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    *See 'TEMPERING" (Yucatan) - real chocolate below
    Chocolate
    Methods to melt chocolate
    GENERAL INFORMATION


    MERCKENS RAINBOW WAFER COATINGS
    Listed below are the ingredients of Merckens Rainbow Coatings. I hese products are of the Imest quality as evident by tne flavor and extra-smoorn texture.  Care should be taken with Rainbow Coatings to identify finished products correctly so there is no confusion between these vegetable fat coatings and Chocolate, which, according to F.D.A. specifications, contains Chocolate Liquor and Cocoa Buner. Additional information about Chocolate appears below following Rainbow ingredients. 

    ***STORAGE CONDITIONS
    Merckens Rainbow and Chocolate coatings should be stored at temperatures 65° - 70°F and relative humidity 50%.

    MERCKENS RAINBOW COATING INGREDIENTS
    RAINBOW  WHITE
    Ingredients: Sugar, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Dry Whole Milk, Glycerly-Lacto Esters of Fatty Acids, Lecithin (an emulsifier), Salt and Vanillin (an artificial flavor).

    RAINBOW  GREEN, ORANGE, PEACH &YELLOW
    Ingredients: Sugar, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Dry Whole Milk, Glycerly-Lacto Esters of Fatty Acids, Lecithin (an emulsifier), Salt, Vanillin (an artificial flavor) and Artificial Color(includes FD&C Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine).

    RAINBOW  PINK, BLUE, ORCHID & RED
    Ingredients: Sugar, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Non Fat Dry Milk, Dry Whole Milk,Glycerly-Lacto Esters of Fatty Acids, Lecithin (an  emulsifier), Salt, Vanillin (an artificial flavor) and Artificial Color.

    RAINBOW  BUTTERSCOTCH
    Ingredients: Sugar, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Dry Whole Milk, Glycerly-Lacto Esters of Fatty Acids, Lecithin (an emulsifier), Artificial Butterscotch Flavor, Salt and Artificial Color (includes FD&C Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine).

    RAINBOW  PEANUT BUTTER: Ingredients: Sugar, Fractionated Palm Kernel OiL Non-Fat Dry Milk, Peanuts, Dry Whole Milk, Cocoa, Glycerly-Lacto Esters of Fatty Acids, Lecithin (an emulsifier), Salt, Natural and Artificial Flavor.

    RAINBOW  COCOA DARK
    Ingredients: Sugar, Fractionated Palm Kernel OiL Cocoa, Non-FatDry Milk, Dry Whole Milk, Glyceryl-Lacto Esters of Fatty Acids, Lecithin (an emulsifier), and Salt

    RAINBOW  COCOA LITE
    Ingredients: Sugar, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Non FatDry Milk, Cocoa, Dry Whole Milk, Glycerly-Lacto Esters of Fatty Acids, Lecithin (an emulsifier) and Salt
     
     

    RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING MERCKENS RAINBOW COATINGS

    Hand Dipping
    Melt coating to 115°F. Cool to 100°F and hold Cool a smell puddle on slab to 85°F. - 87°F. (until thickening occurs) then add from the 100°F source.

    Enrobing
    Melt coating to 115°F. Cool to 86° - 88°F. Hold for a few minutes (until thickening occurs). Reheat to 92° - 95°F and start enrobing Continue to add coating to enrober at 92° - 95°F in small amounts as needed Cool in tunnel as done with chocolate.

    Moulding
    Melt coating to 115°F. Cool slowly to 93°F Deposit molds. Cool in tunnel or room at 45° - 65°F.
    Note: Vegetable fat products may be subject to a flavor change in the presence of moisture or nut meats.


    MERCKENS CHOCOLATE BUTTON COATINGS
    Chocolate must be tempered to obtain the stability and gloss associated with a fine Chocolate product Merckens has Dark and Milk Chocolate now available in the "Button" shape for your convenience.
    MERCKENS CHOCOLATE BUTTON INGREDIENTS

    YUCATAN DARK CHOCOLATE BUTTONS
    Chocolate Liquor, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Lecithin (an emulsifier) and Vanillin (an artificial flavoring).

    MARQUIS MILK CHOCOLATE BUTTONS
    Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Whole Milk Solids, Chocolate Liquor, Lecithin (an emulsifier) and Vanillin (an aritificial flavor).



