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Don't worry about bugging me!! Have a go by all means. A lot of recipes tell you to pour heated cream over, and stir it into unmelted chocolate. This method increases the risk of the ganache splitting -ie doing the things that my method shows you along the way before it comes together in the end properly. I'd you do choose all in one method, have a little extra cream ready to rescue your ganache at the end. Essentially mine is a less risky process and you always get a lovely glossy ganachexat the end. If you're in the UK - come and do a workshop with me. We can focus on things that you have particular interests in knowing more about just like this . Nenette www.nenettechocolates.co.uk

Effectively what I am doing is creating the ganache using a tempering method. The tutors at Callebaut teach it like this too. Adding heated cream to unmelted chocolate increases the risk that the finished ganache splits, and then you have to do the things that you describe to rescue it. And you'll change the texture as you have observed. Let me know how you get along with your experiments 😊 Nenette

@@NenetteChocolates Thanks. So no matter how you make the ganache, there's a chance it'll split. When making it with your method, warming both components, how do you prevent it from splitting? Or do you just let it split, then bring it back together?

@nessblackbird2636 you've hit the nail on the head. In my method, I recognise the risk that the ganache splits anyway, and I let it do just that. And, as I add more cream, it naturally and gradually comes together, and you end up with a beautiful, glossy ganache. Every time!!

@@NenetteChocolates OK, now I understand. Thanks Nenette :)

Good question! The cocoa butter is set solid in the bottles. So start by removing the lid completely and putting the bottle into the microwave 30 seconds at a time until, when you massage the bottle the contents are liquid. This will take a few sessions in the microwave. Then, pour a puddle of the liquid into a square of baking parchment and point your temperature gun at it to see what temperature it is. It is likely to be hotter than the desired 30°C. So move the liquid around on the parchment on a cool work surface (use a brush or a gloved finger) until it cools to the working temperature. That's it. It's tempered. Does that make sense?

@@NenetteChocolates Good morning Nenette ! 🙂 Wow, so the process is super easy vs tempering chocolate where you have to go up, and then down, and then add seed.... this is really interesting ! I have a small bottle of solid cocoa butter, I'm going to that that today or tomorrow.. thanks so much for getting back to me ! I appreciate it ! 👍😊 (I really thought that to temper cocoa butter it was a very difficult process.. I always wondered HOW you temper such a small bottle ) Thanks for your time and help !!

@@FrostyTheBeerMan Don't over-complicate the tempering process for your chocolate! If you've not done so already, take a look at my videos on how to temper chocolate. You heat it to 45 degrees C and then bring it down to the working temperature by stirring in your 'seeds.' And that's it. Some people have spoken to me about taking the temperature up and down and up again but it's really not necessary - and not the way I've ever been taught (Callebaut, Slattery's....or anyone else, for that matter!!)

@@NenetteChocolates Hi again Nenette ! Thanks for the suggestion, I didn't think of that, I will go and take a look, thank you for that extra info ! I appreciate it ! 🙂

Thank you for watching my video. I'm very pleased you found it helpful. Nenette

It's lovely, chocolate, isn't it

@@NenetteChocolates I actually have not tempered it as of yet but I have events all month and will use some on some cherry cordials 🥰

​@MiaMarie420 that sounds wonderful

You're wonderful!! Thank you so much for watching my video and making me smile. I'm delighted that you're going to have a go at tempering chocolate as a result of what I've shown you. Your chocolates will be amazing. The tempering process takes practice. Just have another go if it doesn't work out to plan. And yes, you can re-use the chocolate too - so if you're not happy with how it tempers, spread it on a sheet of baking parchment, let it set and try again (you can keep doing this). Let me know if you have any questions or need more help - you can reach me at info@nenettechocolates.co.uk

There are both 33% and 40% milk chocolates available from Callbaut. Choose the one you love best 😊

The subject of shelf life is a long and complex one! And you can spend a small fortune on kit or on sending your chocolates away to be tested. Essentially, the fresher the truffles you make, the better. Their flavour and texture and the way they look will change over time. I'd recommend you make a batch and then test it. Taste a truffle every few days and record how you find it - in terms of flavour, look and feel. When you're no longer happy with what you find, then that is your shelf life. All chocolates should be stored somewhere cool and dark. Not the fridge! Keep them somewhere where the temperature doesn't exceed 18°C. I hope that helps!

@@NenetteChocolates what I mean to say is, can I make them two to three weeks ahead of an event? Or should it be closer, say one week?

