Posted by Gerard on December 07, 1997 at 20:35:39:
In Reply to: Retail Chocolate posted by Susan on December 07, 1997 at 12:44:12:
: : The only thing I'd do to make it easier at home is blend compound and couverture 50-50, that retains the good and takes advantage of the bad.
:
: Please tell me if I've got this straight -- a home cook might use a 50-50 blend of couverture and compound that retains the good (couverature tastes better and usually tempers correctly) and takes advantage of the bad (compound costs a lot less). Machine prices seem to start at around $700, so I'll definitely keep tempering the old-fashioned way.
: Many people love Hershey's, but it's not an option ... sick headaches every time. Unfortunately, I haven't found a place to buy Peters or Van Leer.
: Any opinions on Lindt's or Perugina (available locally) or Valrhona or Callebaut (mail order)?
: Susan
Lets see, If you can temper choc yourself sucessfully then go ahead and make the best chocs you can, my partner never could master it so she blended the 2 and melted it over hot water, stir to mix and dipped the truffles in that. It wasn't half bad (or half good I suppose), the excellent ganache she made for the truffle masked the coatings shortcomings.
A good tempering rig starts at $1,100, the cheaper ones aren't usefull. You know the saying, "junk is no bargain at any price".
Theoretically its possible to temper..or retain temper of the original mfgers temper by melting VERY slowly, not going over 100 degs, it probably would need to be done overnite in the oven with the pilot light for heat, I couldn't get it to work but my expert friend says its possible if not practical, tabliering is the fastest hand method but not as accurate as the full melt, cool and reheat process.
Are you allergic to lethicin? Hersheys in NOT a good quality choc, I'm as far as you can get to a food snob but hershey , ach.
Heres the logic I use, if you put the labor in you want to ensure within reason that quality comes out.
I haven't worked with Lindt but any european choc is bound to have advantages over the US chocs if you're tempering.
Chef Hans sent me an email re' european chocs which I thought usefull but my suppliers only carry French and swiss and they work great for me, I'd like to try the Belgium chocs but haven't bothered to order any yet.
You might want to ask Hans what he thinks of the different chocs. I found what works for me with the cocoBarry and Carma chocs, we now only use van leer for mousse and choc cake.
What exactly are you making with the choc?