Food waste is one of the biggest challenges we face as chocolatiers.
In a business where the ingredients we work with become increasingly expensive, learning how to make and use exactly what we need is a professional, economic, and ethical obligation.
If this is something you struggle with, I wanted to share a tip that’s a bit tedious at first, but so worth it in the long term: it’s knowing the exact yield of your molds.
For example, these are the filling yield guidelines I use for my 3 cm semisphere bonbon molds by Cacao Barry:
1. Ganache
• Ganache only: 5.9 grams
• Ganache (filled 1/3 of the way): 2.1 grams
• Ganache (filled 1/2 way): 3.5 grams
• Ganache (filled 3/4 of the way): 4.2 grams
• Caramel-based ganache only: 7.3 grams (Here, you need to consider that you lose around 25% of the weight when cooking your caramel.)
2. Fat-based Filling
• Fat-based only: 6.1 grams
• Fat-based (filled halfway): 3 grams
• Fat-based (filled 1/3 of the way): 2.1 grams
3. Fruit Compote
• Compote (filled 1/3 of the way): 1.5 grams
These are very precise because I only use the molds I mentioned above. But if you work with different references, you will have to write down how much filling you need for each one of them.
Over the years, I’ve found that knowing your mold’s yield is great for two reasons:
First, if you adjust these weights to your molds and keep them in mind during prep, you will reduce food waste and expenses in your business (and some fridge/freezer space).
Second, if you know how much filling goes into one bonbon, you can determine the price of your products more easily. And that’s another area where we usually need all the help we can get!
Is this something you already do? Let me know.
-Melissa