat, broken (including beans with holes where the germ is located), germinated or overly small bean as well. This minimizes off flavor components from under-fermented, mouldy, or germinated beans. Often these beans are acrid or otherwise distasteful. I won't go into germ (radicle) extraction or everyone will just think I'm crazy.
Just one opinion.
