Batch 590 (Plus 4 More) Freeze Drying 5 Batches of Candy

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  • Опубликовано: 15 янв 2025

Комментарии • 128

  • @SchoolReports
    @SchoolReports  Год назад +4

    Thanks for watching and commenting!
    Want to support the channel? Buy me a coffee :-) www.buymeacoffee.com/DanZm
    If you are thinking of buying a freeze dryer, please consider supporting us by purchasing through our affiliate link. It helps us and costs you nothing! affiliates.harvestright.com/995.html Before buying a freeze dryer perhaps research to find out more about the downside of the machine; like with any big machine, some people say they have had problems with their machine and it's big and heavy and hard to return!

    • @historyteacher4402
      @historyteacher4402 Год назад +2

      Did you create your filter system, yourself? If yes, and you have a video, which video number is it? Thanks for all of these videos. I am learning a lot from you. I have not yet purchased a freeze dryer. It has been something I have wanted but I realize it is a more complicated appliance. So, I am watching your videos to learn more.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      @@historyteacher4402 I did make it, but I have/had the oldest type vacuum pump they used to send out. If you get their current default, Premier Vacuum Pump, you really won't need a filter system. My sister got her new system this past fall and has finished 38 batches. We are right now, as I type, changing her oil for the first time. The oil still looks ridiculously clean! Highly recommend the Premier vacuum pump if it's in the budget. (If not, try to make it fit in the budget!)
      Here is a playlist about oil filter stuff. ruclips.net/video/4EfJRKxn4zA/видео.html

    • @historyteacher4402
      @historyteacher4402 Год назад +2

      @@SchoolReports thank you!! I am learning a lot from your videos. I will take your advice. Have a great day!

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      @@historyteacher4402 Actual history teacher? I've got to say, because we home-schooled (in conjunction with a charter school) I learned more (many times more!) history than I did when I was in school. History was probably was the most interesting subject. (Unlike when I went to school)

    • @historyteacher4402
      @historyteacher4402 Год назад +2

      I love watching your videos. I always enjoy trying to read your many t-shirts. LOL. Thanks for sharing your freeze drying experiences. Love the purpose of these candies, too. LOL!!!

  • @glydial
    @glydial 22 дня назад +1

    I really appreciate the way you explain the "whys" in Freeze Drying. I wondered why cooling the chamber was used if we wouldn't be freezing candy.. thank you for explaining why. I just got my HR freeze dryer and am learning. Keep up the great informative videos.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  22 дня назад

      Thanks for watching and for commenting!
      I'm sure you _could_ dry candies without any freezing, but it could cause issues with the vacuum pump and its oil. (assuming it's an oil vacuum pump:) And I'm thinking we'd have to call it Vacuum Drying instead of Freeze Drying. 🤣

  • @10xshooters
    @10xshooters 11 месяцев назад +2

    A fountain of knowledge and good information. so far, I enjoyed your content. It's definitely a learning process to make the candy turn out perfect.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  11 месяцев назад

      Some candies are _way better_ after freeze drying! "Perfect" candy is in the eye of the beholder. Some people like to make them get huge, I just want mine to get big. In general, higher temperatures will give you bigger candies.

  • @meganwinters5163
    @meganwinters5163 Год назад +4

    Who doesn't love a candy 🍬 video!!
    As always Thanks for sharing!

  • @piratefangirl6802
    @piratefangirl6802 Год назад +2

    Randomly got recommended this was kinda unsure why but was truly fascinating lovely video ❤

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад

      You never know what stuff RUclips will recommend! 🤣 Thanks for watching!

  • @WestCanaanTim
    @WestCanaanTim Год назад +2

    What a great episode! As a bona fide candy-aholic, this was a blast to watch. And very interesting as well. Can't wait to get my freeze dryer and I'm sure I'll have to try some assorted candy but I have to stay away from most of it, diet-wise..

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад

      Thanks for watching and commenting. When you try candy, try out a range of temperatures to get the amount of expansion you want.

