CHOCOLATE ARTWORK

  CHOCOLATE ARTWORK

TEMPERING

Process of preparing couverture for dipping, coating, molding and other purpose is called ‘tempering’. The objective of tempering is to create a very fine fat crystal structure in the chocolate. In a melted, tempered chocolate, the high melt point fats have begun to solidify into fine crystal that are distributed throughout the melted chocolate. When the chocolate is left to cool, the chocolate sets or solidifies quickly because the fine crystals act as seeds around which the rest of the chocolate crystallizes.

Tempered chocolate sets quickly and has a good texture and shine. Melted, untempered chocolate takes a long time to set. Its textures will not be as good. Its surface will be cloudy because some of the cocoa butter floats to the surface and makes a whitish coating called bloom.

Tempering Steps:

a.     Melting – chocolate is placed in a bowl and set over hot water to melt. It should not be set over direct heat because the chocolate is easily burned, which destroys both the texture and the flavor. Stir constantly while the chocolate is melting.

b.     Cooling or precrystallizing – when the chocolate is melted, it is removed from the heat. All or part of the chocolate is then cooled until it is thick and pasty. At this point, fine fat crystals have formed.

c.     Rewarming – at this point, the chocolate is too thick for dipping, molding or most other uses and must be warm slightly before it is ready to be used.

Procedure For Tempering Chocolate:

(Tablage)

Method :
1	In all stages of this procedure, do not let even a trace of moisture come in contact with the chocolate.
2	With a heavy knife, chop the chocolate into small pieces. Place the pieces in a dry stainless steel bowl.
3	Set the bowl in a pan of warm water. Stir the chocolate constantly so its melt uniformly.
4	Continue stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and reaches the proper temperature.
5	Remove the bowl from the water bath. Wipe all traces of moisture to avoid contaminating the chocolate.
6	Pour about 2/3 of the chocolate onto a marble slab. With a metal scrapper and a spatula, spread out the chocolate and quickly scrape it back together, continuing to mix the chocolate so that it cools uniformly.
7	When the chocolate cools to the proper temperature (26˚-29˚c), it will become thick and pasty. Quickly scrape it back into the bowl with the remaining chocolate.
8	Mix and reheat the chocolate over hot water to the proper rewarming temperature (29˚-32˚c).

(Seeding or Injection)

Method :
1	Chop the chocolate to be melted into small pieces.
2	Cut fine shreds or shavings from a block of tempered chocolate and set them aside.
3	Melt the chopped chocolate.
4	Remove the melted chocolate from the water bath. Stir in some of the shaved chocolate.
5	When these shaving are nearly all melted, add a few more shaving. Continue adding and stirring until the melted chocolate is cooled down to the proper tempering point and all the added shavings are melted. Do not adding the shaving too fast or they may not all melt
6	Rewarm the chocolate.

Finished Product

a.     Chocolate box

b.     Chocolate modeling

c.     Chocolate praline

d.     Chocolate truffle

Chocolate Tools

Chocolate mold, dipping forks, cotton wool, spatula, metal scraper, marble slab and brush.

CHOCOLATE MODELLING

500 gm                      Compound Chocolate

175 gm                      Liquid Glucose

50 gm                        Sugar syrup

Method:

1.      Bring the glucose and sugar syrup to boiling point.

2.      Remove from the stove and add chopped chocolate.

3.      Stir until it produced a dough-like texture.

HAZELNUT TRUFFLES

500 gm                      Compound Chocolate

250 gm                      Anchor Cream

125 gm                      Butter

200 gm                      Roasted Hazelnut

Couverture chocolate for coating.

CHOCOLATE PRALINE

1	Prepare the molds by holding them over steam, then brushing with cotton wool to make sure they are clean, smooth and dry.
2	Brush the insides lightly with tempered dark couverture to create a marbled or stippled effect
3	Coat with tempered white couverture.
4	Let set. Repeat this step to make a thicker coating. After each layer, it is essential to remove excess chocolate by scrapping the flat top of the mold with a metal scraper. This should be done before the chocolate becomes too hard. Failure to do this will mar the appearance of the finished product and may make it impossible to seal them properly.
5	Pipe in the ganache filling.
6	Do not fill the molds too full, and do not get any filling on the top edge of the chocolate. Doing so will make it impossible to seal the candies with the final layer of chocolate.
7	Using paper cone, cover with tempered couverture.
8	Scrapes off excess chocolates.
9	If the filling is soft, it is necessary to use the paper cone for this step. For firmer fillings, scrape a layer of tempered couverture back and forth over the top of the mold until the chocolates are sealed.