​@kathykirshner9206 I'd make them a week ahead at the very most and make sure they are stored somewhere cool and dark. No warmer than 12°C and not the fridge. Tell the recipients to eat them quickly - don't keep them for more than a further week and keep to the same storage conditions. Please be aware that this only a rough guide and holds no guarantees about the shelf life of your chocolates. Please refer to my earlier note where I recommend making and testing a batch before you inflict them on other people!! I hope that helps. It is really important to get this right when you are making things for other people for food and hygiene and, if you make commercially, trading standards requirements.

@@NenetteChocolates thank you! They're for my wedding!😊

@@kathykirshner9206 Wow!! You're going to be busy! I completely understand how lovely it will be for you to make the chocolates for your wedding. Let me know if you run out of time and would like me to make them for you.

Thank you for watching my video. And in answer to your question, I think so, yes! This is because if you microwave your chocolate to melt it, the material of the bowl you use becomes important too. Glass and ceramic bowls retain heat in the microwave. Plastic doesn't. It's therefore easier to manage how your chocolate behaves in a plastic bowl. In glass or ceramic, the chocolate will be reacting to the residual heat in the bowl itself, too, which makes it hard for you to temper the chocolate. Plastic bowls are also much cheaper to buy and last just as well as glass and ceramic ones. I hope that helps . Nenette

You're so welcome! Thank you for watching. Nenette

Hello. And thank you for watching my video. And yes, alcohol extends the shelf life of your truffles. But you need to use one with a high i.e 60% + alcohol content. Shelf life can be a complex subject! For a quick fix, I'd recommend that you make a trial batch, store it in conditions you think would be typical and then test for flavour and what the truffle looks like over time. Record your findings over a number of weeks. As soon as you think the flavour and look and feel changes where you no longer like the truffles, then that is your shelf life. Of course look out for mould too - there's nothing worse! I hope that helps. Nenette

I'm afraid this is not something I have experience of. My background as a chocolatier via chartered accountancy means I have missed out on advanced patisserie training. Can I suggest you have a go and let us all know how it turns out?

Thank you!!

Thank you for watching my new contribution! No, you're not missing anything. I'll add this really good point to a future video. While you're waiting for your temper test to set, the rest of your chocolate will be cooling and setting too! So you will need to gently heat the contents of your bowl, stirring the chocolate as you go, to keep it at its working temperature. It's a bit of a juggling act. Invest in an infrared temperature guage as this will help take the guesswork away. I hope that helps . Nenette

Thank you so much for watching my latest video. And I'm overjoyed to know that you're persevering regardless of ambient temperature challenges! I think I understand your question. I find that the nearer you get to the working temperature, the harder it is to get the seeds to melt. Especially at around 31 degrees C. There is an element of luck involved at this level of detail! If you're struggling to get those last seeds to melt, I suggest you apply a little warm air with the help of your hot air gun (hairdryer?!) to gently pick up the temperature by a degree or so only so to enable you to persuade those last seeds to melt. Don't overdo the heat, or you'll have to start all over again.... I hope that helps. Let me know if I've missed the point! Nenette

@@NenetteChocolates Nono, you answered me perfectly, thank you! 😊 I will raise a temperature of the chocolate a little bit by using a hairdryer and see if this will give the little bits chance to melt properly. I might invest in the hot air gun in the future though.

​@kikitauer it took me several years before I upgraded from Babyliss to Black and Decker!! Hairdryers are just as good.

I'm so pleased it worked!

Yes, absolutely. I'm pleased the video was helpful for you. Thank you for your question too - I'm about to publish further 'episodes' to address questions just like yours that people have asked. Always good to know if I can help further. Nenette

Don't tar us all with the same brush! 'Brit' for we're not al the same...I hope you got what you needed from my video even if I took too long :)

You're welcome!! I'm so pleased this worked for you. And matcha ganache sounds exciting too. Nenette

@@NenetteChocolates I’m forever your debt miss Nenette ❤️ it’s for my mothers birthday cake ☺️ white chocolate matcha ganache I recommend it if you like the taste of matcha ❤️

