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Cake balls, Choc. NOT MELTING!!!

post #1 of 31
4/3/10 at 7:08am
Thread Starter 
Help! Ok, last year I tried doing cake balls and it didnt work out, I just couldnt work with the choc. melting...so I ended up with my CAKE BALLS TOWER CAKE in my pics...out of buttercream and ALOT of hours into it!!!!

so this year the same customer wants CAKE BALLS ....AGAIN!!!! I did alot of reading and so forth, and its EASY! Why cant I do it!???

I thought maybe it was the choc.'s I got so I tried again last night and took my time, thought Ill do some for easter as practice. I baked my strawberry cake, and froze my cake balls waiting for the melted choc. This time I bought BAKERS ALMOND BARK...Wow!!! It melted and I was able to make like 15 cake balls out of a whole package, not many bug I did it. So I thought I have Wilton Disks candys to melt, Ill do it slow and the same way...NOPE!!!!

I did it the same way in the microwave, and the first batch crystalized!!!! so I got another package thinking maybe it was an old package, and nope this time it wouldnt melt!!! it got cakey and mushy but still not melted.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???? I HAVE 20MORE CAKE BALLS TO DO TODAY FOR TOMM....I'd prefer to work with the microwave an not a broiler on the stove.
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
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Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
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post #2 of 31
4/3/10 at 7:25am
That's very odd??? I know when water contacts chocolate mets they tend to seize up...did you add any flavorings to the mix?
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post #3 of 31
4/3/10 at 7:28am
Thread Starter 
No, not at all!....I did as I did the other BAKERS CHOC....I put it in a glass bowl, and did it 30 secs at a time. kept stiring it also....and wont melt...

and Ive used several different bags of those Wilton candy disks, thinking maybe I had an old bag and it was stale?....lol

I cant do this!!!! whats the deal?
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
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post #4 of 31
4/3/10 at 7:41am
I have the most consistent success using a double boiler to melt my chocolate (with my old Revereware sauce pan and insert, so steam doesn't come through). As long as I melt it fairly slowly, I don't have a problem.

How powerful is your microwave? Do you often have things that cook it in faster than others do? Slower?

The discs must melt eventually. Are you using full power? Half power? How many times have you pressed "start" on your microwave?

It sounds like when it crystallized, either you melted them too long so they got too hot, or some liquid got in them somehow. And, I would guess that the discs are not melting now because they need more time.

I've been using those discs for 26 years and never had them not melt. Keep at it. icon_smile.gif
"To laugh often and to love much..., to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to give one's self..., this is to have succeeded."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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"To laugh often and to love much..., to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to give one's self..., this is to have succeeded."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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post #5 of 31
4/3/10 at 7:50am
Thread Starter 
Microwave has never had a problem cooking foods like it suppose too....like I said it did my BAKERS CHOC. just fine.

I did put them in a 6" deep bowl and I did:
30 secs, stop, stir good, 30 secs, stop stir...

I have NEVER worked with a double broiler!!!! and so afraid!!!! and now I have to do these in the sneak cause they are for tomm..and so doing the broiler thing will let the cat out of the bag...faster in mircowave...lol

I cant believe this!!!! So is it not possible to do them in the mircowave?....or do I need a flatter surface and spread each disk out seperate?...Im assuming Im using full power...I dont even know the size of my microwaves wattage!
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
post #6 of 31
4/3/10 at 7:58am
That is so strange! One thing you might check though-are you covering your chocolate in the micro? If even a drop of condensation gets into the chocolate it can seize. Sometimes moisture can collect on the roof of the micro and fall into the item being cooked. Maybe if you aren't covering, put a paper towel over the top and try it? Otherwise, I am at a loss here. It must be very frustrating for you. icon_sad.gif I can say that I have had very good success with Merkles chocolate wafers though. Any of the Wilton white or pastel colors I have used have been horrible to work with. This may be another 'Wilton' issue?
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post #7 of 31
4/3/10 at 7:58am
How much total time have you microwaved the current bowl? And how full is the bowl?

If I microwave, I'm using using smaller amounts, maybe half a cup at a time. I'm not really familiar with larger amounts and how long that takes. But even a half a cup can take several 30 second intervals. And they keep their shape when they are "melted" until you stir them.

