Chocolate manufacturing & Ganache
Temperature at which liquids should be added to a slabbed ganache.
105F or lower
What type of emulsion is a butter ganache
Water-in-fat
What is the function of water in sugar cookery?
To dissolve sugar
What is the difference between fudge and fondant?
Fudge contains dairy
What is a fat system? Give two examples of a fat system
A fat system is a system of solid particles within fat. E.g. chocolate and nut pastes
Name two reasons why ganache separates.
Name two ways to restore a separated ganache.Reasons for separation:
1) agitation at too cool of a temperature
2) excessive fat
Ways to restore separated ganache:
1) Warm ganache to 92F. If it fails
2) Add minimum amount possible of a low fat liquid such as a spirit or syrup
What kind of sweeteners should be used in a butter ganache? Why?
Nongranular sweeteners should be used because there is not enough liquid in butter ganache to dissolve granulated sugar
When making hard candy, why is the citric acid added after the sugar is on the marble and not during cooking?
To prevent excess inversion which will soften the sugar
What is the difference between fudge and caramel?
Fudge is crystalline and caramel is noncrystalline
What kind of emulsion is marzipan?
Water in fat emulsion
Define chocolate liquor. Name the two processes in which chocolate liquor may be used in.
Definition: the liquid produced when cocoa beans are ground into a paste, releasing the cocoa butter. Also a legally allowable name for unsweetened chocolate.
1) it can be pressed in order to separate it into cocoa butter and cocoa powder
2) the liquor is mixed into a batch of chocolate
liquefiers in a butter ganache
liquefiers in a butter ganache are liquid flavorings and butter
What does dextrose equivalence indicate?
Expressed as a number, it represents the % of bonds broken in the starch
Unadultered starch: 0DE; 0% bonds broken
Converted starch: 100DE; 100% bonds broken
What are the two key steps in fondant or fudge to form small sugar crystals?
Cool first then agitate
What is a saturated solution? Supersaturated?
saturated: a syrup that cannot dissolve anymore sugar without being heated
supersaturated: a syrup that is holding more sugar than it could have dissolved at that temperature
Glucose and invert sugar
1) increases shelf life (lower water activity)
2) improves texture (smooth); by acting as doctoring agents, preventing the recrystallization of sugar
3) better stability; increases viscosity which prevents separation
name the two types of cocoa butter crystal forms and their characteristics. Which two of the six forms of crystals are stable?
Unstable: not strong, no snap; lower melting point
Stable: strong structure, good snap; higher melting point
Forms V and VI crystals are stable
Why would caramels/brittle/toffee experience insufficient browning (4 causes)?
1) temperature reached during cooking too low
2) insufficient protein (milk solids)
3) Insufficient reducing sugars (glucose/invert sugar)
4) candy cooked too quickly
Why would liqueur cordial shells be too thick or too thin?
Cooked too much water out (thick) didn't cook enough out (thin)
Marzipan separates when there is excess oil which can be caused by cooking your sugar to too high of a temperature (evaporates too much water). Add liquid during grinding to stabilized the emulsion.
Butter produces a softer product due to the eutectic effect caused by combining cocoa butter with butterfat which lowers the melting point.
Name two differences when making piped versus slabbed butter ganache. Why?
For piped: warm butter to 20C/68F and cream with sweetener to aerate; holds better shape and provides a light mouthfeel
For slabbed: warm butter to 30C/86F and combine butter with sweetener gently; avoid aeration as it will cause slabbed ganache to not cut uniformly
How does dextrose equivalence affect taste and viscosity in glucose syrup and why?
The higher the DE syrup, the more chains are broken down which leads to a less viscous and sweeter product.
Low DE = High Viscosity = less sweet
High DE = Low Viscosity = more sweet
What causes finished fudge to be too soft? (3 causes)
Excessive moisture (cook to a higher temperature)
Too much invert sugar
Insufficient crystallization (agitate more)
What is the standard ratio for gianduja? Why is it not necessary to follow exactly?
1 part chocolate : 1 part sugar : 1 part nuts
Gianduja is not an emulsion, it is a fat system which means it does not contain water so there is no danger of separation or spoilage