    EASY CHOCOLATE COATING METHOD
     
    INFORMATION FILE:

    “CANDY MOLDING”

    Welcome to the delicious, exciting, and creative World of Candy making. For your molding pleasure, Confectioner's Chocolate Coating is, in our opinion, the World's finest. It requires no tempering --- just melt and use.

    NOTE: You can use this type of chocolate, or "Compound Coating" for anything calling for paraffin or wax. Just use this and omit that potentially harmful! wax!

    With these molds and materials, one can in their own kitchen, duplicate the kinds of molded objects found in the finest candy shops. Not only can they be made as good or better, but it can be done at little more than half the cost of purchasing the finished piece. An added value is the enjoyment and satisfaction of having made something that is taste- exciting --- and perhaps original.

    To prepare the coating for molding, it must first be melted. This is usually done by placing the coating in the top section of a double boiler over hot water. Do not let the water in the bottom section of the double boiler touch the bottom of the top section. A very low heat can be maintained under the double boiler, but do not let the water boil. Should the water boil it would cook the coating, causing it to thicken and become unusable. Care should be taken that no liquids get into the melted coating (particularly water), as this would cause the coating to grain. For this reason do not place a lid on the double boiler over the melting coating, as moisture will form and drop into the coating, causing it to grain. Melting will be hastened if the coating is stirred occasionally. When the coating is completely melted, it is ready for molding.

    Before pouring the melted coating into the plastic mold be sure the mold is clean and dry. Greasing, spraying, or dusting is not necessary and would in fact ruin the appearance of the finished candy.

    The melted Confectioner's Chocolate Coating can now be spooned (or use a candy funnel or squeeze bottle) into the mold cavities. It is best to underfill the mold cavity. Overfilling will cause a lip to form at the edge of the molded piece. Tap mold on the table or counter top to release any air pockets that may have formed. This can be checked by lifting the mold and looking at the underside.

    Insert sucker sticks into the filled mold cavities by placing the sticks in the slots provided for that purpose. Be sure they are inserted far enough into the melted coating to have good holding power, but not so far that you have a short stubby handle. Roll the stick in the slot to be sure it is well coated. You may wish to add a small amount of melted coating to the stick area to give it additional strength.

    When mold cavities are filled, place mold in freezer or refrigerator only long enough for the melted coating to chill and become firm throughout. This will take approximately 10 minutes in the freezer or 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove mold from refrigeration, turn upside down, and the molded piece should fall out. If not, then flex mold slightly or return to refrigeration. The molded sucker should come out with a bright shiny finish.

    As a general rule, all candies including suckers, should be stored in a cool dry place. You may wish to dress up each sucker by placing it in a  small plastic bag and securing (the open end around the stick) with a colorful thin tie.

    If (due to warm weather or other heat conditions), your Confectioner' s Chocolate should arrive soft, or showing evidence of having melted, do not be concerned. This will not affect the quality or usability of the product. The coating is very forgiving. It can be melted, allowed to cool and become firm, and remelted several times.

    The versatility of candy as a gift and for special occasions is unsurpassed. It is most personal and is appropriate for practically all occasions. With a small amount of practice one can become proficient at candy making and will not only have solved the sometimes troublesome gift problem, but will also have saved a substantial sum of money.

    For those of you who are already knowledgeable in the art of molding candy, and for those with a flair for a more colorful item, may we suggest our white and colored coatings. These coatings can be used to pour a one-color molded item, or to create a multi-colored molded object. You are limited only by your imagination.

    Wash mold only in warm water. Store flat. With reasonable care you can expect many years of service from your mold.

    At Sugarcraft, we carry a complete line of these candies. This chocolate comes in: Milk, dark, pastels, deep red, green, peanut butter, butterscotch, and several other flavors like lemon, strawberry, & mint.


    “Easy Chocolate Tempering & Candy Coating Uses”
    by Marsha Winbeckler #VDO-1 $40.00

    Marsha has been a candy-making and cake-decorating instructor since 1981 and has won many awards in these areas. She is the author of the book Cocoa and Chocolate Painting and is the editor of two international cake and candy newsletters.
    The topics Marsha Winbeckler covers in this video tape are:

    Easy Chocolate Tempering
    A simplified Chocolate Tempering Technique
    Hand Dipping Centers

    Candy Coating Uses
    Melting Methods
    Using Candy Flavors & Colors
    Center Recipes (Included with this tape)
    Dipping Centers with a Dipping Fork and Spoon
    Painting Molds in a Variety of Candy Colors
    Candy-Coating suckers
    Candy Gift Packaging

