Do you use wax?

[msel68]

In your chocolate I mean.... I'm just wondering how much and what kind. I'm tired of making my toffee only to have the chocolate topping turn white (it tastes fine - but looks icky)

Any opinions?

 

[*Fantasia*]

Nope..I don't use wax.. I shave!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I use a clear urethane wax on my bathroom countertops. I put it on once or twice a year. It makes it much easier to clean up. I also use RainX on the glass parts of the shower for the same reason.

I don't make stuff with chocolate. I just eat it.

 

[aprilgail2]

Wax in chocolate!!!??? yuk. If your tops is turning white you are using real chocolate but not tempering it correctly. Those fake chocolate wafers - like merkens etc should not turn white as they are not real chocolate and don't require tempering. I work for a chocolate company for the past 24 years and the only time we have white on the chocoalte is when it goes out of temper- then we just toss it back in and remelt and temper it correctly.

 

[staley7580]

Yep.. When I make peanut butter balls. I buy it in the canning section, and it is called Parowax. I use 3/4 of a bar in a bag of chocolate chips for diping my peanut butter balls in.

http://www.amazon.com/Parowax-Household-Parafin-16-Ounce-Container/dp/B000LLIT4M

 

[JR6ooo4]

Wax in chocolate!!!??? yuk. If your tops is turning white you are using real chocolate but not tempering it correctly. Those fake chocolate wafers - like merkens etc should not turn white as they are not real chocolate and don't require tempering. I work for a chocolate company for the past 24 years and the only time we have white on the chocoalte is when it goes out of temper- then we just toss it back in and remelt and temper it correctly.

We make the toffee and poor it onto the pan to spread and cool. then add semi-sweet chips when it is hot so they melt. then spread them to a smooth layer.

It is fine for a few days or even a week, but then it turns white. So we have to make it very close to when it is being given so it does not look old.

What is the problem with our process, cooling the chocolate too fast or too slow. or is it heating too fast or slow also.

thanks,
Mikeeee (OP's DH)

 

[Mickeypooh99]

Yep.. When I make peanut butter balls. I buy it in the canning section, and it is called Parowax. I use 3/4 of a bar in a bag of chocolate chips for diping my peanut butter balls in.

http://www.amazon.com/Parowax-Household-Parafin-16-Ounce-Container/dp/B000LLIT4M

I do the same thing, but 1/2 bar of wax in 1 bag of chocolate chips. It never turns white.

 

[msel68]

All I can find is Gulf Wax. Is that the same thing?

 

[staley7580]

All I can find is Gulf Wax. Is that the same thing?

It looks like it.

 

[aprilgail2]

Yep.. When I make peanut butter balls. I buy it in the canning section, and it is called Parowax. I use 3/4 of a bar in a bag of chocolate chips for diping my peanut butter balls in.

http://www.amazon.com/Parowax-Household-Parafin-16-Ounce-Container/dp/B000LLIT4M

You put household parafin wax in something you eat?? Is that even edible?? The packaging says canning, candle making, water skis, snow skis and surf board use!

OP- here is a website that tells you about tempering chocolate-

http://video.about.com/candy/How-to-Temper-Chocolate.htm

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yep.. When I make peanut butter balls. I buy it in the canning section, and it is called Parowax. I use 3/4 of a bar in a bag of chocolate chips for diping my peanut butter balls in.

We use Gulf Wax available in the grocery stores here.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

You put household parafin wax in something you eat?? Is that even edible?? The packaging says canning, candle making, water skis, snow skis and surf board use!

Is it safe to eat Gulf Wax household paraffin wax in such items as candy buckeyes?

My family has been using gulf wax for years to harden chocolate on candies. No ill effects have been experienced.

Answer

Yes. A lot of chocolate you buy, espically the formed chocolate like easter bunnies and santas, contains wax. It's what makes them shine and it keeps them hard. As a chef, I mix a little bit of wax into most of my chocolate, espically if I am dipping things into it or making shapes.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_it_saf..._paraffin_wax_in_such_items_as_candy_buckeyes

 

[SplshMtn99]

Yep.. When I make peanut butter balls. I buy it in the canning section, and it is called Parowax. I use 3/4 of a bar in a bag of chocolate chips for diping my peanut butter balls in.

http://www.amazon.com/Parowax-Household-Parafin-16-Ounce-Container/dp/B000LLIT4M

Yes, parafin wax but I only have 1 or 2 recipes that call for it. They are also dipping type recipes.

And what ever you do, don't get ANY water, moisture or steam from the double boiler into your chocolate when melting. It will seize right up.

 

[LittleMermaidsMom]

You can use paraffin wax, as others suggested. There is food-grade paraffin that's edible, but while it's still edible, it can't be digested. So I wouldn't use it if you're using large amounts of chocolate.

Your local cake decorating/candy making store should have a product called Paramount crystals.. if you melt some of these in with your chocolate you shouldn't have the problem with the chocolate turning white. Paramount crystals are really just pure cocoa butter; if you have trouble finding it, you can use a little bit of vegetable oil. Try googling it and you'll find info about it, it's much better than using wax.

It sounds like you're using real chocolate, if it's turning white. Like a PP mentioned, when you use real chocolate, you have to temper it to keep it from turning white. This is a pretty difficult process if you've never done it before. I've taken a professional chocolatier class and still have trouble with tempering! You're best bet would be to use a chocolate candy coating, like Merckens; that doesn't have to be tempered.

Good luck!

 

[XYSRUS]

This thread makes me not want to eat anything homemade from someone else!

 

[HunnyPots]

What form of chocolate are you using? If you are using chocolate chips, they are not meant to be melted and do need some form of stabilizer such as parafin or solid shortening.

Real chocolate does need to be tempered but its not that hard. Here's what I do: melt chocolate in microwave, heating for just a few seconds at a time and stirring often. When its melted and stirred smooth, add a few pieces of unmelted chocolate and stir. It should all melt together and just feel slightly warm to the touch, never hot. I've never had this method fail but maybe I'm just lucky, who knows?

 

[cjb71870]

For fun I do !!!

 

[BMNABrinx]

I don't use wax at all in my chocolate. I use the candy making & dipping chocolate from Sam's Club. It melts smooth, is great to dip stuff into and set well. It comes in white chocolate, too.

 

[Mamu]

The thought of eating wax is not appealing. I thought the idea of making homemade sweets is to avoid all the additives in store bought items.

No I never use parowax in my chocolate.

A few question you need to ask yourself is; does your body digest wax? What is parowax chemical makeup? Is it more important to have your homemade sweet look good?

Make your sweets without wax, we are putting too many chemicals into our body now without adding additional wax to our sweets. Besides one of the things I hate about store sweets dipped in chocolate is the waxy taste. You may not be able to actually taste the wax but it does leave a waxy taste.

 

[aprilgail2]

This thread makes me not want to eat anything homemade from someone else!

You're not kidding!!!

The thought of eating wax is not appealing. I thought the idea of making homemade sweets is to avoid all the additives in store bought items.

No I never use parowax in my chocolate.

A few question you need to ask yourself is; does your body digest wax? What is parowax chemical makeup? Is it more important to have your homemade sweet look good?

Make your sweets without wax, we are putting too many chemicals into our body now without adding additional wax to our sweets. Besides one of the things I hate about store sweets dipped in chocolate is the waxy taste. You may not be able to actually taste the wax but it does leave a waxy taste.