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what do you think of merkens chocolate

post #1 of 7
9/4/08 at 4:46pm
Thread Starter 
Hi
I have recently started to use merkens chocolate for my pretzels rods and chocolate covered strawberries.. it works out fine, however, i am used to callebaut couverture chocolate except i dont want to have to go through the tempering part. However,I find the taste strange and I wounder if my customer would feel the difference too.
Guess my question is, for all chocolate dipped treats does it matter which brand of chocolate you use? Anyone using merkens chocolate and what do your clients say about it?
I am very interested in hearing your experience with it.
thanks a lot
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post #2 of 7
9/5/08 at 6:32pm
Thread Starter 
anybody please?
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post #3 of 7
9/5/08 at 8:44pm
in my opinion, by not using couverture you are compromising the taste and texture of the final product. i hope im not being rude by saying that i would not choose to eat anything with merkens on it. if you think it tastes strange, then your clients might also agree. i would suggest using a chocolate tempering machine.,
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post #4 of 7
9/6/08 at 1:16pm
I have used Merkins before. I have used the colored stuff (blue, green, purple, red), the peanut butter and the “chocolate”. To a discerning palate there is a difference in flavor and texture. Depending on who your customers are some might notice and the majority might not or visa versa.

The real question is why you would want to switch from “real” chocolate to confectionary coating.

I had the need to do so because I live in the Deep South and we had customers who couldn’t make it from the shop to the car without there being some sort of “melt down” when real chocolate was used. Confectionary coating allowed customers to get all the way home or deliver chocolate gifts without there being a break down in appearance.

I could have switched back and forth between the confectionary coating and real chocolate as the season’s permitted, but talk about a pain in the rear on many different levels

And then there would be someone who noticed a change in the product and believe it or not a host of people prize consistency in product more than other virtues.

Since you seemed to indicate that it is the desire not to temper chocolate that is leading you to Merkins, my advice would be to either
1: Continue to use real chocolate because the texture and flavor are superior.
Or
2: Skip Merkins and use almond bark (yes the stuff that you can buy at the grocery store) with a little shortening added, to make it slightly softer, because it behaves as Merkins does, has a comparable texture and flavor profile to Merkins and is far cheaper.
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post #5 of 7
9/7/08 at 10:16am
try making your own coating chocolate with a couveture and hard fat.
that way you have control over the flavor.
bake first, ask questions later.
Oooh food, my favorite!


Professor Pastry Artswww.collin.edu
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post #6 of 7
9/8/08 at 6:35am
..........
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post #7 of 7
9/10/08 at 1:26pm
Sometimes you just have to use a coating! I too, live in the south and have used Merkens, but I have found a coating that I like better, sold by Chocoley. You can check out their website at www.chocoley.com. They sell all types of chocolate, from couverture to different levels of coatings. It's a personal taste thing, but I like the mouth feel of their chocolates and coatings. You can order samples packages and see what you think. I like it, my customers like, everyones happy.
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