All markets are built upon the backs of slave labor....until they aren’t
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Ask the Alchemist
First time maker. We had some issues for sure but the one thing you for sure take for granted is how to work somewhat cleanly, and how to handle liquid chocolate well. We made a serious mess and it was quite a process to get the melanger clean again. So turn that big brain on and dump all your knowledge about working with chocolate and cleaning. Please be gentle with me.
At this point, just make the chocolate as you would any other" isn't recipe directions. Would you call it a recipe for oatmeal cookies if I just listed the ingredients and then wrote, "Just make them like you would any other cookie"? Your "recipe" has only left me with dried nibs. Then what???
I’m not joking around today, we’re talking about a sensitive topic in the Chocolate Industry. Cocoa Moths.
How does latent moisture in your ingredients (like Cocoa beans) change the working properties of your chocolate? Alchemist john ran some experiments to find out.
The Alchemist answers some common questions about using and making Cocoa Butter Silk.
“A year ago I took a chocolate tasting class from the IICCT. During a tasting in the class, the instructor said that he tasted a little rancid cocoa butter in one of the samples. He said that it is something that many of the tasters are starting to notice during some tastings. So, if rancid cocoa butter is an issue, what temperature are we supposed to be storing it at?”
After such a long and in depth viscosity discussion last week, I think we all deserve a simple speed round of Q and A.
Imagine you have a big, thick, gooey slime. Now, if you try to push your hand through the slime, it resists and feels sticky. That’s because the slime doesn’t like to move quickly when you apply force to it. We call this “viscosity.”
Alchemist: How much chocolate have you made?
Petitioner: You nailed it there! I'm new and haven't made any chocolate yet. My background is manufacturing and I'm just completing an MBA. I am going to be hiring a consultant for picking the right taste profile for my business. My apologies if these questions seem quite ignorant.
Tempering silk butter is the bomb.
You would make a ton of sales if you would invent a way to make a melanger for under $100. Why don’t you do that? The market could really use it or a cheaper way to refine chocolate.
Why the hell didn’t I think of making a $100 melanger...oh wait....
I also just watched you winnow using a hair dryer and it looked like it worked well. My only missing piece is cracking the roasted beans. My Question: Rather than purchase a Champion Juicer, I'm wondering if there might be an effective alternate (cheaper) way to accomplish the cracking?
Drum roasters are so expensive. They are only a drum, motor and some heat. Isn’t there a cheaper alternative? Couldn’t I roast in a pan like they do where they make the cocoa beans. Would you tell me how to do that? Should I use low or medium heat?
I am opening a chocolate factory and want to make the best chocolate and know price is very important to sales. What is the cheapest bean you have? They must support the farmer. And can you turn them into nibs for me so I don’t need to buy so much expensive equipment.
What an interesting set of questions I’ve been receiving this last year. Well, I am using the term interesting in sort of a gently sarcastic way. I find them interesting because
When you make liquor, some solids are screened out by the (Champion) juicer. However, when you just add nibs straight into the melanger, all these solids end up in the chocolate. Is there a difference in the end product either way?
In the attached, are the temperatures mentioned air temperatures or bean surface temperatures?
Level: Novice maker, Apprentice cook
Read Time: 10 minutes
I really enjoy the ruby beans last year and want to try some of the mole you mentioned this year. Can you give me the recipe?
I have a love affair with deeply authentic Mexican mole. I adore the hours of preparation, sourcing the ingredients, the attention to detail, soaking, frying, chopping, blending this way and that, the long simmering and further smoothing all in services to the symphony of flavors of chili, spice, cocoa, savory umami and tradition that culminates in a dish that fulfills this place in my heart…..and sometimes…..I just don’t have the time or energy to do that.
My compromise is what I’m calling Gringo John’s kind of authentic in spirit but not really authentic at all Oaxacan black mole coloradito rápido.pulled pork.
I will readily admit it isn’t quite as good and rich and utterly delectable as a traditional mole but it is significantly more approachable and stands a chance of actually getting made and does satisfy and fulfills that place in my heart on many levels. There are still many ingredients but they are pretty well available and you can have the entire thing made and cooking in only 5-10 minutes. Most anywhere you see a dried or powdered ingredient, you can kick it up a notch by changing it out for the fresh version. Oh, and of course, the chocolate I’m using is the unfermented Oaxacan Lavados we are currently offering. When it runs out, any other 80% or even unsweetened chocolate will do, but I find this one has a particular punch that I really like. Without further delay:
Gringo John’s kind of authentic in spirit but not really authentic at all Oaxacan black mole coloradito rápido.pulled pork.
Mole sauce
Optional add ins
1/2 c raisins
2 Medium tomato or 15 oz can fire roasted, chopped
3 Tomotillos, chopped
3 T seaseme seeds, ground
3 T almonds
4 oz Oaxacan 80% Lavados chocolate chopped or grated
3 T chili powder (Ancho powder If you can, but we are making this gringo style so whatever)
2 T Paprika (smoked if you can)
2 t cayenne pepper (or chipotle) or to taste
1 T dried garlic granules
1 T dried onion flakes
1 T black pepper, freshly ground
1 T cumin ground
1 T coriander ground
1 T cinnamon powder
1/2 t clove powder
1/2 t oregano
2 T masa harina
2 T vinegar of choice, I like balsalmic.
2 cups boiling water
For the pot
2-4 lb pork butt, salted
Oil of choice, bacon grease is my choice
1 large onion
Preparing the mole sauce:
Combine all the primary mole ingredients in a 1 quart mason jar and puree with an immersion blender. If you don’t have one, many blenders or food processors will work but be very careful that the boiling water does not cause it to spray out (been there, done that, 0/10 would not recommend).
If you want to add any or all of the optional ingredient, add those and blend again until smooth.
You can use this now or put away for another time.
Making the pulled pork
Pre-heat to 350 F
I like to salt my pork butt liberally on all sides, and let set for 1-3 days in the refrigerator (thank you Acid Salt Fat Heat https://www.saltfatacidheat.com/) but you can use it fresh also.
Heat an pan (I love my iron pans but non-stick are fine too) with about 2 T of oil just to smoking. I adore rendered bacon fat but use what you have. Sear the pork on all sides, 1-2 minutes per side, not forgetting the two ends.
Slice the onion, put in the bottom of a Dutch oven or baking dish with lid. Place the seared pork on top and cover with the mole sauce, and place in the oven.
After 30 minutes, turn down to 200 F and cook for 3 hours.
Pull the pork apart and mix well.
I love this served on fresh corn tortillas that I’ve made myself but you do you.
And for those that want to try their hand at some authentic mole, please check these out. You will see pretty quickly where my inspiration came from.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/mole-coloradito
Think of this as the start of a FAQ. I also want to note there are some oddly phrased questions below and I’m leaving them as written, not to make fun of anyone as it is pretty obvious they are from folks who do not speak English as their first language and being monolingual myself, I applaud them for writing in. Their English is worlds better than my Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin or Italian.