Chocolate Maple Walnut Praline

QUANTITY	UNIT	INGREDIENT
1 1\2	Cup	walnut
1\2	Cup	Maple syrup
2	Cup	Castor sugar
1\2	tsp	Fresh lemon juice
2	Ounces	Unsweetened chocolate

Method:

1.      Preheat the oven to 325°F Toast the walnuts on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.

2.      Heat the maple syrup in a 1 ½-quart saucepan over medium-heat. When the syrup begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium and continue to boil as it thickens for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a metal spoon. Remove the very hot syrup from the heat. Immediately add the walnuts to the syrup and stir to combine. Transfer the glazed walnuts to a baking sheet with sides. Use the metal spoon to spread the walnuts evenly over one half of the baking sheet. Set aside.

3.      Place the sugar and lemon juice in an 8-quart saucepan. Stir with a whisk to combine (the sugar will resemble moist sand) Caramelize the sugar by heating for 10 to 10 ½ minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk to break up and lumps (the sugar will first turn clear as it liquefies, the light brown as it caramelizes). Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the unsweetened chocolate, and stir to dissolve. Immediately and carefully pour the chocolate caramelized mixture over the walnuts, covering all the nuts.

4.      Harden at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

5.      Invert the praline onto a clean, dry cutting board (it should pop right out of the baking sheet). Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the praline (use a sawing motion) into desired sized pieces. Store the praline in a tightly sealed plastic container until ready to devour.

ice carving

History

• The history of ice carving begins with the harvesting ice. The earliest known record of an ice harvest is found in the Shih cheng or “Book of Songs” written at about 600 B.C. This collection of stories describes the everyday life of the Shensi warrior-farmers as they lived in the highlands of northwest China, and mentions their winter routine of flooding their fields with water. When the water had frozen, the ice was cut into blocks and stored in icehouses. The ice was used in the warmer months to keep their fish fresh.

• In the 1600s, native hunters and fishermen of the Chinese province of Heilongjiang, on the border of Russia, designed ice lanterns for dark winter nights. They filled buckets with water to make ice, then slid it out, and put a candle in the hole to make a lantern. The trend spread, and people started hanging decorated lanterns from homes and parading them in carnivals. In 1897, the Transsiberian Railway was extended through the small Chinese fishing town of Harbin in Heilongjiang, once occupied by Russia. As a result of the traffic, Harbin grew into a cosmopolitan city. With below freezing winds from Siberia, and ice from the frozen Songhua river, Harbin became the home of the annual International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.

• Currently, this festival features the work of thousands of artists from all over the world. The first well-documented ice palace was built as the setting for a monstrous joke. On the frozen River Neva, in the winter of 1740, a shivering bride and groom spent their wedding night in a building of ice. The palace was commissioned by the Empress Anna Ivanovna, who like Peter the Great, had a malicious sense of humor. In St.Petersburg, to distract the people from the bitter cold, Empress Anna had an ice palace built as the stage for a wedding. Anna forced Prince Mikhail Golitsyn to marry her exceptionally ugly servant. After the church ceremony, the bride and groom, covered in furs, seated in an iron cage fastened to the back of an elephant, headed an elaborate procession

• including horses, camels, wolves, & pigs. Guards posted outside made sure that they spent the whole night in the frozen mansion.

• Harvesting natural ice increased throughout the world until the mid 1800’s when Ice manufacturing began. In 1834, Jacob Perkins, obtained a British patent for the first ice making machine using ether. In 1859 Ferdinand Carre invented an ice machine that used ammonia, a much more volatile liquid. Cans of water were lowered into a 15 degree brine (Calcium Chloride) solution chilled by an ammonia system. Air was bubbled into the center of the can to make clear ice for carving. By 1920, 750,000 blocks of ice were made every day in the United States alone!