Try putting a 1/4 cup of discs in a small bowl/Pyrex measuring cup and see if they melt with less than 5 30-second bursts.
"To laugh often and to love much..., to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to give one's self..., this is to have succeeded."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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"To laugh often and to love much..., to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to give one's self..., this is to have succeeded."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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post #8 of 31
4/3/10 at 8:05am
When I make my cake balls, I melt the chocolate in my slow cooker (on low) and I've never had any problems with it. You might give that a shot!
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post #9 of 31
4/3/10 at 8:06am
Thread Starter 
Ok, Im going to have to try once everyone leaves for a bit, in the meantime, I have to run to the store again!!!! These will be the most expensive cake balls ever!!!! lol

No I dont cover them at all....
1. out of the bag
2. into a glass bowl
3. in microwave 30 secs at a time
4. stop, stir
5. keep the procedure going to try and melt them...

thats what Ive done....Im telling you, if its gonna HAPPEN, IT'LL HAPPEN TO ME!....lol
come on, how hard can this be!!!! everyone does BEAUTIFUL CAKE BALLS, and I cant get ONE!....lol that darn cake towerl tree took me like 14hrs to make with BC icing!!!! lol
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
post #10 of 31
4/3/10 at 9:51am
I'd suggest putting it on 50% power (or defrost if you dont have power settings) and cooking it for 90 seconds at first, stir and then 30 second intervals after that, stirring between each interval.
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Jasmine
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Jasmine
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post #11 of 31
4/3/10 at 11:24am
Thread Starter 
Ok, Im back from being in town with more candy melts...lol....Im gonna try this again. DH is taking a nap now, we are both EMS...so our shifts are odd, and this is for DH easter basket...so while DH is out of the way, here I go again...ATTEMPTING CAKE BALLS....lol

thanks for all the support I appreciate it....
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
post #12 of 31
4/3/10 at 12:31pm
Thread Starter 
ok, I went with the Barks Almond...and I tried again....Im stirring it like crazy....and am fast to get it on the cake ball...AND STILL....can not do it!!!!

I got only 2 cake balls that look perfect all the rest look matted!!!! I give up this is the 3rd time trying this. and with different candys.

Notice the choc. came out smoother and I did the rest the same way...but still cant do it right.
LL
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Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
post #13 of 31
4/3/10 at 12:50pm
I make chocolates a lot and always use an electric fying pan with it set on the lowest possible setting fill with water and put a glass bowl in there with the chocolate, that way it stays melted and you can work ith it longer.

I dont have the patience to melt it in there though and use the microwave, I usually do 1.5 minutes until it melts and then stir, the melted chocolate and hot glass bowl will eventually melt the chunks that have not melted yet.

Maybe your bowl and chocolate is quite hot but just not given a chance to melt the remaining choclate chunks? let it sit for a minute and then stir again???

White chocolate melts much faster and seizes much faster than milk chocolate as well so you have to be more careful with white.
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post #14 of 31
4/3/10 at 12:56pm
Thread Starter 
ok, so I have to get ahold of a frying pan....put water in it...already hot? or let it get hot in the pan?.....

then put a bowl in the water, and add the choc?...or do I start it in the microwave first and then move to fry pan?...SORRY...
Im so frustrated, this is simple and I cant do it!....lol

and white melts faster...everyone has beautiful cake balls and mine are clumpy and ugly....lol...
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
Dede Wilson (cake decorator) I dont want people to look at my cakes and say: It's to pretty to eat. I want them to look at them as dessert and want to eat them. .
Reply
post #15 of 31
4/3/10 at 1:04pm
you can add hot water from the tap or let it get hot in the Electric frying pan, either way is fine, once it is hot (it should not be simmering AT ALL, just hot, I can dip my finger in but not hold it in there) You can jus tput the chocolate wafers/discs in unmelted OR start the melting in the microwave.

When I am turning the dial to start my frying pan I turn it just until the light comes on so it is not really even set to the lowest setting it is lower than that.

Maybe since you are having trouble with the microwave method try just putting the unmelted chocolate in the bowl in the Electric fying pan and waiting for it to melt.

White OR Milk choc can be done that way, I have never had white or milk seize in the bowl in hot water, ONLY in the microwave so try avoiding it to see if that works for you.
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