  • @zhippidydoodah
    @zhippidydoodah Год назад +3

    The skittles look the best. You're absolutely right, the candy looks so pretty :)

  • @iammultipotentialite
    @iammultipotentialite 9 месяцев назад +3

    I love the laziness and procrastination sayings. I can relate 😅

  • @KrissyMcKevitt
    @KrissyMcKevitt 9 месяцев назад +1

    Thank you for this video. Our grandkids are asking for this and like you our Harvest right is from 2019 with the older software. What were your settings on candy mode and how do you keep it in that cycle. How do you bypass the normal freeze drying cycle. Looking for the step by step process on the settings if you have them. Thank you so much!

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  9 месяцев назад +1

      Thanks so much.
      I'll see if I already have something showing what you're looking for, if not, I'm between batches and I'll make you a quick video.

    • @KrissyMcKevitt
      @KrissyMcKevitt 9 месяцев назад +1

      @@SchoolReports thank you so much! I always see all the notes you take. I was hoping you might.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  9 месяцев назад

      @@KrissyMcKevitt I don't think I have a single video where I show all the steps I would do, it's all in little un-findable clips inside a bunch a of videos.
      This other candy video does give a few glimpses of the method (But nothing detailed) Batches 564 & 565 - Candy for #1 Child - ruclips.net/video/27l22IJO6Sk/видео.htmlsi=JoE_tPEVUUrcUwKp
      Which version firmware is your machine running?
      Are you wanting to see:
      Running the machine in 'Custom' or manual mode
      What shelf temperature to use for candy
      The steps for adjusting the shelf temperature
      How to run multiple batches back to back without stopping
      How to jump to the next cycle
      When you should jump cycles
      How to decide/know if it done
      What to consider before taking it out
      (Any thing else you can think of)

    • @Clamper1827
      @Clamper1827 9 месяцев назад +1

      Greetings, Kristy’s husband here. We are on software v4.1.26. What shelf temperature did you settle on? How did you manipulate the timer to run back to back trays from vacuum freezing, drying and final drying stages. When did you decide to jump forward in the drying cycles? What standout difference did you find with the different types of candy you used. We poured over the videos to gain as much information we could, and we realize you were not trying to produce a “how to” video but any additional information you might share would be greatly appreciated and most helpful. Thank you so much for your time and the content you provide. We have been long time subscribers and always find your videos interesting and informative.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  9 месяцев назад

      @@Clamper1827 A lot of the temperature choice depends on what results you're after. In general higher temps make the candies expand more, though some candies do nothing. We always start a new candy at 120ºf and go up if needed.
      I hope you don't mind waiting a bit longer, I'm in the middle of making the How-To candy video trying to show each of these things. (I made a list - Let's see if I can remember to get everything in!)
      You are running a newer version software than I am. (I decided to never do any updates) I'll have to check the manuals I have to see if I can spot any differences that might cause issues. (If I have a copy of that version)

  • @lcdc59
    @lcdc59 Год назад +3

    Thanks!!

  • @zhippidydoodah
    @zhippidydoodah Год назад +2

    Wow I can think of some nice crunch top options for muffins and other treats :) Crushed werthers in some cupcakes or cookies. Yum

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      Ooh! Crushed and mixed into the cupcake batter, and powdered and mixed into frosting.

  • @JacqualineBond-qx4kv
    @JacqualineBond-qx4kv 7 месяцев назад +2

    With the new machine you can do Skittles in very fast I do many batches a day other things two.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  7 месяцев назад

      Yes, same with the older machine when we want to run it that way.

  • @JacqualineBond-qx4kv
    @JacqualineBond-qx4kv 7 месяцев назад +4

    Drop a Werther's Carmel in a cup of coffee

  • @sanot8443
    @sanot8443 Год назад +2

    Do you have a video that distills down the mechanics of how the machine works for those of us NOT mechanically minded? So we learn how our machine works with the newer updates so we can understand how yours is different when you make your adjustments? I just have a hard time wrapping my head around the basics and then using that understanding to make adjustments and trouble shoot and such. I appreciate your thoroughness but struggle to understand the intricacies. Thanks for all the work you do on these videos!

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      It's really a VERY simple process.
      The components:
      A vacuum chamber - just an airtight metal chamber.
      A vacuum pump to lower the pressure in the chamber.
      A freezer unit to freeze the chamber to -40º.
      Heated shelves in the chamber to gently heat the food and "boil" off the water WHILE still frozen.
      In the same way that water boils at a lower temperature at high mountain elevations, in the freeze dryer vacuum chamber the pressure is so low that the ice will go from a solid to a gas at temperatures too low for the ice to melt; a process called sublimation - from a solid directly to a gas. (Like when dry ice disappears)
      The water from the food ends up on the wall of the chamber as ice in a process called desublimation or deposition - from a gas directly back to a solid.
      The chamber walls are being used as a moisture or vapor trap, so the water doesn't go into the vacuum pump.

