Jade Chocolates’ Blog

The following is a photo journal of the class I took with Chef Andrew Shotts.  Some details may be missing as only the photos shown here are described. I highly recommend you take a class for a more thorough and complete understanding.

 USING A GUITAR CUTTER

1. Align edge of ganache to the edge of the guitar and slowly lower the handle.  Use your free hand to make sure that the ganache does not move.

2.  Use a thin sheet metal to transfer the cut ganache and back onto the cutter. In this photo, a clear straight edge is used to guide the ganache onto the sheet metal.

3.  Wipe the strings with a dry towel.        

                                                                                                                                                                                                    4.  Load the cut ganache back onto the cutter at a 90 degree angle. Use a straight edge to position the ganache.

5. In this photo, the top of the ganache was cut flush.  Sometimes the edges of the ganache may bowed and should be fixed for a consistent product.

6.  Separate out the cut squares and let dry for one day before enrobing. 

DECORATING ENROBED OR HAND DIPPED CHOCOLATES

USING TRANSER SHEETS

1.  Once you have enrobed your chocolate pieces, place a transfer sheet onto the top of the wet chocolate.  Using a dipping fork, gently press the down on the sheet using small circles to making sure that the entire surface of the bonbon is in contact with the transfer sheet. 

2.  Preferably, wait one day before peeling off the transfer sheet.  Your bonbons will get a shinier surface.

HAND DECORATING

1.  In the photo shown, a piping tip is used to  decorate the top of the bonbon.  (The bottoms of the pieces have a noticeable foot due to the change in speed in the enrobing belts).

A dipping fork may be used to decorate your piece or just about any suface that can give an interesting texture.

2.  The design from the piping tip is subtle and beautiful.

TIPS FOR USING MOLDS

 1.  Cocoa butter to be sprayed into molds should be at 86 degrees F. If it gets too hot, pour back and forth between two containers as shown in the photo until the desired temperature is achieved.

2.  Spray the molds and let sit to dry.

3.  Turn over the mold and clean the excess cocoa butter off by rubbing the mold onto a paper towel.

4.  Using a ladle, pour tempered chocolate over the mold.  Slightly angle the mold as shown and using an offset spatula, wipe away excess chocolate.   Tap out the air bubbles on the side of the table and turn the mold over back into the bowl. 

5.  Turn the molds over and let it harden.  Chef Shotts recommends that the molds should be made the same day that it is filled and used up to an hour in advance.

6.  Pipe the ganache into the prepared molds.  Be careful not to over fill the molds. The photo taken here, shows the proper way end your to piping.  Once the mold is filled, stop the flow of ganache with your thumb and forefinger while the tip of the bag is buried into the piped ganache.  This eliminates the ‘top of the hershey’s kiss effect’.  This is important when sealing the bottom of the bonbon.

7.   Slightly angle the mold as shown and ladle chocolate onto the mold.  Go up softly with a palette knife and make sure that the chocolate covers the top cells.  Then using a soft gentle motion, sweep the chocolate downward over the remaining cells in the mold.  Once you are certain that all the cells are covered, press firmly with a palette knife and sweep away the excess chocolate.

8.  Leave the molds in the refrigerator for for about 10-15 minutes so that the chocolate has sufficient time to contract away from the mold.  The finished pieces are shown here.

This is just a few of the techniques we learned.  If you want to know more, take one of Andrew Shotts classes.