    To order the video, see our VIDEOS page HERE


    TEMPERING METHODS
    Using a Tempering Kettle
    A. Melt the coating to 100-110°F.
    B. Cool the jacket to 70-75°F.
    C. Allow the coating to cool to:

      1. 77-78°F if Milk Chocolate
      2. 78-79°F if Dark Chocolate
    D. Hold the coating at this temperature until it starts to thicken:
      1. Thicker coating means more "seed" crystals.
      2. Thinner coating means there are less "seed" crystals.
    E. After the coating has started to thicken, gradually warm the jacket to a temperature of approximately 92°F.
    F. Allow the coating to warm to:
      1. 86-87°F if Milk Chocolate
      2. 89-90°F if Dark Chocolate
    G. When the coating has reached this temperature, reduce the jacket temperature to 1°F above the temperature of the coating.

    Hand Dipping
    A. Melt some coating by either:

      1. Placing some coating in a saucepan in a warm oven:
        a. Do not heat above 120°F.
        b. Stir occasionally while melting.
      2. Or placing some coating in a double boiler:
        a. Use low heat.
        b. Stir coating while it melts.
        c. Do not allow water or water vapor to come into contact with the coating.
    B. Cool the melted coating to about 92°F.
    C. Pour about 1/2 lb. of the melted coating onto a cool surface.
    D. Mix and fold the coating by hand until it becomes fairly thick.
    E. Mix the two together very thoroughly:
      1. Add more of the 92°F coating if it is still too thick.
      2. Add less of the 92°F coating for more advanced temper.
    F. Coat the centers:
      1. Cover the center with the tempered coating.
      2. Shake the excess coating off the center.
      3. Place coated center on a tray, foil or waxed paper.
      4. Trace a design on the top using a finger.
    Important Temperatures
    A. Work area  75-85°F
    B. Moulds  78-82°F
    C. Candy centers  70-75°F
    D. Cooling tunnel  65-70°F (initial cooling) 
    .....Cooling tunnel  45-50°F (main cooling) 
    .....Cooling tunnel  65-70°F (final phase) 
    If there is no cooling tunnel, cool on trays in a 65-70°F room.

    Useful Tools
    A. A thermometer - preferably a metal thermometer that can be calibrated.
    B. A wooden handled spatula with a rubber blade.
    C. Metal saucepans.



    MORE INSTRUCTIONS:

    CHOCOLATE TEMPERING PROCEDURE
    In order to temper Chocolate you should have the following equipment
    I. Two (2) metal pans.
    2. A source of heat such as an oven or double boiler.
    3. A mixing spoon or a spatula (a wooden handle rubber blade plate scraper is ideal).
    4. A thermometer.

    METHOD OF TEMPERING
    In an electric oven, seton warm In adouble-boiler, set over low heat, slowly melt some Chocolate until it is about 100°F. Mix the melted Chocolate thoroughly with a spoon or spatula. Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and pour about 20% into a separate pan. Allow the larger amount of chocolate to cool in room temperature air until it become 90° - 93°F. While that is cooling, take the pan with the smaller amount of chocolate and cool it in air stirring chocolate constantly until it thickens. When it starts becoming pasty, combine it with the chocolate that has been cooled to 90°- 93°F. Mix the two together thoroughly. The chocolate should now be in temper and ready for use. (the temperature of the mixture should end up between 85° - 87°F. for Chocolate).


    Other Pages with Candy Related Items, click the ball:
    Pages
      Books, recipes & Instructions
      Candy Apple Items 
      Candy Colorings
      Flavors for candy, Oils etc.
      Candy roses
      Chocolate and compound coatings
      Spoons
      Dietetic Chocolate ingredients page
      Fillings, flavors, colors, candy centers, candy eyes, etc.

      Tools for candy making, Marzipan, etc.

      Transfer Sheets

    Paper wrappings for candies pages:
      Boxes for candy (cake & other boxes here)
      Bags, sealer machine etc
      Cups for candy, all sizes, shapes & colors, also see HOLIDAY
      Foil squares, wrappers etc., for candy
      Sticks, sucker

    MOLDS FOR:
      Molds for chocolate LIST of all pages
      Mint molds, Flexible rubber for fondant or sugar
      NEW Miniature chocolate Charms for all occasions
      Hard candy related items (Hard Tac)
      Lolipop molds for hard candy: PAGE 1, PAGE 2
    .
    MORE - help and recipes
    HELP! & Chocolate INFORMATION file - Guides you on how to make chocolates
      Candy Recipes page