Press Releases & Other Info

Press Releases

Anything dipped or coated in chocolate must be dipped in tempered chocolate. The only alternatives are to use “Compound” (a chocolate substitute which tastes a bit odd) or to keep it in the fridge - for example, the freezing cold truffles served in some restaurants where they have cheated by keeping them in the freezer. When such things reach room temperature, they quickly become a sticky mess. They also have to be made daily since chocolate goes off (discoloured and often grainy) if frozen too long.
Tempered chocolate is also used for chocolate decoration, candies, chocolate cups, chocolate leaves, scrolls, lattices, dipped fruit, truffles and shiny chocolate patisserie.

A multitude of uses

The Chocolatier électronique can be used in any business, speciality shop or service organisation that caters to the fine taste of their customers and clients, such as cooking schools, restaurants, bakeries, ice cream shops, gourmet food shops, coffee shops, catering services, hotels and chocolate shops. And, of course, for home use.

The machine can form a strong base for the home cottage industry. Presently thousands of people produce compound products for resale, but these are generally considered inferior to real chocolate, and because there has previously been no economical or easy means to prepare and use real chocolate, many continue to use compound. 

The Revolutionary Chocolatier électronique

The little machine is deceptively simple. One puts the chocolate in the bowl and presses a button. A  fan blows warm air onto the bowl melting the chocolate as the bowl turns. When the chocolate has melted completely, just pressing another button causes the temperature of the pool of chocolate to be first lowered and then raised to a precise point at which, miraculously, it is tempered.

The secret of the machine is its patented electronics and temperature-measuring device which controls the whole process to within one tenth of a degree fahrenheit. Tempered chocolate is extremely sensitive to temperature.

The Chocolatier électronique will process as little as 4 oz (100 gms) of chocolate and as much as seven lbs (3 kilos) an hour if one tops up the pool of chocolate with more melted chocolate as one uses it. As a marker, one pound of chocolate is enough to dip 100 small chocolate truffles.

Key features

The Chocolatier électronique is versatile. It will process all types of chocolate including dark, milk and white chocolate.

The entire process is automatic. The user has no need to monitor or adjust the chocolate-making process along the way. A means of varying viscosity of the chocolate once it is tempered is provided by a ‘Thick’ and ‘Thin’ control.

The machine is fast. Typically, tempered chocolate is ready to use within fifteen to thirty minutes after starting, depending on the amount of chocolate and the ambient temperature - ideally between 68 and 75 degrees fahrenheit, humidity below 50%.

There is no waste. Chocolate which has been tempered in one session and not used can be allowed to solidify and then re-used. Chocolate that has gone out of temper can easily be brought back to the proper tempered state. 

The Chocolate Products are Fresh

As with other foods, freshness is important, but since chocolate doesn’t spoil (in the normal sense) the degredation of flavour and aroma are gradual. The chocolate connoisseur generally gives chocolate a shelf life of three to four days after tempering; the industry looks at one to two weeks. 

The Chocolatier électronique will help to produce products generally unavailable, such as dipped fresh fruits of all kinds (shelf life just a few hours), chocolate-covered grapes and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

How to order the Chocolatier électronique
The machines are now available in several sizes and can be ordered from Chocolate Tempering Ltd, e-mail 10a Albert Court, London SW7 2BL. Telephone: 020 7584 2300

Prices start at £499.00 plus VAT (including free delivery) for the basic model, complete with a 30-day money-back guarantee and one year warranty; a technical helpline and service is also available.

Transparencies available upon request
e-mail - jim@jomd.demon.co.uk

ENDS
Press Enquiries: 
Cathy Fox  - e-mail admin@cardinalholdings.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7584 2300

What People Are Saying

Mark Blacker, general manager of V.Benoist Ltd, firmly believes the new automatic tempering machine will change British attitudes towards working with chocolate. “Many
people are scared stiff of it and a simple machine like this will encourage more people to use and experiment with real chocolate,” he said.

“At the moment, I’d say that around 70-80% of all couverture used in British restaurants is not tempered, although many would dispute this”, he said. “As an ex chef and patissier, I know what hard work tempering is and even if you are very good at it you haven’t got the time to mess around when there’s a restaurant full of diners outside. The availability of the Chocolatier Electronique will, I hope, lead to more chocolate being tempered in the UK.”

William Curley, pastry chef at The Savoy, saw the machine being demonstrated by Claire Clarke from Claridges at The Restaurant Show. “I can see it has great potential,” he commented. “Its ability to keep the chocolate continually in temper is pure magic for a busy chef. As a long term investment, I’d say the machine would be a valuable asset to the kitchen.”

Sara-Jayne Stanes of The Académie Culinaire de France tested the machine back in her kitchens. “It does a great job, “ she said. “It is particularly good for small amounts - which take as long to temper by hand as larger amounts do - and it’s great to be able to get on with something else while it tempers. It’s light and compact and I think it would be very helpful in any kitchen. I’d certainly buy one”, she said.

The verdict from one of Europe’s foremost chocolatiers, Gerard Ronay, is that the Chocolatier électronique gives a continual perfect finish that can be envied by many a
professional. “As the first machine of its kind, it is completely revolutionary; it is compact and it offers extended flexibility and repertoire.”

Lesley Gray, Principal of the Cordon Bleu Cooking School believes that for a lot of people the automatic tempering machine will be invaluable. “As a cooking school, we particularly like the no wastage element of the machine”, she said.

Catering industry guru Professor John Huber admits he was initially sceptical of a so-called ‘foolproof’ tempering process, but now sees the machine’s enormous potential. “I can see that it will be a great help to a lot of people and see it becoming an indispensible feature of the pastry kitchen,” he said.

Mandy Farrar-Khan of Admirable Crichton, deluxe caterers who make all their own truffles and are specialists in chocolate decorative work, can see an enormous number of uses for the tempering machine. “It’s great,” she said. “A fantastic time-saving device.”

Return to Order & Information Page