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Real chocolate or almond bark for cake pops?

post #1 of 12
6/29/11 at 1:18pm
Thread Starter 
I have made several cake pops but never used real chocolate. I had a problem with the almond bark have tiny tiny clumps in it. (as a side question any idea why this happened? too hot maybe?) Anyways I have never used real chocolate and know you have to thin it but does it work well?
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post #2 of 12
6/29/11 at 6:15pm
Candy melts work well. I find almond bark awfully sweet. the little bits are either 1) choc got too hot or 2) bits of cake from the cake balls.

You can put the warm choc thru a tea strainer.
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Answers to the most often asked questions re: SPS. SPS instructions are on Page 15 of the Sticky at the top of the Cake Decorating Forum. Supplies can be ordered from Oasis Supply, Global or BakeryCrafts.
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post #3 of 12
6/29/11 at 11:59pm
Thread Starter 
Oh wow thank you! It is the too hot thing I do believe. I wondered about that but never thought of a tea strainer. Brilliant. icon_smile.gif thank you!!!
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post #4 of 12
6/30/11 at 12:20am
I only use real chocolate. But the cost is much higher. I would go with what the market will bear and what is line with the general pricing of your other products. Plus, take into consideration how much you need to sell... or are they just a side offering?
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post #5 of 12
6/30/11 at 9:21am
I personally dislike candy melts and find them harder to thin out than chocolate...but maybe I'm just special. lol...

I just made them the other day by melting chocolate over a double boiler and it worked out perfectly (I put a photo up, it's the most recent in my album)...I've only made them once, so I'm not sure if I did this right, but I put them in the fridge a few minutes after dipping and left them there. But now as soon as I touch the chocolate, it starts to melt a little. I'd rather it not do that because it gives me the impression that they'll melt in warm temperatures...is there anything I can do? I've been keeping them in the fridge.

scp1127--do you add anything to the chocolate? I've never really melted/dipped chocolate on a regular basis, but I read online the other day that it needs to be tempered? Maybe that's my issue?
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post #6 of 12
6/30/11 at 11:08am
aces, I have a chocolatier in our town with worldwide shipping, but a little retail store too. I plan on getting the chocolate from her. She said it will need to be tempered. I have not started selling them yet, so I haven't tried her chocolate on them. Cake Truffles are on that "to do" list to add to the bakery. In experiments, I used Ghirardelli's. I didn't temper it and it was dull. I was more concerned with method. So when I sell, yes, which also adds to the cost. My chocolate is $10 wholesale. I haven't priced them out yet, but they will have to be higher than the going rate.
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post #7 of 12
6/30/11 at 11:46am
Have not used almond bark, have used candy melts and chocolate. Candy melts imo are much easier to use (do not have to worry about tempering the chocolate).

Chocolate must be tempered otherwise is will come out dull looking and it "soft"-- that is it will not snap when you break it after it cools. In terms of the cake pops it will not have that initial "crunch" when you bite through the chocolate shell. I know if I purchased cake balls covered in chocolate I would expect them to not be dull and to have the snap of tempered chocolate.

There are various opinions on how easy to temper chocolate--I have tried it twice and not been successful (a chocolate thermometer supposedly makes things a lot easier). No matter how easy it is something you do not have to worry about with candy melts.
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post #8 of 12
6/30/11 at 12:00pm
That's what I was saying... the chocolate needs to be tempered. In my experiments, I didn't bother. But it will be another step, thus expense, when I sell them.

Suggestion: A chocolate thermometer helps in the process. It also works great to determine room temp in cake batter and other ingredients that should come to room temp.
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post #9 of 12
6/30/11 at 12:38pm
Thanks! From what I've read, tempering is just getting the chocolate back down to about 90 degrees F and keeping it there while dipping, right? <---chocolate newb
I do need a thermometer...are chocolate thermometers pretty easy to find? I saw a candy thermometer at Walmart for like $3.75 yesterday, but I know chocolate thermometers measure lower temps specifically for chocolate.
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post #10 of 12
6/30/11 at 12:51pm
I think mine was $19 from Bed Bath and Beyond. Some of my recipes must be about 72 degrees for the batter and sometimes I microwave milk to get it room temp. This thermometer is great for that. Plus it is in spatula form so you can stir the chocolate or anything else with it while you temper.

There are many google places for tempering chocolate and troubleshooting. Just have your computer by you when you try it. I forgot my formula, but I refer to it in a notebook when I temper.
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post #11 of 12
6/30/11 at 3:20pm
Honestly, I wouldn't get the chocolate thermometer. The infrared thermometers are instant read and don't require any cleaning when you're done. I find it works much better (and neater) than any other thermometer. Plus, you can use it for just about anything. However, remember it only reads the surface temperature, so you need to make sure you stir the chocolate will before taking a reading.
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post #12 of 12
6/30/11 at 6:42pm
I have had several bad experiences with higher priced thermometers and I am tired of buying them and later they lose calibration, not just by a certain number of degrees, but no rhyme or reason. I have gone back to the ones with the glass tube, such as the Taylor candy thermometer and the chocolate thermometer.
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