​@@isychia4947it sounds excellent. And happy birthday to your mum too

I'm pleased to have been of help! Nenette

Hi Jeff. How very frustrating for you. Let's take a look and see if we can resolve this. First of all, can I check the quantities of ingredients you're using. The ratio I use is 125g chocolate and 75ml of cream. This is generally enough to make around 20 truffles. Next, and sorry if I'm repeating myself, shall we walk through the steps: first heat the chocolate and, separately, the cream gently so that they cream is around 35 degrees C and the chocolate is just melted. Then add the cream to the chocolate - little by little. Don't pour it all in at once. At first the chocolate will 'seize' as it hates being mixed with liquid! Just keep adding the cream a little at a time and the mixture will soften, look a little 'greasy' and then it should all come together with a glossy, shiny ganache. If, at this stage - perhaps because the measurements at the start might have been a little off - the ganache isn't glossy, then you can either go in with your electric whisk or, simply add a little more cream. The mix shouldn't be grainy. Still having problems - then drop me an email on info@nenettechocolates.co.uk and we can arrange a call or something. Nenette

One of my favourites too 😊

Honestly - I really do add the cream little by little!! And it really does the trick. They it!

Yes - I use professional chocolatiers' polycarbonate moulds. If you'd like to know more about how I use these, then take a look at my other videos too - specifically how to make chocolate truffles. Thank you for your feedback - I'm pleased I am able to help you.

@@NenetteChocolates thanks so much - just subscribed

Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm very pleased my tempering demonstration works for you. 😊

You're welcome

take a look at my other videos - you will see that I do just hat you're looking for :)

My pleasure - I hope my video helped

Hello. Thank you for getting in touch. This sounds really strange and I'm afraid it's not a problem I've encountered before. Except where I have inadvertently tried to temper chocolate that has gone beyond it's BBE date. White chocolate can be trickier than milk or dark to temper because it burns more easily than the others (that is, if you're melting it in a microwave oven). I therefore take the melting process at a slower pace. W2 should be fairly user-friendly and I'm very sorry but I am not able to suggest anything to address your particular problem. Just be certain that you have melted the chocolate fully (to 40-45 degrees C) and then tempered it down to a working temperature of 30 degrees C. If you are working with the chocolate i.e. making truffle shells and otherwise having a bowl of the tempered chocolate hanging around, so to speak, make sure that you are keeping on top of its temperature all the time and not letting it cool down. Check the temper before you use it initially and then make sure the temperature remains at 30 degrees as you work with the chocolate (use a hot air gun to blow warm air into the chocolate as you stir it) and that way, it shouldn't thicken. Also, if you're working in cool ambient temperature, this cooling and thickening will happen faster than otherwise. So just be aware of your working environment too. I hope this helps. Nenette

This was really helpful.. Thank you chef❤ Which white chocolate you would suggest to use specially for bonbons. As I am from India temperature is little on the warmer side so should I store white chocolate in refrigerator because I dont why i have been facing same issue all the time. I have been melting it at 20-30 sec intervals still it feels like burnt and thick in first 30 secs itself

Ah. This might explain things a little. Don't put your chocolate in the fridge as you'll then get a completely different problem called a sugar bloom. I'm not familiar with it but I'd recommend you investigate something called 'compound chocolate' which is formulated for warmer ambient temperatures. I'm sorry I can't be of more help with this.

Now it went down to 81F (27C)

Don't panic!! This takes practice and on the whole, chocolate is quite forgiving. Just take it slowly while you're getting the hang of things. A recap of the main things that will help you: first of all, melt your chocolate to around 45 degrees C regardless of what type of chocolate it is. Then rapidly reduce the temperature to the working temperature by stirring-in new chocolate callets (buttons!) . The working temperature you need to know is dark chocolate 32 degrees C, milk 31 degrees C and white 29 - 30 degrees C. Then before you use your tempered chocolate, test it as I show you on my videos by dipping the blade of a knife into the chocolate, tapping off the excess and letting it set - you're looking for it to set in 3-5 minutes and when you brush the surface with your fingers, there should be no finger marks left in your wake. If the worse comes to the worse, and things go pear-shaped, then let the whole batch of chocolate set and then have another go. Yes, you can re-use it. Good luck and keep me posted. Nenette

@@NenetteChocolatesYou are so cool, kind and professional! 😍 Thanks for cheering me up. 🥺 I will do that right now and get back to you when it’s done! Thanks a lot! 💕

My pleasure. And wonderful to meet another Nenette 😊

Thank you for watching my video. The powder I use is called 'creative powder' and is easily found when you google it. Mona Lisa is a good make for you to look for. I hope this helps. And happy creative chocolate-making!

@@NenetteChocolates Your welcome & thank you for your quick response and great videos..Thanks again !

