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Andy Schaefer

@andyschaefer.chocolatier

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Craft over hype🍫🛠️
Insights into techniques, processes &
consistent results
29 yrs in the business
#KeeperOfTheOldSchool🏴‍☠️

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🎯 Struggling with chocolate coating? This might help.✅

Getting a smooth, glossy coating isn’t just about the chocolate, it’s all about temperature control!
Especially during winter or summer, things can get tricky. Here are the 3 key temperatures to keep an eye on:

🍫 CHOCOLATE TEMPERATURE
Depends on the type you’re using, but always check it, even if you’re using a machine!

🌡️ ROOM TEMPERATURE
I recommend:
• 20 °C for milk & dark chocolate
• 16–18 °C for white chocolate

💡 CENTER TEMPERATURE (of the filling/core)
This one’s a bit individual, but in my experience, 18–20 °C works really well.

Hope this helps anyone working on improving their coating process, especially in tough seasons! 🙌
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#keepersoftheoldschool
#chocolatier#pralinen#schokolade#chocolate#chocolates by @andyschaefer.chocolatier

HOW TO CUT COATED CHOCOLATES (WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND OR THE BOTTOMS) 😎

I see chocolatiers all the time doing it like I show at the start of this reel.

Is it wrong? Not exactly.

Is it frustrating, messy, and risky? Absolutely — especially with soft centers that love to fall apart.

This might be a super niche tip…
But hey, if it saves even one chocolate (and one chocolatier’s nerves), I’ll take it!👌
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#keepersoftheoldschool
#chocolatier#pralinen#schokolade#chocolate#chocolates by @andyschaefer.chocolatier

HOW TO ROLL A PIPING BAG💚
One of the most important skills!

Paper bags beat plastic bags!

They enable more precise work and are easier to handle!✅

Definetly something everyone should learn!👌 by @andyschaefer.chocolatier

Where chocolate becomes Easter. 🐣🍫

Some pieces are simple by design.

Small figures. Clean shapes. Familiar colors.
Not meant to impress with complexity.

But to bring a little Easter joy.
Handcrafted details, one piece at a time.

✨ Sweet traditions, made by hand. by @andyschaefer.chocolatier

Stamped decoration looks simple.
That’s exactly why we chose it. 💡

For our Easter pieces, we stayed with a stamped finish. 🐣🍫

Not to impress.
But to create recognition.👌

Our classic cream truffle is also stamped.
Different design same visual language.✅

That connection matters.

Customers recognize the category instantly.
It creates clarity inside the collection.

Simple decoration is not a compromise.
It’s a decision.💯

Less distraction.
More focus on texture, structure and filling.✅

We’re not adding complexity.
We’re building identity.

And that’s part of the journey. ✨ by @andyschaefer.chocolatier

✨ “Complexity doesn’t impress, consistency does.”

🎯 In chocolate work, complexity is easy to create.
Real discipline is making the same quality twice. And again.✅

Anyone can design a product with many layers, textures and decorations.

But if it cannot be reproduced under pressure, it’s only an idea, not a system.✌️

Consistency means your temper is stable.
Your shell thickness predictable.
Your fillings behave the same on Monday as they do on Saturday.

Complexity might catch attention.
Consistency builds reputation.👌

💡 If it only works once, it’s creativity.
If it works every time, it’s craftsmanship.✅ by @andyschaefer.chocolatier

✨ Our new collection — second production run.

This is the second time we produced this collection.
And it’s not 100% perfect yet.

Some fillings still need fine adjustments to reach the exact texture we’re aiming for.

The bases are slightly thicker than planned.

Since we cast the hollow shells by hand, not every mould cavity is 100% identical.

When we then fill them with the machine, even minimal height variations can occur.

And with hollow shells, a small difference is enough to affect the bottom sealing.

To prevent open or unstable bottoms, we currently fill them slightly lower.
That gives us consistent closure and structural security.

Next run, we’ll take a bit more risk.
Thinner bases. More precision.💯

🍫 It doesn’t have to be perfect from day one.
Start where you are. Work with what you have.
Refine the product step by step.

Good enough for now is often exactly what you need to move forward.✅
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#keepersoftheoldschool
#chocolatier#pralinen#chocolatechocolates by @andyschaefer.chocolatier

✨ “Simplicity is the highest form of mastery.”

