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Freezing Chocolates
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Lana on -
I freeze successfully ALL THE TIME. I freeze in bulk packages which will get packaged into retail packaging at a later time. I also freeze directly in retail packaging. I recently found a box that had been in the freezer for a year. I thought it wouldn't be good. Wrong! Almost no change. I wouldn't recommend it. That word 'almost' doesn't suit me. Up to about 6 months I don't notice any change at all from fresh (assuming you are thawing correctly).
I mostly do palet shaped ganache chocolates (made by slabbing). I haven't tried freezing caramel yet but I do freeze a caramel ganache with no problems. I always freeze the finished chocolate - decoration and all.
Freezing makes work so much more efficient when you're a small producer.
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Permalink Reply by Carol on -
Hi Lana,
What type of freezer do you have? I am "space challenged" but would like to purchase a freezer. Just wondering how large a freezer is necessary, in your opinion.
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Permalink Reply by George Trejo on -
Thank You Lana. Do you just wrap the boxes in saran wrap before freezing?
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Permalink Reply by Gap on -
I don't do commercial lots, but I freeze my chocolates all the time. Just froze the 700 pieces for Christmas this year because we've started getting 30+C days in Melbourne.
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Permalink Reply by Lana on
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I make about 7000 pieces for the Christmas season. I have 8 flavours. Last year I made frames of all 8 flavours then packed them into retail boxes. I put the retail boxes into ziplocks and then vacuum sealed (or you can remove as much air as you can) and then freeze. This year I purchased some bulk boxes so I could work more efficiently. I make several frames a week of the same flavour and then package them in bulk boxes. Each bulk box has 5 layers and holds a total of 244 chocolates. Because these don't fit in ziplock bags :) - I wrap these boxes in several layers of saran. I have just now thawed the first of these chocolates to package into retail boxes. I can report on the freshness (although the oldest would only be 2 months old) tomorrow when I finish packaging.
Here is the link to the boxes I have. http://www.nashvillewraps.com/gift-boxes/wholesale-gift-boxes/c-003...
They come in several sizes. I like them because the top and bottom are the same size so the seal of the box is very good.
I have 2 freezers - an upright and a chest freezer. I would recommend the chest freezer over the upright as it's more airtight and doesn't get as much condensation. I chose to get manual defrost as auto-defrost tends to dry out food. At one point the door of my upright freezer hadn't closed properly and was like that for about a week. It was closed - just not sealed (something in the way preventing it). I had a fair amount of condensation on my ziplocked boxes. I was concerned so thawed a box to try. I guess all the protection from the ziplock, the box, the candy pads and the candy cups worked out. There was no degradation whatsoever.
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Permalink Reply by Mim on -
Hi Lana, thank you for your information, which is exactly what I was looking for. Could you clarify a few things for me. Like Gap, I have problems with the Australian heat and I am just a beginner, embarking on starting my small chocolate business - so proper freezing practice would be most helpful.
"I make several frames a week of the same flavour and then package them in bulk boxes. Each bulk box has 5 layers and holds a total of 244 chocolates"
- Did you freeze your 'frames' (I assume that these are slabs of ganache poured into frames?) without cutting into pieces, or are they cut into 244 pieces?
- If cut, are they also dipped into chocolate?
- I'm also guessing that you don't actually freeze the actual frames? I use plastic stackable frames.
-The boxes from Nashville that you use are strong enough to withstand the vacuum packing?
I have frozen slabs and balls (from silicon moulds) of ganache, so when thawed out 24hrs in fridge, then 24hrs in room temperature, I THEN cut and enrobe. I know that one can freeze enrobed pieces, but I am concerned with damage done to the surface or chocolate transfer pattern used. I would really be pleased if you have done so successfully! Thank you again for your very useful information.
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Permalink Reply by Ruth Atkinson Kendrick on -
I also freeze finished chocolates. I use snap n seal containers. I freeze enrobed pieces with transfer sheets (not still attached) and molded pieces with no problems. One thing to consider, some flavors intensify when frozen, such as chili peppers. I do one piece that has habanero and I don't freeze that one as it is unpredictable.
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Permalink Reply by Lana on
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Ahhh, THAT'S what's happened to my chili chocolates! What an odd phenomenon...
Mim, I freeze finished chocolates - either in bulk containers or already packaged in retail packaging.
The boxes from Nashville Wraps are strong enough to withstand vacuum sealing when full - or you could wrap in several layers of plastic wrap.
I use candy cups and always freeze my chocolates in the cups. This protects them yet doesn't leave a lot of air space as candy trays would. Air is the big no-no when it comes to freezing. I put candy pads over each layer so the tops are also protected just as they would be in retail packaging. Molded chocolates and chocolates made with transfer sheets are just as shiny when frozen and thawed properly.
When bonbons are frozen immediately after being made, the shelf life now belongs to the consumer.
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Permalink Reply by Mim on
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Ruth and Lana, thank you both for being so helpful! I'll let you know how I go!
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Permalink Reply by Susan Van Horn on -
Lana & Ruth ~ When I have vacuum packed my finished rolled chocolates, the "vacuuming" has ended up cracking the shells. Now, I didn't have them in layers in a box, either. I am just wondering if putting them in boxes will help mitigate this problem. Do you stop the vacuum process when the bag is really tight around the box or ??? How can you tell when to stop so that I don't crack the shells? I would love to be able to vacuum seal my finished pieces. It would save a boatload of time and last minute orders would be so much easier to fill. Right now, I have opted to vacuum seal the rolled balls and that works fine.
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Permalink Reply by Lana on
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Susan, I think what you're saying is that you put your finished pieces in a bag and sealed the bag? Yes, I can see how that would crack the shells... Put the finished pieces in a box, protected, as they would be in a retail box, and vacuum seal that. Stop the vacuum process before the box starts to indent. One of the chocolatiers in Italy - Manori - stressed this point. Don't try to take out too much air. It's important that your box is full so that there are no big air spaces in the box. If it's not full, fill it up with something. Don't leave large air spaces in your box.
Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Susan Van Horn on
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Thanks so much, Lana. Yes, I do put them in a FoodSaver bag, single layer, and then vacuum seal it. This is the information I needed! Perfect!
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