I've been thinking some more about getting a temperer
vs. tempering by hand (with or without a marble slab).
Any comments on these thoughts?

1. A tempering machine is mostly useful for holding
chocolate in a tempered, liquid state suitable for
dipping. If you're just blending chocolate and casting
into a mold, you actually want to dwell for the minimum
amount of time in the molten state. A tempering
machine automates the temperature control and
keeps the batch in temper by constant stirring,
but it does not prepare the seed for you. Unless
you need hold chocolate in temper for dipping,
a tempering machine is just an expensive source
of heat (albeit with good temperature control).

2. A marble slab is used for some manual methods,
because the methods assume a) you've got one for
other confectionery work, and b) you'll be using the
tempered chocolate for dipping, rolling, etc. for
which having it on a marble surface is the traditional
way of laying it out in preparation for other work,
and c) the seed is prepared by spreading out some
liquid chocolate on the slab to solidify. A doesn't
apply to me, because I don't already have a
marble slab. B doesn't apply, because I'll be casting
into molds. C is avoidable by preparing the seed
using a different method (like grating up a chocolate
bar). So, I think I don't need or want a marble
slab. A Kitchen Aid mixer might useful for blending
the melted chocolate(s) and adding flavors, and then
for adding the seed, but I don't need a temperer
or a marble slab.

I'm thinking the best chocolate melter would be to
find a precision temperature controller (probably
an OEM unit) and using it to control a crockpot
slow cooker. I can't use the existing temperature
controller, because it doesn't go low enough and
has too much hysteresis (gap between turn-on
and turn-off temperatures). And I should go to
a potter to make a replacement ceramic crock
for the crockpot. It would have the same outer
dimensions, but the walls would be at least three
inches thick to increase its thermal mass. The
inner cavity should be the size of whatever tray
I use to hold the chocolate. It can be pressed
into the clay before firing, to ensure good fit.

If I had two of these modified crockpots, I could
have two stable temperature environments,
one for melting and another at the tempering
temperature.

at Fri, 23 Apr 2004 02:24:39 GMT in >,
(Mark Thorson) wrote :

>I've been thinking some more about getting a temperer
>vs. tempering by hand (with or without a marble slab).
>Any comments on these thoughts?
>
>1. A tempering machine is mostly useful for holding
>chocolate in a tempered, liquid state suitable for
>dipping.

The other application where it is handy is when you need to temper a large
quantity of chocolate. For instance, hand-tempering 3 kg of chocolate isn't
exactly practical. A tempering machine spares the effort and does have very
useful precision.

>2. A marble slab is used for some manual methods,
>because the methods assume a) you've got one for
>other confectionery work, and b) you'll be using the
>tempered chocolate for dipping, rolling, etc. for
>which having it on a marble surface is the traditional
>way of laying it out in preparation for other work,
>and c) the seed is prepared by spreading out some
>liquid chocolate on the slab to solidify. A doesn't
>apply to me, because I don't already have a
>marble slab.

The marble-slab method is good for small batches, and as you imply, if
you've already got a slab sitting around, it's an easy thing to do.
Tempering by marble slab gives good results in a minimum of time when the
amount of chocolate you need to do isn't bulk. But if the only use you have
for a marble slab is tempering, it is indeed a waste of money. I use mine
for many things - chocolate, pie crusts, puff pastry, and more, so there's
value there. However, I would look at my other options seriously if I
didn't do other stuff.

>I'm thinking the best chocolate melter would be to
>find a precision temperature controller (probably
>an OEM unit) and using it to control a crockpot
>slow cooker.

I don't know how precisely the temperature in crock-pots can be maintained.
But the idea is sound. If you made your vessel adaptable to a water jacket,
it'd be still better. One thought I have is to make some modifications to
an ice cream maker - it has the right type of components, just the wrong
temperature range.

However, any time you start to speak of modifying household appliances,
you're generally in for a bigger project than you think. Appliances seem to
be diabolically designed so as to frustrate any attempt to modify them -
you find a lot of proprietary fittings, power couplings, etc. and nothing
interchanges. Then you'll find the specs on some part go out of whack when
you change *anything*. It can turn into a nightmare fast. On balance I
don't think you're really any further ahead, if you look from a standpoint
of total cost, than buying a temperer.

>If I had two of these modified crockpots, I could
>have two stable temperature environments,
>one for melting and another at the tempering
>temperature.
>
Thus if the objective is to minimise cost (i.e., stay below the price of a
marble slab), the best option is very simple - a good double-boiler, a
burner with a low, quickly adjustable setting, and a precision instant-read
thermometer. The burners are easy to get - what you want is a portable
hotplate, preferably gas. Double-boilers are a bit more challenging if you
want to stay within budget. But an excellent method is to use a pyrex pot
and a good stainless steel bowl. If you match them well so that the bowl
seats nicely in the pot (easy to do) there's virtually no steam escape, and
you can monitor the temperature of the water visually. Then, in order to
temper, you simply spoon some of the chocolate up the sides of the bowl,
wait for it to get just solid, and scrape it back down into the rest of the
mix. Use your instant-read thermometer to gauge temperature accurately, and
remove when at your desired temper. It all sounds very makeshift but it
actually works very well and doesn't require going crazy with modding
appliances or buying expensive equipment.