  • @FreezeDriedIceCreamPrepper
    @FreezeDriedIceCreamPrepper Год назад +5

    Oh my goodness, I have had all of this happen! I have started my own little side hustle selling freeze dried ice cream and candy, and I went through all of this trial and error. I feel your pain!! 😳

    • @lillypatience
      @lillypatience Год назад +1

      Can you share some tips?

    • @FreezeDriedIceCreamPrepper
      @FreezeDriedIceCreamPrepper Год назад +1

      @lillypatience Sure thing! What kind of thing are you wanting to do?

    • @lillypatience
      @lillypatience Год назад +1

      @@FreezeDriedIceCreamPrepper thanks! I’m interested in tips related to freeze drying ice cream. I’ve read other comments to pre-freeze for 8 hours and lowering the tray temp to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • @FreezeDriedIceCreamPrepper
      @FreezeDriedIceCreamPrepper Год назад +5

      @lillypatience You definitely don't need to pre-freeze for 8 hours. Just like most things you freeze dry, the colder the better to start with. But since ice cream is generally already in the 0° to 10° range anyways, extra deep freeze doesn't take off that much time from the process.
      What you DO want to do it have your freeze dryer as cold as possible when you put the trays in. So this is my general order of operations:
      1) Ideally have your trays in deep freeze beforehand, so you're not putting your ice cream on warm trays
      2) Start the cycle and start lowering the temperature in the chamber
      3) Start scooping your ice cream onto frozen trays and put them in when the chamber gets down to at least 10°
      *Ideally this should be in the coolest room you can stand. Since it's winter, I do it out in our garage where it's around 40° and the ice cream doesn't really have time to melt in the time it takes me to get it on the trays

    • @lillypatience
      @lillypatience Год назад +3

      @@FreezeDriedIceCreamPrepper thank you!

  • @shaunnichols4664
    @shaunnichols4664 Год назад +2

    Excellent idea: force candy and power drink to other peoples children and teach them to swear. You need that on one of your tee-shirts.

  • @thefuzzman9833
    @thefuzzman9833 Год назад +2

    Hi Dan, Well, I finally have the imported FD working now and going to attempt some sweets ( candy) . My machine is very different to a harvest right in the way it works, i need to program every stage manually with temp and time. As a best guess would you gradually increase temp in smaller increments like 10C or larger jumps say at 30C , Also would you finish at 50C or 55C so as not to cook it. It may be a bit tricky to work out but I am going to run with a 30 hour cycle starting at -45 and move up to 50c in 12 increments. Well that's the plan anyway.
    Thanks again for the wealth of information and this channel.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      In general, I would probably start with smaller increments like 10ºc with a max of 50ºc at first.
      With sweets :) the total run times can be very short (just a few hours after the chamber is completely cold), and you can even bypass some of the lower heating steps and go right to the higher temps. This is because there is almost no water in them. Some candies do almost nothing even at 65ºc, and some will get so big they will stick to the next shelf up if heated above 50ºc.
      The newer HR freeze dryers have the ability to go to 65ºc (150ºf) when doing candy. I didn't like the results of most of the candy when done at that temperature; it over puffed. I have done almost every batch at 120ºf (49ºc), with a few at lower temps to experiment.
      The Harvest right firmware cycles the temp on and off many times to try to keep the pressure within a range. In a lot of ways it's not as sophisticated as yours; but usable by a wider user base.
      Maybe this will help -
      How To Graph Your Harvest Right Data ruclips.net/video/dFHKZmbDIG8/видео.html

    • @thefuzzman9833
      @thefuzzman9833 Год назад +2

      @SchoolReports Thanks again. I will watch your video again and then reference that data. I will also export my data to look at it. I must say it is very exciting and I certainly have caught your bug. I am processing batch 3 which is cooked pulled chicken but batch 4 which is in my home freezer atm is 7kg of home made lasagne. This I Imagine will be a 40hr plus process so I will adjust times accordingly.
      Will let you know it goes, the sweets will most likely be in the next 2 or 3 runs.

