Hey,

does anyone know what happen to Fifth Dimension Chocolates (https://5dchocolates.com/)? I was used to by their advent calendar a couple of years ago, but this year their website doesn't seem to allow any purchase. Their facebook page is desert as well.

Nervous Gulp so I'm taking on the task of purchasing rum soaked nibs from a local distillery to make chocolate with. I'm excited but also nervous as hell as I want to make sure I store and dry them properly. I intended to oven dry (low heat) and dehydrate them (in dehydrator), but I'm a very teeny business and can only do so much at a time. I'll need to store the rest and was wondering if I stored them in a commercial fridge, will they last? Any thoughts? Experience? Advice? Thank you!!

Hello,

I have been using Guittard's 100% cacao bars and love the bite-sized pieces, liquor/extremely bitter taste (no sweetness at all really) and very hard, smooth texture. I purchased a bulk amount from a company called Taza and it tastes like licorice (it's quite sweet) and it's very gritty (I cannot eat it at all tbh, so I wasted a ton of money lol). I like the texture of Navita's but it tastes like a flower patch imo and doesn't come in bulk.

Anyways, I am highly obsessed right now but it isn't incredibly cost effective at $7.19 per 6 oz. I am looking for a way to get a bulk amount of 100% cacao online that has that same smooth bitter air. Ik this is a weird request, I apologize, but I really enjoy it lol. I typically purchase from Whole Foods but it is super far from my house, and it's not cost effective for me. Thanks for the help!

Hi! I am a home baker looking to start a hot chocolate bomb business but I despise tempering chocolate. I would love advice on the best affordable chocolate tempering machines! I am not overly fussed with perfection in the temper as I start out!

Roughly how many of those Lindt chocolate balls (unwrapped) would one think would fit in a 5 litre container?

I keep seeing cocoa nibs priced higher than cocoa powder. does anyone know why this is (even if the compamy is the same, the % purity etc).

i would have expected nibs to be cheaper, given they require less work, so I'm curious why they are always at a higher price point.

We are doing a Secret Santa at work for $25. The persons name I have has fancy chocolate listed. Any recommendations?

Back in 2018 a friend of mine would come to my house regularly and he would sometimes bring a pack of bite sized chocolate (think m&ms). I tried to look for it recently in stores near me but I could not find it (I'm assuming it was a limited time flavour). I also tried asking my friend if he knows about it, but he doesn't remember anything about it. I remember the colours of the chocolate/packaging being white/black/brown. I also remember the flavour to have been either coffee flavoured or cookies and cream (most likely coffee flavoured). The packaging is similar to hersheys drops. I tried looking up m&m flavours online but I could not find one that reminded me of it. I'm just hoping to figure out exactly what chocolate/flavour it is and then afterwards I can figure out how to obtain it.

For reference I live in Ontario, Canada.

Looking for a high quality option. Preferably organic. The recipients are health conscious. Looking to spend max $150. What’s the most bang for my buck?

Looking for the best 1lb box of assorted chocolates i can get for a friend living in NYC.

Thanks!!

Hello! I'm not very familiar with Reddit, so I'm sorry if this is the wrong place to ask; with the holidays coming up, I want to get my grandfather some chocolate cherries but the brand he prefers (Lowney Chocolate Covered Cherries) was discontinued in Canada sometime last year. I've been trying to find a good replacement, but I've had some trouble finding options that look like they're close in consistency (and a lot of the options available online have worryingly low ratings for how expensive they are), and as I'd never tried one I don't have firsthand experience on which ones are closest. Has anyone else been looking and found either a good replacement brand or a copycat recipe? Thank you very much!

So, I remember this chocolate bar from the mid-late 1990s, in Ontario. I'm almost certain is was called Avalanche, it was wafer, rice, caramel, and covered in milk chocolate. I believe it was in a blue wrapper. It was long and thing (Mr. Big-ish), and had a white cardboard sleeve.

I can't find information on it anywhere, and it's driving me insane. If anyone remembers this chocolate bar, please let me know!

EDIT: It has been found!

https://preview.redd.it/rnmcyes0ta2e1.png?width=718&format=png&auto=webp&s=ce928d86d7f1c783be121ecd3c293c4ed849b316

THE ULTRA-DETAILED RECIPE FOR THE ULTIMATE SPREAD

Hello,

Here is a recipe for a spread similar to El Mordjen that I created with the help of ChatGPT. I would love to hear your feedback on it and see how it could be improved.