--
Alex Rast

(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

"Alex Rast" > wrote in message
...
> at Fri, 23 Apr 2004 02:24:39 GMT in >,
> (Mark Thorson) wrote :
>
> >I've been thinking some more about getting a temperer
> >vs. tempering by hand (with or without a marble slab).
> >Any comments on these thoughts?
> >
> >1. A tempering machine is mostly useful for holding
> >chocolate in a tempered, liquid state suitable for
> >dipping.
>
> The other application where it is handy is when you need to temper a large
> quantity of chocolate. For instance, hand-tempering 3 kg of chocolate
isn't
> exactly practical. A tempering machine spares the effort and does have
very
> useful precision.
>
> >2. A marble slab is used for some manual methods,
> >because the methods assume a) you've got one for
> >other confectionery work, and b) you'll be using the
> >tempered chocolate for dipping, rolling, etc. for
> >which having it on a marble surface is the traditional
> >way of laying it out in preparation for other work,
> >and c) the seed is prepared by spreading out some
> >liquid chocolate on the slab to solidify. A doesn't
> >apply to me, because I don't already have a
> >marble slab.
>
> The marble-slab method is good for small batches, and as you imply, if
> you've already got a slab sitting around, it's an easy thing to do.
> Tempering by marble slab gives good results in a minimum of time when the
> amount of chocolate you need to do isn't bulk. But if the only use you
have
> for a marble slab is tempering, it is indeed a waste of money. I use mine
> for many things - chocolate, pie crusts, puff pastry, and more, so there's
> value there. However, I would look at my other options seriously if I
> didn't do other stuff.
>
> >I'm thinking the best chocolate melter would be to
> >find a precision temperature controller (probably
> >an OEM unit) and using it to control a crockpot
> >slow cooker.
>
> I don't know how precisely the temperature in crock-pots can be
maintained.
> But the idea is sound. If you made your vessel adaptable to a water
jacket,
> it'd be still better. One thought I have is to make some modifications to
> an ice cream maker - it has the right type of components, just the wrong
> temperature range.
>
> However, any time you start to speak of modifying household appliances,
> you're generally in for a bigger project than you think. Appliances seem
to
> be diabolically designed so as to frustrate any attempt to modify them -
> you find a lot of proprietary fittings, power couplings, etc. and nothing
> interchanges. Then you'll find the specs on some part go out of whack when
> you change *anything*. It can turn into a nightmare fast. On balance I
> don't think you're really any further ahead, if you look from a standpoint
> of total cost, than buying a temperer.
>
> >If I had two of these modified crockpots, I could
> >have two stable temperature environments,
> >one for melting and another at the tempering
> >temperature.
> >
> Thus if the objective is to minimise cost (i.e., stay below the price of a
> marble slab), the best option is very simple - a good double-boiler, a
> burner with a low, quickly adjustable setting, and a precision
instant-read
> thermometer. The burners are easy to get - what you want is a portable
> hotplate, preferably gas. Double-boilers are a bit more challenging if you
> want to stay within budget. But an excellent method is to use a pyrex pot
> and a good stainless steel bowl. If you match them well so that the bowl
> seats nicely in the pot (easy to do) there's virtually no steam escape,
and
> you can monitor the temperature of the water visually. Then, in order to
> temper, you simply spoon some of the chocolate up the sides of the bowl,
> wait for it to get just solid, and scrape it back down into the rest of
the
> mix. Use your instant-read thermometer to gauge temperature accurately,
and
> remove when at your desired temper. It all sounds very makeshift but it
> actually works very well and doesn't require going crazy with modding
> appliances or buying expensive equipment.
>
> --
> Alex Rast
>
> (remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

I went crazy trying to temper--and more importantly, keep in
temper--chocolate for dipping. I tried the water bath method, the heating
pad method, and all that. I went through about 5 digital thermometers.

Since I have granite countertops, I was able to use them for tempering.
That's the easy part. It's keeping the chocolate in temper while you work
with it that will make you crazy.

Appliances used to warm other substances simply aren't sensitive enough for
chocolate, and also don't go down to a low enough temperature.

If you are going to occasionally mold a few items, you can use makeshift
methods. If you are planning to produce any quantity , do yourself a favor
and get a tempering machine. I have the ACMC machine, and it works fine.