Thank you for watching my video. I'm sorry to hear about your experience with your white chocolate ganache. In theory, there should be no difference in the ganache process regardless of whether you're using dark, milk or white chocolate. The quantities I use and which you can scale up or down are 125g chocolate to 75ml cream. That works for me every time - but of course things may depend on whether there are more ingredients in your chocolate than you might expect (take a look on the pack to see what might be in there for white chocolate apart from cocoa butter sugar and milk powder and soya lecithin). As an alternative for next time to adding more cream, you could also try whisking the ganache to emulsify the mixture. I do hope your cheesecake worked out - I bet it tasted delicious regardless.

Thank you for watching my videos. You have hit on a very interesting subject and question - about shelf life. This is a topic that can become quite complicated and courses on the subject that I have attended have lasted for days! Essentially, the shelf life will depend very much on the ingredients used, the way the chocolates have been made and then how they have been kept. The final matter is most easily tackled: chocolates should be kept somewhere cool and dark but not the fridge. The difference between my simple chocolate and cream truffles and the ones you have been buying are likely to be that the ones you have bought will contain preservatives - 'artificial' or otherwise. These will enhance the shelf life. These ingredients may include things like citric acid, alcohols and sugars and possibly a load of E numbers. Take a look at the ingredients list. I, for example, will add butter, invert sugar and, in any cases alcohols to my chocolates (i.e. added to the basic chocolate and cream ganache). I find that these 'natural preservatives' will extend the shelf life to around 3 months as long as the chocolates are kept properly. I also find that while there are expensive bits of kit on the market which will measure the moisture in the chocolate (the more of this present in the chocolates, the shorter the shelf life) the best way of testing for shelf life is to do just that. Test. For me, this means that I make a batch of chocolates and will sample them over a period of time. When I am no longer happy with the look and taste of the chocolate, then that is my 'shelf life.' With all handmade or artisan chocolates made in small batches, the fresher they are, the better they taste. Their flavour and texture will change over time naturally. The best place for storage therefore, is your tummy :). If you'd like to see how my chocolates compare with the ones you have been buying then do pop into my website where you can order some - the bagged truffles (single flavours) are the best value for this kind of 'experiment' because you're not paying for expensive chocolate boxes. Here's the link www.nenettechocolates.co.uk/product-category/single-flavour-chocolate-truffles/

Thank you for watching my video. Proper tempering not only results in the shine that you're looking for when you're working with chocolate, but also, the 'good snap' i.e. when you break the chocolate, it does so with a clean break with nice, smooth edges. The upper surface of the chocolate will have more of a gloss than a shine as such. But if you set the chocolate on a shiny surface i.e. a sheet of cellophane, then the chocolate that was against the shiny surface will have that same shine too. magic! The tempered chocolate also shrinks away from the surface that it sets on which is helpful when making chocolate truffles or bonbons!

Great question. I take the lid off the bottle and then put the bottle into the microwave for a minute. I then remove the bottle and gently squeeze it to move the cocoa butter around inside (i.e. 'stirring it') before putting it back again for a further minute. Continue until the cocoa butter starts to melt and then you can put the lid back on and shake the bottle to distribute the melted cocoa butter throughout the contents. In doing so, this will melt the bits that may still be solid in the bottle. When the cocoa butter is all liquid and warmed throughout, pour out the amount you want to use and check the temperature with your temperature gun. Stir it on the work surface (I tend to pour it onto a sheet of greaseproof paper) until the temperature is around 30 degrees C before you start to use it or you will find that colour will just meld with the chocolate and your design will disappear. Good luck!

I'm so pleased that you enjoyed this video! And the other main advantage of savouring your chocolate like this is that it lasts so much longer too!

Thank you for watching my video and getting in touch. Let's assume we're talking about milk chocolate where the ideal working temperature is 30 - 31 degrees C. I would be looking to warm the chocolate again when it drops below this temperature. But this with the hot air gun - and not a full-re-temper. I would suggest you only need to re-temper the chocolate when it has set. You can 'rescue' chocolate that has started to set around the edges of the bowl with the hot air gun if you're quick about it! Generally my advice would be to 'look after your chocolate' and so keep a close eye on it when you're working with it to make sure that it is not cooling and setting.

Hello. I believe the method that you refer to may be what is recommended for 'compound chocolate' which is better suited to warmer ambient temperatures than we are used to here in the UK. It is not a method that I have ever been taught or used (and I don't use compound chocolate) which is what make me think that this is the case. In any situation, however, the tempering process that I demonstrate requires you to heat the chocolate until it is fully melted and then working newly introduced chocolate callets into the melted pool to cool it to the working temperature. I use Callebaut dark chocolate 811 or milk chocolate 823. These are not compound chocolates..... I hope that helps.