    • @jinweisun5617
      @jinweisun5617 Год назад

      @@thefuzzman9833 Hi, any progress? Did it work ?

    • @thefuzzman9833
      @thefuzzman9833 Год назад

      @@jinweisun5617 no still working on a fix.

  • @cynthias.aeschlimann2115
    @cynthias.aeschlimann2115 5 месяцев назад +1

    So how do you get so much water?
    What is that thing you put in your freeze dryer and the fans??
    How do I pre cool it?

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  5 месяцев назад

      Good questions. (Please let me know if my answers are not clear)
      The water I show at the beginning of this video is from the previous batch, batch 589, an 8 lb batch of apples. - ruclips.net/video/cy_Nfw8Xa4Y/видео.htmlsi=gb-Q7x3NbE9fxRoZ&t=778 That's more or less the amount of water (6.5 lbs) from that many apples of this variety.
      I assume that you have a newer machine. (Like my sister's) The defrost baffle thing I made for my sister's machine is better and simpler than mine. It's just cut from a piece of plastic corrugate I haven't yet made a video about it, but I show it a bit in a few videos ruclips.net/video/CAg8Ntlt8_Q/видео.htmlsi=zXZHjUF0zlO-c0cu&t=1488
      Here is one showing it's use in my older machine. - How We Defrost and Dry our Harvest Right Freeze Dryer - ruclips.net/video/dSfIWkwC-e4/видео.htmlsi=U4f6MV4GNxuEkTdV
      As far as precooling the machine after starting it, we just let run until the temperature of the rack is lower than the temperature of our trays of prefrozen food before loading the machine. We don't put frozen food into a machine that's warmer than the food. (We prefreeze almost everything we freeze dry)

  • @katestockmyer2696
    @katestockmyer2696 Год назад +2

    Great video. We just tried a candy batch and found your video very helpful. My husband commented that he really liked your bag filling scoop. Do you have a link for that?

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      Thanks for watching and commenting!
      😁 The scoop I use is one I "adjusted." After I bought the scoop I cut both sides off and attached 3D printed end pieces to the sides. This is how I changed the scoop - Food Scoop For Freeze Dryer Tray ruclips.net/video/trs26E42Zho/видео.html It could be done without a 3D printer by heating up the cut off pieces with a heat gun (could be done over a toaster or in an oven) and I was able to easily flatten them. It would then be very easy to sand them to fit the side of the scoop and glue them on.
      This is an Amazon affiliate link to the scoop I used for the scoop project: amzn.to/3pdTB4J​ (I've seen right hand ones and left hand ones, (and dual) and most of the time the left hand ones were cheaper)
      I have bought another one and plan to do a video changing it without using a 3D printer, for my sister and her new machine.

  • @JaneDoe42011
    @JaneDoe42011 11 месяцев назад +2

    I was thinking the exact opposite about the gummy bear,s (the first batch of fluffy ones). I absolutely love how yours turned out. :)

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  11 месяцев назад

      They were _so_ big and fluffy! 🤣😂

  • @robingirven4570
    @robingirven4570 Год назад +2

    My hard Werthers did nothing. My good & plenty did nothing also. Maybe cut in Half?

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +2

      There are some things that just do nothing in the freeze dryer; probably (maybe?) because there is no water in them. I don't know about Good & Plenty, I've never tried freeze drying them. They are licorice flavored which means they're yucky! 🤣 I might try Good & Fruity!
      The Werther's we did were the soft and the chewy varieties.

    • @robingirven4570
      @robingirven4570 Год назад +2

      @@SchoolReports I love licorice!! I also like the strawberry flavored twists. Not the cherry though. I’m going to try the soft Werthers. Thank you for doing this.

    • @Jsh465
      @Jsh465 Год назад +1

      Carmel are the best. Try again. Put on 140 they get HUGE

    • @robingirven4570
      @robingirven4570 Год назад

      @@Jsh465 hard Werthers will not FD. The caramel Werthers are delicious and work great on candy mode.

