I purchased a mold (see link  below) for a flan.  It is small, and it came with no directions or recipe.  It is meant to be used as a steamer (the store employee told me that today).  I DID search google, but the recipes are for larger molds or call for baking.  I am NOT a good cook or baker, so I need all the help I can get in order to not ruin the end product.  Per the website, it has a five cup capacity.  I realize this is a tall order, but I would appreciate any help.   Thank you in advance!   https://www.google.com/search?q=Nicul+Flan+Pudd ..read more

Hi: The stone base in my wet grinder/melanger has become smooth where the wheels track.  It's quite polished, slippery to the touch.  Time to replace, or fine to continue using as is ..read more

Well folks - it has been a long time since our last report in 2019.    We are here in Buffalo getting ready to head off to start our first of 3 days of play!     Breakfast will be ready ..read more

Hi all!   My daughter and I are headed to Belgium this summer, just for a few days, and would love to sample and visit some great spots.  Right now we just have Chocolate World in Antwerp on our agenda. I'd love any suggestions on unique (or not unique!) chocolate or pastry experiences. Or places to avoid!   Thank you! Jen ..read more

It appears that New York is the only state where making chocolates in a home kitchen is prohibited. Here is the explanation from the Dept of Agriculture website.   Any comments are welcome ..read more

Hi Friends!   I'm calling upon you for help. Below is my current spray set up. The spray shelter is super easy to throw up and collapse & store.   I'm wondering if anybody has a solution for containing the cocoa butter mist that fills the room when they're spraying, that they wouldn't mind sharing  All my equipment is in one room, and I'm getting tired of cleaning grime off of stainless steel, lol!   The shelter traps whatever's moving forward, but a lot of what I spray comes back at me and disperses into the air, f.i.l.l.i.n.g the room with a cloud of at ..read more

I remember making glasses from sugar and honey and spices long ago, edible sheets of crunchy food, but now I can't find any evidence on the internet such things exist except for the basic sugar glass. Isn't it possible to mix and dry other things to this texture (even if not as transparent)? I saw it as one of the basic textures, you can emulsify, jellify, etc. or make it very crisp. Does it have a different name? Do you have recipes and tips for making "glasses"? If they manage to add fruit flavor even better ..read more

Hello everyone, The truth is that I have not written before in this forum but I do read it daily and I know that there are very experienced people in everything related to chocolate. It is for this reason that I wanted to ask for your help with the following: I'm trying to make liquor-filled bonbons, I've tried coating them with cocoa butter before closing, but almost all leak.If I make the closure only with chocolate, it's a disaster   Can anyone share a method for doing this and stop pulling my hair?   Thank you in advance ..read more

Hello everyone, I’m having an issue with my panned chocolates. The chocolates appear to be smooth and uniform in color before polishing. However, once polished, the surface is no longer smooth and it has this undesired "cracking" and “rusty” pattern.   For the polish agent, I am using: Arabic gum in water solution in ratio 3.5 : 6.5, at volume of 0.3% - 0.2% and then 0.1% of the total weight of the batch until it glosses. For shellac in a liquid solution, its ratio 3:7. at volume around 0.3%, sometimes more. Around 20kg and more per batch.   Room temperature around 22C (tro ..read more

Have to say that most of the chocolate which I 'melt' I do over water using a stainless bowl whose flanges far outreach the edge of the pot. So far, so good. The other melting is putting the chocolate into the heated cream for ganache. Tempering in my Revolation except when away from home and then I use a Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave, once I have figured out the particular microwave I am using. Not exciting, but it's what I do ..read more