@@NenetteChocolates I didn't know this information. Thank you very much. I make it by combining cocoa butter and cocoa. I don't use couverture, can I still layer it this way?

@@yasob780 I'm afraid I have no experience of making chocolate using hte method you describe and so cannot help you further. Sorry,

Thank you for watching. You can use a glass bowl but I would recommend a plastic one instead simply because a glass bowl will retain the heat from the microwave oven. This means that the chocolate is likely to behave in a way that is hard to predict and may make the tempering process hard. Plastic bowls may not be pretty but they're not expensive :)

Hi Cameron. Thank you for watching my video. It sounds, from what you describe, that you have mastered the tempering process - a huge achievement. Chocolate assumes the qualities of the surface that it sets on. So if you spread a layer of chocolate onto a shiny surface (cellophane for example) or use the chocolate to create a shell in a well-polished mould to make chocolate truffles, then the side of the chocolate touching that surface, when you remove it will also be lovely and shiny. If you set it on a sheet of greaseproof paper it will have that same, dull surface that you associate with the paper. However you're talking about the upper surface of the chocolate, I suspect. Chocolate that is properly tempered will set with not a 'shine' so much as a gloss or sheen on the upper surface. You're not doing anything wrong! I hope that this helps.

@@NenetteChocolates thank you so much for explaining! 😁 I make chocolate slabs so I use a ceramic baking tray it’s a MasterClass branded one so I wasn’t too sure if it could be that however the temperature of the tray was around 28° the bottom of the chocolate is always shiny just sometimes the top where I put my toppings on isn’t but makes so much sense what you explained thank you 😁 x

Hello. Thank you for watching my videos. I tend to buy my cocoa butter already coloured. It is of course perfectly possible to buy un-coloured cocoa butter and colour it yourself. If you would prefer to do this, you would first melt the cocoa butter (treat it like chocolate for this process) and add your liquid or powder colour. Then temper the cocoa butter in exactly the same way as you do chocolate - work the temperature down to around 30 degrees C. I hope this helps and have fun with your creations

Thank you very much, I think I'll follow your example and buy it in! I've enough to learn to be getting on with.!

Thank you for watching - just be aware, that where you are, the ambient temperatures are likely to be a lot warmer than here in the UK. If you are working in temperatures warmer than around 18 degrees C, you will have problems with the tempering process I'm afraid. If this is the case and you don't have access to air conditioning, then try to find out about 'compound chocolate.' This isn't something I have experience with but you could find local chocolatiers who do, perhaps.

Thank you for watching my video. You're right. The more liquid you add to the ganache, the shorter the shelf life. The alternative of course is to add orange oil. Shelf life is a subject that cannot be adequately covered here. Generally, a ganache made just with cream and chocolate and then finished in a truffle shell will last around 5 days as long as it's kept somewhere cool and dark. If you add butter, invert sugar and a little alcohol to the ganache mix, you will be counteracting the impact of the orange juice and so the shelf life will extend back out. The best way of assessing the shelf life without investing in expensive kit is to test and sample your truffles over a period of time. As soon as the taste and texture is not pleasing to you, that is your shelf life. Happy experimenting!

@@NenetteChocolatesThank you for you reply. If you use freeze dried fruit powders to make ganache, how much shelf life will it increase?

@@amoghars the answer I provided last time still applies! I don't imagine that freeze-dried fruit powders would add liquid and they may even absorb it from the other ingredients as they take-on the moisture. I'd hesitate to say, without testing and measuring how the shelf life would be impacted. Again make your ganache and test it over time to work out what the shelf life is for your mix.

Hello Gerard. Thank you for watching my videos. The delight about working with chocolate is that it works differently for different people. I too have worked with chocolate for years and trained with Callebaut at their academy and go back there each year to pick up all the latest information about their products and new techniques. The process you describe in your note is where you don't actually take the chocolate out of temper i.e. the pre-tempered chocolate is not taken above 36 degrees C. And of course this is an acceptable way of doing it too. The method I describe is for tempering chocolate that has been fully melted which might be easier for those new to the process to get to grips with. By the way the feeling the temperature of the bowl is just to see roughly the temperature of the chocolate. It of course doesn't form part of the tempering process.