The thought occurred to me that it might be possible
to run chocolate though a cotton candy machine.
It might be necessary to reduce the heat of the
heater, because chocolate melts at a much lower
temperature tthan sugar. Also, it might be necessary
to spin the chocolate in a cold atmosphere, so the
chocolate would solidfy quickly.

Some additive might be necessary so that the filaments
would be strong. Sugar might work for that, though
it would be better if that could be avoided.

Any thoughts? Anyone got a machine?

On Oct 7, 10:05*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> The thought occurred to me that it might be possible
> to run chocolate though a cotton candy machine.
> It might be necessary to reduce the heat of the
> heater, because chocolate melts at a much lower
> temperature tthan sugar. *Also, it might be necessary
> to spin the chocolate in a cold atmosphere, so the
> chocolate would solidfy quickly.
>
> Some additive might be necessary so that the filaments
> would be strong. *Sugar might work for that, though
> it would be better if that could be avoided.
>
> Any thoughts? *Anyone got a machine?

============================================
Why don't you just get one of those fountain thingies?
Lynn in Fargo
Imagining hot ribbons of flying chocolate . . .

On Oct 7, 11:05 pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> The thought occurred to me that it might be possible
> to run chocolate though a cotton candy machine.
> It might be necessary to reduce the heat of the
> heater, because chocolate melts at a much lower
> temperature tthan sugar. Also, it might be necessary
> to spin the chocolate in a cold atmosphere, so the
> chocolate would solidfy quickly.
>
> Some additive might be necessary so that the filaments
> would be strong. Sugar might work for that, though
> it would be better if that could be avoided.
>
> Any thoughts? Anyone got a machine?


I think, no. Fun idea, though. Why do you want to do this?

I was a party clown once, ran the rented cotton candy machine. Really
pretty fun - do it if you get the chance.

Sugar and chocolate are very different substances. Might be possible
to chocolate-flavor the sugar, but I'm no food tech.

Bulka

On Oct 7, 10:05*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> The thought occurred to me that it might be possible
> to run chocolate though a cotton candy machine.
> It might be necessary to reduce the heat of the
> heater, because chocolate melts at a much lower
> temperature tthan sugar. *Also, it might be necessary
> to spin the chocolate in a cold atmosphere, so the
> chocolate would solidfy quickly.
>
> Some additive might be necessary so that the filaments
> would be strong. *Sugar might work for that, though
> it would be better if that could be avoided.
>
> Any thoughts? *Anyone got a machine?

Sounds like a weird idea, but it might work using cocoa for the
chocolate....

N.

Nancy2 wrote:
>
> Sounds like a weird idea, but it might work using cocoa
> for the chocolate....

I think it would be more likely to work with
a high fat content, like a 99% bar, rather
than cocoa.

Wouldn't that be great if you could make
chocolate cotton candy? Probably a mess
to eat, but everybody would want to try it
at least once.

On Oct 7, 11:05�pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> The thought occurred to me that it might be possible
> to run chocolate though a cotton candy machine.
> It might be necessary to reduce the heat of the
> heater, because chocolate melts at a much lower
> temperature tthan sugar. �Also, it might be necessary
> to spin the chocolate in a cold atmosphere, so the
> chocolate would solidfy quickly.
>
> Some additive might be necessary so that the filaments
> would be strong. �Sugar might work for that, though
> it would be better if that could be avoided.
>
> Any thoughts? �Anyone got a machine?

If any cocoa fat is present all you will make is a schticky mess.

Sheldon wrote:
>
> If any cocoa fat is present all you will make is a schticky mess.

I was thinking of putting dry ice or liquid nitrogen
in the bowl of the machine, so the threads would solidify
in the atmosphere of the bowl before hitting anything.
I'd gather up the threads on a paper cone like regular
cotton candy. If an unmodified dark chocolate bar
can be turned into chocolate cotton candy, that would
be great stuff I believe.

On Oct 8, 10:42*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
>
> > If any cocoa fat is present all you will make is a schticky mess.
>
> I was thinking of putting dry ice or liquid nitrogen
> in the bowl of the machine, so the threads would solidify
> in the atmosphere of the bowl before hitting anything.
> I'd gather up the threads on a paper cone like regular
> cotton candy. *If an unmodified dark chocolate bar
> can be turned into chocolate cotton candy, that would
> be great stuff I believe.

I'm not a physicist (nor do I play one on TV) but don't you think if
you first melted hocolate so it would flow and then you flash froze it
it would just shatter into chocolate dust?
Lynn in FArgo

Lynn from Fargo wrote:
>
> On Oct 8, 10:42 pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> > Sheldon wrote:
> >
> > > If any cocoa fat is present all you will make is a schticky mess.
> >
> > I was thinking of putting dry ice or liquid nitrogen
> > in the bowl of the machine, so the threads would solidify
> > in the atmosphere of the bowl before hitting anything.
> > I'd gather up the threads on a paper cone like regular
> > cotton candy. If an unmodified dark chocolate bar
> > can be turned into chocolate cotton candy, that would
> > be great stuff I believe.
>
> I'm not a physicist (nor do I play one on TV) but don't you think if
> you first melted hocolate so it would flow and then you flash froze it
> it would just shatter into chocolate dust?