---

### **Ingredients for a 500 g Jar**

#### **Main Base:**

- **300 g of roasted Piedmont hazelnuts**

- **350 g of white couverture chocolate** (Valrhona Ivoire, Amedei, or any high-quality chocolate rich in cocoa butter)

- **50 g of pure cocoa butter**

- **150 g of hazelnut caramel praline** (detailed recipe below)

- **120 g of whole milk powder** (organic or high-quality)

- **75 g of powdered sugar** (sifted)

#### **Flavors and Liquids:**

- **150 ml of homemade sweetened condensed milk** (or artisanal)

- **75 ml of heavy cream** (min. 30% fat)

- **1 vanilla bean from Tahiti or Madagascar** (*or 5-10 g of vanilla caramel syrup, see instructions below*)

- **1 pinch of fleur de sel** (ideally fleur de sel from Guérande or Persian blue salt)

- **Optional**: 5 g of unsweetened pure cocoa powder to balance the sweetness.

---

### **For the Hazelnut Caramel Praline:**

- **100 g of hazelnuts** (roasted and peeled)

- **50 g of light cane sugar** (*or regular sugar, see instructions below*)

- **10 g of water**

- **1 pinch of fleur de sel**

---

---

## **Step 1: Prepare the Hazelnut Caramel Praline**

1. **Make the caramel:**

   - Add **50 g of cane sugar** or **50 g of regular sugar** and **10 g of water** into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan.

   - Heat over medium heat without stirring at first.

   - When the mixture starts to bubble and change color, gently swirl the pan (do not use a spoon).

   - Continue cooking until it reaches a **golden amber color**.

2. **Add the hazelnuts:**

   - Remove from heat and add **100 g of roasted and peeled hazelnuts**.

   - Quickly mix with a wooden spatula to coat the hazelnuts evenly with caramel.

3. **Cool the caramelized hazelnuts:**

   - Spread the caramelized hazelnuts immediately on a sheet of parchment paper or a silicone mat. Let cool completely (10-15 minutes).

4. **Blend into praline:**

   - Break the caramelized hazelnuts into chunks and place them in a powerful blender.

   - Pulse, then blend at medium speed:

- **Granular stage**: The mixture will first become sandy.

- **Smooth stage**: After a few minutes, the hazelnuts release their oil and transform into a smooth, shiny paste.

- Add a pinch of **fleur de sel** and blend for a few more seconds.

5. **Store the praline:**

   - Transfer the praline into a bowl or jar. It’s ready to use.

---

---

## **Step 2: Roast and Process the Hazelnuts**

1. **Roast the hazelnuts:**

   - Spread **300 g of Piedmont hazelnuts** on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

   - Roast in a preheated oven at **140°C (285°F)** with fan circulation for **30 minutes**.

   - Stir the hazelnuts halfway through roasting for even toasting.

   - Once out of the oven, let them cool for 5 minutes.

2. **Peel the hazelnuts:**

   - Place the warm hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel and rub them vigorously to remove the skins.

3. **Blend the hazelnuts:**

   - Add the roasted hazelnuts to a blender and start blending:

- **Low speed at first** to break them down.

- **High speed next** to transform them into a smooth, shiny paste (5 to 8 minutes).

- Set the hazelnut paste aside.

---

---

## **Step 3: Prepare the Powdered Sugar and Milk Powder Mixture**

1. **Sift together:**

   - In a clean bowl, sift **120 g of whole milk powder** and **75 g of powdered sugar**.

   - Gently mix with a spoon or whisk to combine the two powders evenly.

2. **Set aside:**

   - Keep this mixture ready to add during the final assembly.

---

---

## **Step 4: Prepare the Infused Cream**

1. **Using a vanilla bean (Option 1):**

   - Pour **75 ml of heavy cream** into a small saucepan.

   - Add **the seeds and pod of a vanilla bean**.

   - Heat over low heat (50-60°C / 120-140°F), without boiling.

   - Let the mixture steep off the heat for **30 minutes**.

   - Strain to remove the vanilla pod.

2. **Using vanilla caramel syrup (Option 2):**

   - Pour **75 ml of heavy cream** into a small saucepan.

   - Heat over low heat (50-60°C / 120-140°F), without boiling.

   - Once warm, add **5-10 g of vanilla caramel syrup**.

   - Stir gently to incorporate. No need to strain.

---

---

## **Step 5: Melt the White Chocolate and Cocoa Butter**

1. **Melt over a bain-marie:**

   - Fill a saucepan with hot water and place a heatproof bowl over it (ensure the bowl does not touch the water).

