# Chocolate...



## Jaye (Jan 31, 2004)

I'm wondering how to make chocolate.  I'm just playing around with making different things.  I figure I never eat real food anyway so I might as well make something I'll actually eat.  Candy.

Well, I saw a movie called chocolate and it was very inspirational.  I would really like to see how to make some chocalates and such.

Thanks for any info,

J


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## Jaye (Feb 1, 2004)

*Thanks..*

Thanks, I converted those to the non-metric measurements. Do the measurements need to be exact. I don't have metric measuring tools and in the conversion I get things like 1.08 of a cup.

Anyway I'm going to try to make some of this tomorrow and see how it turns out. Only I don't know if I can get a container to fit that much stuff.  That's a lot of honey!  Maybe that's less than I think... I'll let you know how it turns out!

Thanks again!


J


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## Jaye (Feb 1, 2004)

*Thanks...*

Thanks,

I'm going to try to make this today.  As far as when America will catch up to the rest of the world... I think real soon. In school science classes we learn to use metrics (but not how to convert, whoop dee doo).  All the drug dealers seem to also have caught up to the higher standard as drugs are measured in grams, kilograms, etc.

It's common knowledge that once schools and drug dealers follow a trend everyone else will too... right?

The above is a poor attempt at a joke.

-J


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## Jaye (Feb 1, 2004)

*ut oh..*

I bought the stuff. Followed the directions and.... I came out with this goo that smelled like chocolate, looked like chocolate, but it was a lot more like a chocolate gummy bear or something.

Everyone, including myself, was afraid of it too.  Hmm, I think maybe I heated it too hot too long or something.

Any ideas?


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## qahtan (Feb 5, 2004)

*chocolate.*

Can you honestly expect to make chocolate at home, you may make some thing that tastes like chocolate, but you never, never get get it smooth, so that it just disolves on the tongue like a cloud.

I think your interest in making some thing would be better put to bread making, no not by an ABM, it is also an art, but one that can be conquered at home. try it, you'l like it. qahtan


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## kitchenelf (Feb 5, 2004)

Jaye, too bad and I kind of laughed when you said you guys were afraid of it!!  I can see you all around taking quick peeks at it and then running from the room   

Maybe your next attempt will be better and IMHO you go ahead and make anything your heart desires and interests YOU - the only way we can learn is by trial and error and taking notes on those errors.   

Now, about that movie - did it spark interest in making chocolate? or the results of her chocolate?


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## Jaye (Feb 5, 2004)

*Not funny...*

Well okay it is funny if you think about it.  Everyone but my friend's sister were afraid of it.  And she was only being nice because I helped her peel some impossible potatoes.  (was horrible)

Anyway, I know I made the chocolate totally wrong. Now I need to know how to fix it.  So if you could help me out... I'd like that.

I'm supposing you mean the results of her chocolate as in the things she made that did the whole mind altering thing ... not into that really.  I like to keep a clear head.  I just think making chocolate would be kinda cool.  I can see it now.... "J's Cholcolatrie" (or is it chocolatry?)

I would attempt this again... but the ingredients are rather... expensive. And I know the problem is the gelatin.... I'm certain it is.  I'm not sure what else to use... I'm rather new at this.

Thanks,

J


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## kyles (Feb 6, 2004)

You can't make "chocolate" at home. Daisy's recipe is one I tried when I was a kid, and I think it is meant to be a substitute for country families in OZ who might have had those ingredients knocking around the pantry but were unable to get to shops to buy real chocolate. "Real" chocolate is a complex manufacturing process requiring access to raw ingredients such as cocoa mass and cocoa butter you can't buy as a home cook, and access to machinery such as conching machines you just can't replicate at home.

What you can do is learn the principles of turning blocks of good quality cooking chocolate into truffles, filled chocolates and fudges. I suggest you search google, or your local bookshop for a good book, you really need to see pictures of the step by step processes.

Buy yourself a really good sugar themometer if you are going to get into candy making, it's a must.

