I started going to Chocolate school after testing some amazing Chocolate.

Here is some of the theory around, tips and tricks

Flavouring framework

Width: Created by contrast

Depth: created by the same notes, flavour layering, enough depth can tilt the profile and provide width too.

Balance: Quantity of flavour, more than 3 flavours creates problems.

Ingredient  properties

Good chocolate has lots of coco butter (no palm oil or replacements). It is the source of good crystals, the Beta-5V we want. Whittakers  is the best of the shelf.

All NZ creams are good. There is no need to search for different cream types, like double cream, whipping cream, etc.

Tempering

• Movement: Vigorous movement is crucial for tempering, temper can me maintained with some more relaxed movement

• Temperature
• Time

Tempering with the Microwave: Start with pre tempered chocolate, 20 seconds bursts, with movement in between, continue till we have a 50/50 mixture of melted/unmelted, apply vigorous movement after this till there are no lumps, add 10 sec bursts if not up to temperature and there are no lumps . Always use a plastic container to heat the chocolate, glass continues to give heat so it is not good

Tempering by seeding: Start with melted chocolate over 40 – 45 degrees C(45 for dark), add 25 to 30 % chocolate pieces. Move the chocolate vigorously till there are no lumps left.

Testing: Use a dough scraper, not metal, dip and scrape the button, and set on the edge, with no contact, on a bench, should take around 4 minutes to set. Good shine, with no streaks.

Ganache:

Always pour the hot cream over the chocolate, in a different container, never add the chocolate to the hot pot that contains the cream

Techniques for ganaches:

• Infusion

When infusing always use ingredients that can be strained out, coarse, not powders

Bring cream to the boil and infuse covering with a cling wrap per the following table:

Coffee beans 8-10 minutes

Vanilla beans 8-14 minutes

Tea Leaves 4 minutes

Spices fresh 6-8 minutes

Spice dry 6-8 minutes

Herbs fresh 20 minutes

Herbs dry 8 minutes

• Puree

Add any puree, no juice, always fruit puree. When dealing with acidic fruits always bring the puree to the boil to avoid splitting the cream

• Emulsion

Use food processor to create an emulsion.

Glucose helps with the emulsion also helps with shelf life, coconut, freeze dry fruit can be added at this stage

• Post emulsion

Butter to finish creates gloss and adds richness.

Alcohol

Fruits and nuts for any texture

 

Mould chocolate

Polishing: Shine is achieved by polishing and drying the mould before starting, for this use cotton wool.

Skimming:  extra shine in chocolate can be achieved trough a double retraction, use your finger to dab some chocolate into the mould surface first, let it set, scrape the surface.

After the skimming is set pour in chocolate, vibrate, invert it and make it rain, do a blind scrape (while inverted) and another after that. Set the mould standing on the side for better temperature distribution for setting.

Scrape clean the surface once more.

At this stage ganache or filling can be pipped in.

Shells in moulds should be quickly warmed up with a heat gun if they have been set from one day to the other.

After that pour chocolate on the top and using a scrapper, in one single swiping motion scrape the chocolate.

You can set in the fridge for some time so proper shrinkage (good tempered chocolate does this) happens. Not more than 5-6 minutes, any cold and risks of condensation can happen

To de mould first twist the mould slightly, then set the mould on the bench with the longest part as sort of a hinge, and in one motion, like closing a door, bang the mould against the counter, slowly lift and remove the chocolate that came off. If there is some still stuck banging the mould in a 45 degree angle, holding it by longest sides, and striking the bench with the short part can help. After each motion always check for pieces that came out.