If that happens, raise the temperature! Cotton candy
is made from sugar that is melted, then refreezes shortly
after leaving the spinnerets of the cotton candy machine.
That works because the sugar is really hot, so it cools
rapidly in air before hitting the bowl or the paper cone
used to gather it. Because chocolate melts at a much
lower temperature, I'm thinking the heater would have
to be modified to run at a lower temperature or simply
disabled (with liquid chocolate from a tempering machine
ladled in). To accomplish the cooling within a reasonable
distance from the spinnerets, a cold atmosphere in the bowl
might be necessary.

I've been thinking compound chocolate would actually be
more likely to be successful, at least on the first try.

In rec.food.chocolate Mark Thorson > wrote:
> The thought occurred to me that it might be possible
> to run chocolate though a cotton candy machine.

> Some additive might be necessary so that the filaments
> would be strong. Sugar might work for that, though
> it would be better if that could be avoided.

> Any thoughts? Anyone got a machine?

My thoughts are that cotton candy is threads of sugar
and it depends on the crystalization properties of
sugar. Chocolate has a large fat/oil content and though
it does crystalize, the properties are very different and
depends on the crystal structure to "capture" the fat.

You might be able to make a chocolate flavored cotton
candy by adding cocoa powder to rugular cotton candy
syrup. Or, you might get something to work by adding
corn syrup to chocolate.

For sure you are going to have a big sticky mess many
times before you get this to work, if it ever does.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.

In article >,
Mark Thorson > wrote:

> Sheldon wrote:
> >
> > If any cocoa fat is present all you will make is a schticky mess.
>
> I was thinking of putting dry ice or liquid nitrogen
> in the bowl of the machine, so the threads would solidify
> in the atmosphere of the bowl before hitting anything.

Gases of all sorts are poor conductors of heat. I suspect that even the
air over liquid NO2 wouldn't be all that able to cool off the hot
strands.

Isaac

isw wrote:
>
> Gases of all sorts are poor conductors of heat. I suspect that
> even the air over liquid NO2 wouldn't be all that able to cool
> off the hot strands.

Conduction is less important than specific heat.
Short bursts of strands, rather than long bursts,
would allow the atmosphere in the bowl to recover
through convection.

On Oct 11, 10:10*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> isw wrote:
>
> > Gases of all sorts are poor conductors of heat. I suspect that
> > even the air over liquid NO2 wouldn't be all that able to cool
> > off the hot strands.
>
> Conduction is less important than specific heat.
> Short bursts of strands, rather than long bursts,
> would allow the atmosphere in the bowl to recover
> through convection.

you also need to know more about the chemistry involved with
chocolate...you can only melt it at certain temperatures and you would
need to temper it. to freeze it would cause it to turn grey...not
appetizng for sales...the best bet for chocolate cotton candy, which
is an awesome idea, might be to incorporate the cocoa in the mix...i
hope you play with this, after you have learned more about the
chemistry, which is not hard, of chocolate. the chocolate if heated
and then flash frozen would shatter...it has to be part of something
that "carries" it...something that it is added to...and the other
poster who advised that cocoa added to the mix was/is on the right
track.
annette

Mark Thorson wrote:
> isw wrote:
>> Gases of all sorts are poor conductors of heat. I suspect that
>> even the air over liquid NO2 wouldn't be all that able to cool
>> off the hot strands.
>
> Conduction is less important than specific heat.
> Short bursts of strands, rather than long bursts,
> would allow the atmosphere in the bowl to recover
> through convection.
>
>
This isn't about chocolate in a cotton candy machine per se; rather,
it's about a Japanese cotton candy machine that uses any hard candy of
any flavour to make candy floss:

<http://technabob.com/blog/2008/10/13/ame-de-wataame-makes-cotton-candy-out-of-jolly-ranchers/>

or, if you prefer, tiny url:

http://tinyurl.com/4k5lhz

flitterbit wrote:
>
> This isn't about chocolate in a cotton candy machine per se; rather,
> it's about a Japanese cotton candy machine that uses any hard candy of
> any flavour to make candy floss:

Interesting, but it's rather expensive for a toy machine.
Machines like this have been sold in the U.S. for much
cheaper. The only difference appears to be that this
machine seems to accept large pieces. I suppose you
could do the same thing with a conventional machine
if you crush up the candies with a mortar and pestle
or whiz them in a food processor before fedding them
into the machine.

Note how small are the portions it produces, necessitated
by the small bowl.

Mark Thorson wrote:
> The thought occurred to me that it might be possible
> to run chocolate though a cotton candy machine.
> It might be necessary to reduce the heat of the
> heater, because chocolate melts at a much lower
> temperature tthan sugar. Also, it might be necessary
> to spin the chocolate in a cold atmosphere, so the
> chocolate would solidfy quickly.
>
> Some additive might be necessary so that the filaments
> would be strong. Sugar might work for that, though
> it would be better if that could be avoided.
>
> Any thoughts? Anyone got a machine?

It wouldn't harden quick enough to make threads.

For a similar effect, try drizzling melted chocolate over a slowly
deflating Teflon-coated balloon.

-sw