Alternatively try cake and cookie baking, this will give you a lot of rewards for not too much effort. (Non bakers need no reply to this comment!!!!!!   )


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## qahtan (Feb 7, 2004)

*Chocolate,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*

What's rice bubbles??????????????????qahtan


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## kyles (Feb 8, 2004)

Hi Daisy

It's really frustrating about the copha. You can't get it in England either, Copha is made from coconut oil, but without any flavour. There has beens some discussion on the BBC cookery programs as to whether the block coconut used for curries would be suitable, but I doubt it, as it is too highly flavoured.

We have cookeen in Britain which is similar to Crisco, but it isn't a substitute either, as uncooked and melted it is unpalatable unlike Copha. There is an Australia Shop in London, but it can't stock it either.

I've had to go two Christmasses without white christmas, and I can't make chocolate crackles either!!!! How can you have a kids party without them????


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## Atomic Jed (Feb 8, 2004)

call Atomic Jed! (he will look up a recipe!) I going to, Right Now! let me put this guitar down, and go to my bookshelf. A.J.!


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## Atomic Jed (Feb 8, 2004)

Well, my cookbooks say for a "lipid" or fat in leiu of "Crisco"etc. to use margarine, or butter. hope I helped! Atomic Jed!


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## kyles (Feb 8, 2004)

Thanks Jeddikins, but unfotunately, butter and margarine don't work as a substitute for this strange Ozzie ingredient Copha, it needs to be a white fat, and there is just nothing else in the world like it.

Chocolate crackles and white christmas just don't work with marj or butter, I've tried. They need the "drier" sort of fat. When Copha is melted and then sets again, it has a completely different consistency to butter.


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## Jaye (Feb 8, 2004)

*Chocolate is really hard..*

I learned from this that chocolate is hard. (unless I move to a different country of course).

Well, I'll see if I can't find something else to interest me for a while.

Hmmm... other candies.

-j


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## Jaye (Feb 21, 2004)

*That's pretty cool*

sweet


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## scott123 (Feb 22, 2004)

I would take kyles advice and learn how to work with good quality cooking chocolate.

Although the woman in Chocolat might have worked a little with actual cacao beans, ultimately she was more of a Chocolatier, making creations from chocolate, rather than making chocolate itself.

Technically speaking, chocolate is cocoa, sugar, and cocoa butter.  Replacing the cocoa butter with coconut oil will give you something similar.  Both of these cocoa based creations are pretty poor substitutes for the real thing, though.

If you have the time, learn to make a good ganache or a good truffle.  Nothing is more magical or romantic. Nothing is more in the spirit of a film like Chocolat.


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## Jaye (Feb 22, 2004)

I'll see what I can come up with.

Thanks,

J


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## choccyholiccelt (Mar 31, 2004)

hi first time here, re chocolate, just rec a batch of pupiers` chocolate de coverture, perhaps its just me, however I am having a hard time finding a recipe for moulding and sculpting, I need to have it pliable to produce flowers , leaves etc......any ideas?


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## kyles (Apr 3, 2004)

On the topic of couveture chocolate, to make it pliable it needs tempering. I am hopeless at this   And suggest you try looking on the net for instructions on how to temper chocolate. You MUST get a sugar/candy themometer for this. The teperatures must be accurate or you will have an expensive, sitcky mess. Better still, find a class on chocolate making, as I think tempering is one of those things best learnt from a professional. Good luck!


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## scott123 (Apr 3, 2004)

These are the best likes I've been able to find on tempering:

http://www.vantagehouse.com/customer/tempering_how_to.htm 
http://www.scharffenberger.com/library/tempering.htm 
http://www.chocolatier-electro.com/english/whatis2.htm 
http://www.grenadachocolate.com/tour/temper.html


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## choccyholiccelt (Apr 5, 2004)

thanks to all who responded, spent the weekend "tempering" working with chocolate was a relatively new experience for me, I work and design primarily in sugar, due to the fact I live in a rural area, finding a professional chocolatier to mentor me is impossible . getting the seed was perhaps the most difficult, the conditions for working on large commisions was a completely different experience , I would advise anyone to give this a try, I think I am now addicted,,,,,, I think I might look into an intense training course in switzerland or belgium, anyone any ideas on companys chocolatieers who offer this service?


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