Alex Rast wrote:
>> I don't think this is necessary, or even desirable, unless the
>> chocolate you are working with is over-thinned. If you set the mold
>> upside down on some kind of support such as chopsticks after filling
>> it, tapping/shaking it, dumping it, and scraping the excess, nothing
>> will pool at the bottom.
>
> Nifty idea. I'd never thought of that one. However, it seems to me
> that if you're doing that, your shells are really quite thin. My
> personal preference is for shells that are sufficiently thick that
> you actually have some bite to them. This is unlike the situation for
> the classic dipped truffle where a thin shell, if indeed, anything at
> all, is IMHO better, but for a moulded piece, my style has always
> been that it should lean heavily towards the shell in terms of
> amounts.

Yes, my shells are definitely thinner than yours in that case.

> I'm curious - what chocolate do you usually work with? I tend to be
> using fairly fluid high-cocoa-butter formulations - generally in the
> 40% cocoa butter range.

For shells that will be filled, I use El Rey Mijao almost exclusively. It's
a 61%. I occasionally use their milk (Caoba) and white (Icoa) for shells,
mostly around Easter. I do find that one coat of the white tends to be
marginal in terms of thickness. If for no other reason, simply because dark
fillings tend to show through.

The one preparation where I always do at least two coats--often three--is
bonbonnieres. I make a heart for Valentine's Day, and an egg at Easter. I
find that those require a buildup of layers in order to achieve a strong
shell, especially at the edge.

>> When the chocolate is setting but still soft--this
>> usually takes only a minute or two--turn the mold over and scrape off
>> the excess neatly with a bench scraper. You should achieve a proper
>> coat that is even.
>>
>>> Whichever method you use, chilling the centres is a good precaution.
>>> However, beware of condensation when you do this.
>>
>> I prefer to let them set up in a cool, but not chilled, environment
>> for that reason. Making chocolates by hand is a multi-step process
>> that takes some time, and trying to rush it usually causes problems,
>> in my experience.
>
> One thing I wish is that someone would make a controlled-temperature
> chiller for storage and creation of chocolate and chocolates in small
> volumes. Something about the size of a half fridge should do it. As
> it is, however, at least in a home setting generally the only
> practicable cool environment when the weather is warm is the fridge.

I heartily second that. I have one room that can be air conditioned, and
that is what I use when it is warm. And of course air conditioning helps
with the humidity also. Last summer, I found that a/c plus a fan directed at
the cooling truffles gave good results. I've looked into cooling cabinets,
but they are a pricey proposition.