  • @misterp158
    @misterp158 Год назад +2

    good stuff thanks for sharing

  • @carlaanderson9816
    @carlaanderson9816 Год назад +3

    Try caramel m & ms, addictive! I did not get sour patch kids, Mike and Ike’s, hot tamales or jelly bellies to do anything. I use candy mode 140 - 145 degrees and typically takes 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours total. I do my marshmallow items in candy mode as well, I just put them in with about 10 minutes left before pump starts.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +3

      Caramel M & Ms sound great. I'm not sure I've ever had any.
      Good to hear that you've had the same results with some of the same candies.
      It would be interesting to check to see if all the water has actually been removed during that short of a time, or if it's just puffing up the candy. I may have to check with my sister's machine.

    • @TheHandyGardener
      @TheHandyGardener 11 месяцев назад +1

      @@SchoolReports did you get round to trying it out on your sisters machine?

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  11 месяцев назад

      @@TheHandyGardener We have used her machine for candy. It seems about the same as mine. I still wouldn't trust them to be done in 3 1/2 hours.

  • @robinwilson8198
    @robinwilson8198 7 месяцев назад +1

    Do you add extra tray warming time?

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  7 месяцев назад

      Most candies can/will be done in just a few hours, so they wouldn't need extra dry time. If you are referring to the "Warm trays" function, I would use that if the trays got cold before I had a chance to take them out. (We usually use "More dry time" to rewarm our tray if they get cold. It does a better job)

  • @T4nkcommander
    @T4nkcommander Год назад +3

    Tried using candy mode on some marshmellows, and apparently you aren't supposed to do that because it immediately got sucked into my pump. Thankfully I caught it within 10 minutes, but yeah oil got super cloudy. HR tech said don't use Candy mode for marshmellows, in case anyone has updated to a version with candy mode.
    Great idea about covering the foods that tend to 'jump'. That's a big irritation of mine.
    Do you use waste water for anything?

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      Interesting and good to know! We've never had anything that looked like it moved, let alone moved far enough to make it to the vacuum outlet. (Maybe the new vacuum pumps are stronger?)
      We just dump the melt water.

    • @T4nkcommander
      @T4nkcommander Год назад +2

      @@SchoolReports I should clarify, it wasn't the marshmallows themselves, it was more micro particulate. Just clouded up the oil very fast while the marshmallows themselves imploded. Whoops.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +2

      @@T4nkcommander Thanks! That makes so much more sense! I was trying to picture a marshmallow, somehow, flying through the vacuum and getting sucked into the vacuum hose.🤣

  • @jago4673
    @jago4673 Год назад +2

    Have you freeze dried hard butterscotch discs?

  • @ronaldduty7854
    @ronaldduty7854 Год назад +2

    Like your program
    How can I get a copy the way you wright down
    On paper. Like to make a copy as I scale load
    Thanks

    • @ronaldduty7854
      @ronaldduty7854 Год назад +2

      Thanks

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      I recently started using a worksheet with only 2 form per page instead of 3, so I could have more room for notes. This is where you can find the 2 per sheet one: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14_1KDR7-eEv_h9EdwJcHb2Dex5MuhnxlDV24qPR7H6c/edit?usp=sharing
      and here is the 3 per sheet one: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13DCB2hXo9_ZYrhIUicLk2IrEaQGszwbaJTcEH8wJxk4/edit?usp=sharing
      You may have to adjust the print size and/or margin to have them print correctly.

    • @ronaldduty7854
      @ronaldduty7854 Год назад +2

      @@SchoolReports
      Thanks I came up with something. You really
      Have good ideas.

  • @JacqualineBond-qx4kv
    @JacqualineBond-qx4kv 7 месяцев назад +1

    Have you done mike and ikes

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  7 месяцев назад +1

      At 24:42 - I haven't tried Mike & Ike’s again. (We did try running the same ones twice in a row without much change)

  • @svitlanarichardson6812
    @svitlanarichardson6812 9 месяцев назад +1

    Hi. I have new freeze dryer. I tried gummy nerds and sour patch , didn't change anything. What time in total it's taking to turn your batch into puffs?

