Post by merlinox on Oct 31, 2022 5:57:01 GMT -5
My problem is solved ! By putting my (already dry) date powder in the electric oven at 35°C, I effectively made it more wet because of the Residual humidity present in the air.
I just skipped the oven step and now everything is perfect.
(still looking for an effective method to dry date powder without burning it nor spending 3k on a freeze drier...)
I just skipped the oven step and now everything is perfect.
(still looking for an effective method to dry date powder without burning it nor spending 3k on a freeze drier...)
Hello there,
I'm an aspiring chocolate maker and decided recently to ditch agave crystals in favor of delicious mazafati date powder.
I'm using a premier tilting stone melanger and I'm using 65% cocoa (so 35% date powder)
I have successfully transformed about 10kg (so 3 batches) without significant issues.
Since last week this #$!%@ date powder clumps up around the rollers, thus not grinding it as it should.
My process usually looks like this
- Clean the drum + rollers wipe dry with cloth
- Dry in an electric oven at 35°C for 4 hrs
- Put the date powder in the electric oven at 35-40°c for 3 hrs to chase potential residual humidity
- Put the molten cocoa liquor in the melanger, turn in on
Recently a 6th step added itself which consists of cursing because the rollers are full of compacted date powder, taking everything apart, cleaning it and starting over.
Sidenotes/thoughts:
- I have noticed that the compacted date powder gets really soft when I add water to it (during the cleaning process). If water wouldn't screw with the cocoa it would be a solution, alas, chocolate and water don't mix well.
- Once I have dried the date powder at 60°C instead of 35°C. It turned darker and it stuck a lot to the stone rollers.
- I theorized that maybe the date powder sticks to the rollers because they aren't dry enough (despite drying them...)
- I theorized that maybe drying the date powder is what made them stick, since it gets softer when moist (contradictory to my previous theory)
- I'm tempted to lightly humidify the date powder, but I'm extremely worried that it will make the cocoa seize up. If I try this it will be around 1mL for 350g date powder and 650g cocoa liquor. or just slightly humidify the rollers ?
Any inputs are welcome...