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Ask the Alchemist, Cocoa Beans

Ask the Alchemist #262

Ask the Alchemist, Cocoa Beans

I attended the NW Chocolate Festival and wanted to follow up with you on a few things:

Ask the Alchemist, Cocoa Beans

Ask the Alchemist, Alchemist's Musings

Ask the Alchemist #260

Ask the Alchemist, Alchemist's Musings

Love this channel. I've yet to see anyone skilled enough to produce a quality video making dark milk chocolate without using caster sugar. Using Honey, maple or coconut sugar. Do you reckon you could think about doing such a video in the future?

Ask the Alchemist, Alchemist's Musings

Ask the Alchemist #259

Ask the Alchemist, Alchemist's Musings

Do I have to proof my nibs and sugar before starting my chocolate? I’m worried about caramelizing the sugars and getting off flavors that are not true to the bean.

Ask the Alchemist, Alchemist's Musings

Ask the Alchemist, Cocoa Beans

Ask the Alchemist #258 and A Quadfecta from Mexico

Ask the Alchemist, Cocoa Beans

How should I roast beans from Mexico?

Ask the Alchemist, Cocoa Beans

Ask the Alchemist

Ask the Alchemist #257

Ask the Alchemist

Today we have a speed round of questions.

Ask the Alchemist

Refining and Conching, Ask the Alchemist

Ask the Alchemist #256

Refining and Conching, Ask the Alchemist

What is the difference in a direct drive melanger and a belt or chain driven melanger?

Refining and Conching, Ask the Alchemist

Grinding, Ask the Alchemist, Alchemist's Musings

Ask the Alchemist #255

Grinding, Ask the Alchemist, Alchemist's Musings

I’m confused about making liquor in the Champion. In your videos you add nibs to the melanger. Why are you making liquor at all?

Grinding, Ask the Alchemist, Alchemist's Musings

Ask the Alchemist, Products, Roasting

Ask the Alchemist #254

Ask the Alchemist, Products, Roasting

I’m having some roasting trouble and would love to hear your opinion if you get a chance to respond. I’m using a Klarstein air fryer (1400w) to roast 1 kg of beans at a time.

Ask the Alchemist, Products, Roasting

Tempering, Ask the Alchemist

Ask the Alchemist #253

Tempering, Ask the Alchemist

Is a humidity of 70% too high to temper with?

Tempering, Ask the Alchemist

Ask the Alchemist, Refining and Conching, Tempering

Ask the Alchemist # 252

Ask the Alchemist, Refining and Conching, Tempering

Recently, I've been making honey chocolates (1 c cocoa powder, 1 c coconut oil, and 1/3 c honey) to remarkable success. However, my main issue is that the chocolate get soft (Though not melted) at room temperature, and it can get quite messy when someone picks it up to eat if it's not straight out of the freezer.

Ask the Alchemist, Refining and Conching, Tempering

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Ask The Alchemist Video Series

The Alchemist is always waiting for your questions and for over a decade has been giving in depth answers to the many common stumbling blocks, problems and fine details Chocolate Makers face daily. In this series we cherry pick some topics that need deeper dives or would be better illustrated from his text series "Ask The Alchemist" which is a mainstay of the site.