• In 1892, Nellie Melba was performing in Wagner’s opera Lohengrin at Covent Garden. The Duke of Orléans gave a dinner party to celebrate her triumph. For the occasion, Escoffier created a new dessert, and to display it, he used an ice sculpture of a swan (swans were featured in that opera). The swan carried peaches which rested on a bed of vanilla ice cream and which were topped with spun sugar. The Sapporo Snow Festival which began in 1950 is one of Japan's largest winter events. Every winter, about two million people come to Sapporo to see the hundreds of beautiful snow and ice sculptures.

• In 1964 Virgil Clinebell invented a machine that produced 15 lb blocks of clear ice. This lead to the CB300 which makes crystal clear 300 lb blocks of ice. Modern carvers use crystal clear ice to make ice carvings. In recent times Ice carving has become more specialized. Because of this specialization more and more professional chefs are leaving ice art to the modern ice carving company.

• Since 1989, Fairbanks Alaska has hosted the annual World Ice Art Championships. Over 100 sculptors come from around the world each year to sculpt large blocks of pristine natural ice. The competition is broken down into two main categories: Single Block and Multi-Block and each competition is further separated into Abstract and Realistic sculptures. In the late 1980’s there was a tool revolution lead by Mark Daukas. By winning numerous competitions he brought attention to the die grinder & angle grinder. Steve Brice has invented numerous tools including many ice carving bits & the nailboard. The art of ice sculpture is continually evolving; ice is spun on lathes & cut by routers controlled by computers. Affordable ice makers are now available that make 300lb. crystal clear blocks in your own freezer.

SYSTEMATIC STEPS

Systematics Step Purpose:
1. Consistency : By creating a path for your mind to follow, a more consistent product will emerge.
2. Efficiency : Always using the same steps to make different carvings will create efficiency in motion.
3. Confidence : You will gain confidence through repetition.

The 7 Systematic Steps:

No STEP DESCRIPTION

1.Design
Using a template, transfer your design to the ice.

2.Punch out
Using a chainsaw cut out the silhouette.
Keep all cuts at 90 degrees.
Be very precise, avoid overcuts.
Use a die grinder for tight turns & spaces.

3.Blocking in
Most difficult step to learn
Push in reference lines with a die grinder
Use a chainsaw to push back levels

4.Rounding
Cut off the corners using a combination of these 3 tools:
i.Chainsaw
ii.Chisel
iii.Die grinder with a shaping bit

5.Sanding
Using an angle grinder or pistol grip sander, sand the areas you would like
to have smooth & free of tool marks.

6.Detailing
Apply detail with a Vee bit or similar.
Add textures for contrast

7.Cleaning
Clean all slush, drips, snow, & small tool marks. Refer to the chart below for which tool(s) to use.

PERSONAL AND SURROUNDING SAFETY

• It is extremely important carvers are aware of safety practices. Many of the rules and regulations are common sense, but, even so, being proactive and applying due diligences pay off.
• A good example is the use of hand power tools and chain saw. Read the operator’s manual for any of these products and it clearly stated “Do not expose power tools to wet or damp conditions”. That is difficult in our industry. But you can take precautions.

Safety falls into THREE basic categories:

1. Personal safety :
a. Set up a clean, safe working station and when carving make sure chain saws and sharp tools are directed away from co-worker or spectator.
b. Always keep electric cords in good repair. Cracked, cut, nicked and scuffed cords with bare wires showing are a source of electric shocks.
c. Keep long hair pulled and tied back from the face and remove all loose jewelry.
d. Never wear scarves or loose clothing when working with power tools.
e. Don’t forget to wear safety clothing that are designed for ice carving purposes; steel toed rubber boots, gloves and jacket.

2. Surrounding
a. Be aware of co-workers.
b. Never leave power tools, extension cords etc on the floor. Have a work table or a shelf close-by the work area. Double check the work station is free and clear of any obstructions before start to work.
c. Have a proper place to hang power tools, chain saw when work is finished.
d. Try and dedicate a specific space for equipment repair.


3. Equipment
a. Avoid petroleum-based lubricant, instead, use vegetable based lubricant for maintaining tools and machinery.
b. Do not modify chainsaw by removing a section of the side guard to allow ice to clear the machine.
c. Before start you work, all machines is in place and functioning properly. Note any failures and arrange to fix them as soon as possible.

