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Post by hautechocolate on Aug 16, 2009 10:44:10 GMT -5
So I'm just beginning the process of making my first batch of chocolate!! ;D And I was going to use one of John's recipes for chocolate on the alchemy website. My question is, how do you calculate what percentage the cacao is in the final product? For example, John listed a "40% cocoa" goat milk chocolate recipe, but in the actual recipe the the cocoa liquor is only listed at 15%. Here's the link: www.chocolatealchemy.com/recipes_GoatChocolate.phpHow do I know what % to tell people when they ask? Also, some of the other recipes I've found for chocolate bars are not so specific as to have the weights and measurements, just percentages. How does an novice alchemist go about turnging those % into an actual recipe? Thanks! JiLL
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Post by Brad on Aug 16, 2009 12:11:55 GMT -5
Cocoa content is calculated as a combination of cocoa butter and cocoa solids (which also contain cocoa butter).
The reason the recipes are in percentages, is because everyone makes different amounts of chocolate with their machinery, and it's all by weight.
Calculating the ingredients for your chocolate is simple math:
If you are making 1000g of chocolate (1 kg), and 40% of the recipe is cocoa beans, then you will need to add 400g of nibs/liquor to your recipe. The rest applies to all of the other ingredients, until all ingredients combined, weigh 1000g (100%).
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Post by cheebs on Aug 16, 2009 12:19:13 GMT -5
Hi Jill,
Cocoa percentages are measured as the sum of cocoa solids and cocoa butter.
Here's a basic Milk formula that fits just right in the Santha:
Milk 43% Ingredient Weight Percentage Total Cacao Percentage Cacao 650 19.46 42.81 Cocoa Butter 780 23.35 Milk Powder 700 20.96 Sugar 1200 35.93 Lecithin 5 0.15 Vanilla 5 0.15 Total (in grams)3340 100 (in pounds) 7.36
Well, I tried making a nice neat table for you but it looks like the forum software can't take formatting... sorry if it's a little confusing.
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Post by hautechocolate on Aug 16, 2009 23:22:24 GMT -5
Thank you both. I guess I am used to measuring in pounds and ounces, and I'll have to start thinking in grams and kilograms. That's MUCH easier math! (I was never top of my math class) S
So I guess I'll have to make up some kind of quick recipe formula (in excell probably), so I'll only have to do the really hard thinking once when I make up the formula. And Cheebs, the "chart" was helpful, because then I have something to compare my math to.
Thanks again! I'll give it a try and see what I get.
JiLL
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Post by cheebs on Aug 16, 2009 23:50:40 GMT -5
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Post by hautechocolate on Aug 17, 2009 15:41:50 GMT -5
Wow!! Thanks so much! Of course this is very helpful.
JiLL
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Post by Alchemist on Aug 22, 2009 9:49:47 GMT -5
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