🎯 In chocolate work, simplicity is never the starting point.

It’s what remains after you truly understand the process.✅

When recipes are clear, temperatures stable, and timing intentional, work becomes calm.

You stop fixing. You stop compensating.
You execute with confidence.👌

Simplicity is built through repetition.
By refining fundamentals until they hold under pressure.
By removing steps instead of adding new ones.✅

🍫 Mastery shows when nothing feels rushed.

When the system works, even on busy days.
When results are repeatable, not accidental.✌️ by @andyschaefer.chocolatier

SMART TECHNIQUES #16 — Square Hollow Shells

Square hollow shells look unforgiving.
And they are.

Temperature, viscosity and timing decide everything here.

Key points:

➡️ The couverture must be at the right temperature and viscosity. No margin.

➡️ You need to work fast. Fill the moulds immediately while the chocolate is still fully mobile.

➡️ Two layers are produced at once. Vibration helps move the chocolate evenly before spinning.

➡️ The mould goes straight into the spinning machine. First slow rotation, so the shell sets evenly.

Process insight:

After spinning, cooling is controlled.
Only once the structure is stable, the shells are released from the mould.👌

💡 Learnings:

We tested this new hollow shell system from @brunner_chocolate_moulds .

It took many trials to find the right settings.✌️

What you see in this reel is not one single run.

The different angles come from different test batches.
That’s intentional.✅

Testing, adjusting and repeating is part of building a reliable process.✅

Transparency matters.
Consistency is earned, not assumed.✅
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#keepersoftheoldschool
#chocolatier#pralinen#schokolade#chocolate#chocolates by @andyschaefer.chocolatier

🍫 Truffle stars. Reduced to the essentials.
✨
Our Trüffelsterne, finished in different chocolates and subtle toppings.
Same shape, same logic. Only small, intentional variations.

🔹 Dark, milk, and white chocolate coatings
🔹 Clean surfaces, minimal decoration
🔹 Garnishes that reflect the filling and the season

Each star follows the same structure.✅

That keeps the assortment calm, readable, and consistent.✅

Why it works 💡

A uniform shape creates visual order.✅
Controlled decoration keeps the focus on quality, not effect.✅
This makes the product easy to repeat and easy to combine in a mix.✅

Good design doesn’t need to be loud.
It needs to be clear, controlled, and intentional.👌
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#keepersoftheoldschool
#chocolatier#pralinen#schokolade#chocolate#chocolates by @andyschaefer.chocolatier

Christmas production is not about making more products.
It’s about keeping quality stable when volume increases.💡

When things get busy, simple products and clear processes matter more than ever.

➡️ Key Points

🔹 Seasonal products must be designed for repeatability
If something only works once, it will fail under pressure.

🔹 Simplicity protects quality
Clear shapes, clean coatings, and familiar flavors stay controllable even at scale.

🔹 Systems create calm
When workflows are defined, decisions get easier and mistakes get fewer.

🔹 Consistency builds trust
Customers don’t remember one perfect piece.
They remember that every piece was good.

➡️ Why it works
Peak season exposes weak structures.
Strong systems hold up when time is short, volume is high, and expectations stay the same.

Good seasonal products are not complicated.
They are thought through.💡
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#keepersoftheoldschool
#chocolatier#pralinen#schokolade#chocolate#chocolates by @andyschaefer.chocolatier

🍫 Cranberry Marzipan

Dark chocolate coated marzipan with cranberries soaked in raspberry spirit.✅

The alcohol lifts the fruit notes without dominating, keeping the marzipan clean and structured.

Finished with a dark coating and a single red dot as a quiet visual marker.

Why it works 💡
🔹 The acidity of the cranberries cuts through the sweetness of the marzipan

🔹 Raspberry spirit enhances aroma rather than adding heat

🔹 Dark chocolate adds depth and balances the fruit with gentle bitterness

🔹 A minimal decoration keeps the focus on flavor and repeatability

Clean coating. Clear flavor direction. No distraction.✅

Good products don’t need explanation. They need control.💡
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#keepersoftheoldschool#chocolates#chocolovers#schokolade#chocolatier#bonbons#chocolateaddict#instachocolate#praline#schoki#schoko#konditorei#pralinen#chocolatetruffle by @andyschaefer.chocolatier