   - Add **350 g of white chocolate** and **50 g of cocoa butter** to the bowl.

   - Melt gently, stirring with a silicone spatula.

2. **Incorporate the infused cream:**

   - Gradually add the infused cream (with vanilla bean or caramel syrup) to the melted chocolate, stirring gently to create a smooth emulsion.

---

---

## **Step 6: Final Assembly**

1. **Combine all components:**

   - In a large bowl, mix:

- The roasted hazelnut paste.

- The melted white chocolate and infused cream mixture.

- **150 g of hazelnut caramel praline**.

- The sifted mixture of **milk powder** and **powdered sugar** (add it gradually).

2. **Blend for the perfect texture:**

   - Transfer the mixture to the blender and blend intensively for **5 to 7 minutes**.

   - For a slightly less sweet spread, add **5 g of unsweetened cocoa powder** at this stage.

3. **Adjust the flavors:**

   - Add a pinch of **fleur de sel** to enhance the flavors.

---

---

## **Step 7: Rest and Maturation**

1. **Pour into jars:**

   - Transfer the finished spread into sterilized jars.

2. **Let it rest:**

   - Let the jars rest in the refrigerator for **48 to 72 hours** to allow the flavors to fully develop.

---

---

### **Vanilla Options Recap**

- **Vanilla bean**: Provides a pure, natural aroma through infusion.

- **Vanilla caramel syrup**: A practical alternative that adds a sweet, caramelized note to the spread.

---

### **Result**

This recipe creates a spread that is **silky smooth, intensely nutty, and perfectly balanced** in sweetness and texture. Every detail has been carefully considered for an extraordinary gourmet experience! 🎉

I have this bar at home. https://www.callebaut.com/en-US/chocolate-cocoa-nuts/L-60-40NV-132/darkchocolaterecipel60-40

I was planning to use much of it for baking, but to open it on Thanksgiving and put it out on a board after dinner. My question it this: with the lower cocoa butter (30.3% vs 37%) content vs "AllAround" bar, will this have a good mouthfeel? Will it be good for chipping off pieces and eating them?

Something that ships to Canada.

So I want to make a custom christmas calendar- a wooden one if that matters- for my partner and I wanted to put Ferrero Roches in there (Probably some others too but that's the main one I'm thinking of) and obviously they're already wrapped in foil but I just wanted to be sure there wasn't anything else I needed to do to keep them safe and good for the 25 days, thanks in advance for any comments!

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone can help me/advise on how to avoid white chocolate setting up too fast when trying to shell my polycarbonate moulds?

I use Belcolade white chocolate (I believe it's 28% cocoa butter) and increase the cocoa butter percentage by about 2/3, I follow the tempering guide on the back and always manage to achieve a decent temper but for the past 3 times, after filling the cavities it sets up way too fast to get a thin shell meaning I can't continue with the bonbons.

This evening I tried using a heater in my kitchen whilst making them, keeping the mould at 22 degrees Celcius with hairdryer/keeping the chocolate at working temperature in the piping bag, shelling 2 cavities at a time (which worked for the first 2 but not that well for the rest and made scraping more difficult), bringing the chocolate slightly above working temp so when it goes into the piping bag it doesn't drop below 28c and I just can't seem to stop it happening! I also ensure I'm working as fast as I can.

I am in the UK, the outside temp is around 1c and from memory I've never had this issue with other chocolates like milk, dark or even blonde. I thought it could be because it's so cold this time of year but I'm sure I have no issues with other types of chocolate. Do I need to increase the cocoa butter % by a large amount to bring it more in line with say milk chocolate? Or is it just the room temp? Any sort of guidance or help appreciated!

Thank you

This is the recipe we make in my house when we want hot cocoa but don’t want to whip out the saucepan.

Step 1: Boil some water in an electric kettle.

Step 2: Mix 1 tbsp of cocoa powder (I use hersheys dark), 1 tsp sugar, and a tiny bit of salt in a mug.

Step 3: Add some of the hot water in, just about 3 tablespoons should do it. (I don’t measure tho because that is tedious) If needed, swish it around so that everything is mixed in and incorporated.

Step 4: Fill the rest of the cup with cold milk.

Step 5: Pop it in the microwave until it is your preferred temp, I usually do about 1 min. Make sure to stir halfway through.

Step 6: Drink the hot cocoa and satisfy all your chocolatey cravings. 🫠🍫