Comments on: Making Chocolate at Home http://www.rcgrabbag.com/archives/making-chocolate-at-home/ Because one hobby just isn't enough Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:27:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: rcgrabbag http://www.rcgrabbag.com/archives/making-chocolate-at-home/comment-page-1/#comment-3515 rcgrabbag Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:44:31 +0000 http://www.rcgrabbag.com/?p=1006#comment-3515 My palette is probably not quite that sophisticated, but I can say that the home-made easily compares with the better brands, because the better brands use the fewest ingredients - less fillers. Just chocolate, sugar and maybe some added vanilla, cocoa butter and lecithin. The Criollo beans are generally regarded as the finest. I used a variety that had a very tangy, fruity taste to it, secondary to the chocolate taste. I used this one variety of bean for my very first batch of chocolate. I now blend about 3-5 varieties of beans when I make chocolate to "even out" the taste a little bit. The melanger is a necessity I'm afraid, due to the need to "crush" the sugar (sugar won't dissolve in chocolate liqueur) into particles too small to detect in the mouth. Otherwise you chocolate will be very gritty. The melanger also serves to "conch" the chocolate which drives off the effects of volatile acids in the mixture that would otherwise negatively affect taste. My palette is probably not quite that sophisticated, but I can say that the home-made easily compares with the better brands, because the better brands use the fewest ingredients – less fillers. Just chocolate, sugar and maybe some added vanilla, cocoa butter and lecithin. The Criollo beans are generally regarded as the finest. I used a variety that had a very tangy, fruity taste to it, secondary to the chocolate taste. I used this one variety of bean for my very first batch of chocolate. I now blend about 3-5 varieties of beans when I make chocolate to “even out” the taste a little bit. The melanger is a necessity I’m afraid, due to the need to “crush” the sugar (sugar won’t dissolve in chocolate liqueur) into particles too small to detect in the mouth. Otherwise you chocolate will be very gritty. The melanger also serves to “conch” the chocolate which drives off the effects of volatile acids in the mixture that would otherwise negatively affect taste.

]]> By: Orwa Diraneyya http://www.rcgrabbag.com/archives/making-chocolate-at-home/comment-page-1/#comment-3508 Orwa Diraneyya Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:25:00 +0000 http://www.rcgrabbag.com/?p=1006#comment-3508 Can you elaborate on how this home-made chocolate compares to best factory-made chocolates? I read that Criollo beans featured secondary, long-lasting tastes that were complex and pleasant, in addition to the main chocolate taste. Did you notice any of this complexity in taste while preparing chocolate from lots containing Criollo beans? Thank you very much for sharing. I am enthusiastic for this. I am thinking of buying a fruit press attachment for my Kenwood mixer which I think should function pretty similar to the Champion Juicer (I have the Major 1500W mixer which is a beast). The melanger is the one thing that is stopping me. I wish I could find a way around it. Can you elaborate on how this home-made chocolate compares to best factory-made chocolates? I read that Criollo beans featured secondary, long-lasting tastes that were complex and pleasant, in addition to the main chocolate taste. Did you notice any of this complexity in taste while preparing chocolate from lots containing Criollo beans? Thank you very much for sharing.

I am enthusiastic for this. I am thinking of buying a fruit press attachment for my Kenwood mixer which I think should function pretty similar to the Champion Juicer (I have the Major 1500W mixer which is a beast). The melanger is the one thing that is stopping me. I wish I could find a way around it.

]]> By: rcgrabbag http://www.rcgrabbag.com/archives/making-chocolate-at-home/comment-page-1/#comment-706 rcgrabbag Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:36:37 +0000 http://www.rcgrabbag.com/?p=1006#comment-706 I've gotten pretty good at it since making around 10 batches of milk and dark chocolates. I haven't used the liqueur in any baking, but I've made lots of candy which, in my own humble opinion, has been far superior to any off-the-shelf stuff barring Godiva and Ghiradelli. I've recently made peanut butter cups and I think I nailed the pb filling formula! I will get around to posting some updates in the near future. I’ve gotten pretty good at it since making around 10 batches of milk and dark chocolates. I haven’t used the liqueur in any baking, but I’ve made lots of candy which, in my own humble opinion, has been far superior to any off-the-shelf stuff barring Godiva and Ghiradelli. I’ve recently made peanut butter cups and I think I nailed the pb filling formula! I will get around to posting some updates in the near future.

]]> By: Annette Jimison http://www.rcgrabbag.com/archives/making-chocolate-at-home/comment-page-1/#comment-705 Annette Jimison Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:39:39 +0000 http://www.rcgrabbag.com/?p=1006#comment-705 This is excellent!!! I will definitely get all the equipment cause I just don't want to ruin the chocolate. I would love to know what you thought about the taste of your chocolate. Did you use it in any recipes, i.e., brownies, cakes or cookies, since you started making your own chocolate? I can see that you have a great shine on your chocolates! Very good job you two did! If you have done any further work in chocolate, please, post it! Annette This is excellent!!! I will definitely get all the equipment cause I just don’t want to ruin the chocolate. I would love to know what you thought about the taste of your chocolate. Did you use it in any recipes, i.e., brownies, cakes or cookies, since you started making your own chocolate? I can see that you have a great shine on your chocolates! Very good job you two did! If you have done any further work in chocolate, please, post it!
Annette

]]> By: rcgrabbag http://www.rcgrabbag.com/archives/making-chocolate-at-home/comment-page-1/#comment-660 rcgrabbag Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:48:35 +0000 http://www.rcgrabbag.com/?p=1006#comment-660 You can get by without all the equipment, but as you might imagine, the chocolate you make will be quite different than what you might be used to. For some examples, the mill to crack the beans is not necessary. You can do this by hand, but it's more difficult and takes longer. You don't need a roaster. You can roast cocoa beans in an oven. You don't need the tempering machine. This can be done on a marble slab, but requires some experience, so practice will be needed. The melanger is a tough one, and it's difficult to get by without it. Sugar doesn't dissolve in chocolate. You have to pulverize it until the particles are so small, you can't detect them while eating. That's what the melanger does. Without it, expect very gritty chocolate. The juicer is also a tough one. Hard to get liqueur from the nibs without it. Some folks have used coffee grinders, but if you're going to buy equipment to do it, you may as well get the one best suited for the job. So I would say the essentials are the melanger, and the juicer, and then of course, cocoa beans. I think all of this can be had for under $1,000. You can get by without all the equipment, but as you might imagine, the chocolate you make will be quite different than what you might be used to. For some examples, the mill to crack the beans is not necessary. You can do this by hand, but it’s more difficult and takes longer. You don’t need a roaster. You can roast cocoa beans in an oven. You don’t need the tempering machine. This can be done on a marble slab, but requires some experience, so practice will be needed. The melanger is a tough one, and it’s difficult to get by without it. Sugar doesn’t dissolve in chocolate. You have to pulverize it until the particles are so small, you can’t detect them while eating. That’s what the melanger does. Without it, expect very gritty chocolate. The juicer is also a tough one. Hard to get liqueur from the nibs without it. Some folks have used coffee grinders, but if you’re going to buy equipment to do it, you may as well get the one best suited for the job. So I would say the essentials are the melanger, and the juicer, and then of course, cocoa beans. I think all of this can be had for under $1,000.

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