Equipment

finish product

Styrofoam Carving

History of Styrofoam Carving

Foam is made by mixing a number of chemicals and adding a "gassing agent" that makes bubbles that make the plastic cellular. Foamed plastics are heated from within- the heat comes from the chemical reaction. When the block of foam has finished rising, it's called a bun of foam. Theoretically, there are as many different kinds of foam as there are different kinds of plastics. But practically speaking, there are only three families of foamed plastic used for sculpting.

Styrofoam

Styrofoam, actually a brand name of Dow Chemical, is the insulation foam, usually blue or pink, that you see on the sides of buildings under construction or renovation. This foam is technically known as extruded polystyrene. The other Styrofoam is a white packing foam made of tightly packed beads of foam. That's why this expanded polystyrene, or EPS foam, is also known as beadboard foam. Both types of Styrofoam come in a variety of densities and can be sculpted using hot-wire tools. 


Rigid urethane foam 

Rigid urethane foam is the foam that you'd find at the bottom of a floral arangement. It comes in a variety of colors and densities. The lower densities (3-10 lb/cubic foot) can be sculpted with conventional sculpting tools. The higher densities (up to 60 lb!) are more easily fabricated using routers, dremels and milling machines. Hot-wire tools cannot be used on rigid urethane foam!


Flexible foams

Flexible foams comprise the third category and include Polyethylene foam, which you'd find on the bottom of your sneakers and flexible polyurethane foam, used in mattresses and nerf balls. The foam, or combination of foams, that FOAM PROPS uses for a particular project depends on several variables, including the desired size of the object, budget constraints and the amount of detail involved


TIPS IN STYROFOAM CARVING

Cutting: STYROFOAM™ brand foam cuts easily with a serrated knife, hacksaw, floral knife or XactoÒ knife. Wax the knife blade with an old candle for easier, smoother cuts. To cut a thick piece, or several sheets stacked together, try using an old electric knife , as the saying goes, "it cuts like butter."

Sanding: For smooth, rounded edges, "sand" the foam with another piece of STYROFOAM brand foam. To shape larger pieces, cut out the basic shape and then sand to the final shape.

Sculpting: Shape it with your fingers, carve it with a knife, roll it on a table, or texture it with tools. You can even roll it flat with a rolling pin. 

Texturing: Cover foam shapes with plaster, wallboard compound, gesso, modeling paste or other coating materials. Then, smooth it or stucco it, swirl it or sculpt it. 

Cookie cutters: For a wide variety of fun shapes, press metal cookie cutters into a ½" thick sheet of STYROFOAM brand foam. Gently remove the shape from the cutter, "sand" any rough edges with another piece of foam, and you're done. Dip your shape in paint and stamp out greeting cards and wrapping paper; or, use the shape to decorate a Christmas tree, garland or wreath. 

Curling: To create curls, cut out thin strips from a foam sheet by holding a knife vertically, pressing slightly against the sheet and carefully pulling the knife toward you.

Painting: Paint with water-based craft paint. Solvent-based paints may damage the foam (see paint manufacturer's instructions for details). For thorough coverage, try a stiff stencil brush and gently "scrub" the surface with the paint. Some spray paints are safe to use on STYROFOAM brand foam , read the label carefully to determine whether or not it's foam-safe. When spraying, rotate the shape for better coverage. For easier handling when painting, insert a floral pick or skewer into the foam shape to use as a handle. When done, insert the handle in a block of STYROFOAM™ or stand in a glass or can while paint dries.

Gluing: For a fast, sure bond, use a low-temperature glue fun. Hot glue guns can be used but the hot glue may melt a small portion of the foam. White craft glue is a tried and true favorite for STYROFOAM™ brand foam. For a better bond between two pieces, gently rub the pieces together before gluing; insert toothpicks or florist's picks between the pieces to hold them together while the glue dries.

Marking sections on balls and eggs: Marking off sections on a rounded surface can be tricky, but with the aid of a thick rubber band, you can measure even sections and draw smooth lines. For example, to divide a ball or egg into two equal sections:

Tools For Styrofoam Carving

Hot Wire Knives

Krafter Hot Knives

Deluxe Hot Knives

Pro Hot Knives