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  9 месяцев назад

      Did you try the "Candy" mode that the newer machines have? And, some candies do nothing - or very little. They should start to balloon up in the first few hours for most candies.
      I made this video for someone who has an older machine like mine. Maybe it will give you some ideas of what to check?
      Settings For Doing Candy 2017 Machine - ruclips.net/video/T9ohV2sC2iU/видео.htmlsi=qEvx6XhwijNjpgB1

    • @svitlanarichardson6812
      @svitlanarichardson6812 9 месяцев назад +1

      Yes I did candy mode. I guess some candies not turning puffy.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  9 месяцев назад +1

      @@svitlanarichardson6812 You are correct that some candies do almost nothing.
      I just looked and saw that our Sour Patch candies did pretty much nothing - ruclips.net/video/Z0N0pXaQo6U/видео.htmlsi=5izuplxG1dlIrbRg&t=984
      I'm not sure if we've tried gummy nerds.
      One other thing that some people have tried is to heat the trays of candy to 130 - 150º before putting them into the prefrozen freeze dryer and then jumping right to the vacuum and drying cycle.

  • @forthosewhoHUNGER
    @forthosewhoHUNGER Год назад +2

    What were YOUR favorite FDd candies and how about the children’s favorites?

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +3

      That's a tough one. I love toasted marshmallows that are then freeze dried, but maybe the most improved candy is Bit-O-Honey. They are only okay before freeze drying, and they are GREAT when dried. Or maybe Werther's Chewy.
      Who cares what the kids like! 🤣 Probably the Skittles.

    • @forthosewhoHUNGER
      @forthosewhoHUNGER Год назад +2

      @@SchoolReports I live your sense if humor. Thank you for always answering so quickly! 🙏🏼

  • @phillipparham669
    @phillipparham669 11 месяцев назад +1

    looking for time and temp to freeze dry malted milk balls.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  11 месяцев назад

      Sorry, I can't help with those, I haven't tried those.
      While foods with chocolate _in_ them have done fine, I think you may have difficulties doing something that is _coated_ with chocolate. Similar to at 17:12 in this video, and maybe for the same reasons.
      Maybe try keeping the tray temperature below the melting point of the chocolate (75ºf?) and just let it take more time.

  • @TheTangoAlfa1
    @TheTangoAlfa1 6 месяцев назад +1

    Does the water taste like apple juice?

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  6 месяцев назад

      I haven't tasted the water from many batches, but they pretty much smell like very old, stale ice, like the ice from defrosting a freezer that hasn't been defrosted for 2 years.

  • @unrealreviews8341
    @unrealreviews8341 Год назад +2

    Did the starburst turn into a lozenge ?

  • @reneepeacock176
    @reneepeacock176 Год назад +2

    Can the water removed be used for anything?

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      I've never tried using it for anything. Mine usually has an odor that reminds me of REALLY old, stale ice that has melted. Perhaps with a hint of whatever was just dried. 😁 I haven't even tested the pH of it or sent samples of the melt water to a water testing lab to have it tested.
      A few months ago MikeB commented "Be careful with the freeze dryer water, earlier this year I freeze dried a #10 can of pickled jalapenos (the nacho style) I watered four of my tomato plants with the water, by the end of the day they were wilted and dead"
      This could be unique to pickled jalapenos or similar items; it would need testing.

  • @shellic5166
    @shellic5166 Год назад +2

    I can't remember if I asked this....have you ever tried freeze drying powder? My freeze dryer is not in yet, but I haven't seen many people freeze dry powder. I would like to freeze dry powdered gravy, seasoning like bulk powdered onions, curry powder....maybe flour or pancake mix. Have you done it before? Would you do it as is? Or add water? I have heard someone say just put parchment or paper towel over it just in case. I just don't want it to get in the oil or pump. Would love to hear what you think as I am not a tech person. Thanks

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      Yes we (well, my sister) have done many pounds of her Chai Tea Mix powder mix. We do place a paper towel over the top of each tray, but I don't know if it's truly necessary. The powder isn't going to be moving while under vacuum because there is no air to move it. However, maybe when the vacuum first starts and the air is being pulled out or when when the drain valve is opened, the rushing air MIGHT move some powder, so we cover it just in case. We've never seen evidence that any powder has moved, but we do cover it.
      I see no issues with just pouring the various powders you listed directly on to the trays, as is, I would NOT add water.
      I should do a batch of flour to see how much water it has. Minute Rice sure had a lot.

  • @eileenniehaus5368
    @eileenniehaus5368 Год назад +2

    Reading your affiliate links, wondering about your gift bags, do you have a link for those?

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +2

      We got ours from Pack Fresh USA packfreshusa.com/shop/stand-up-pouches/
      😁I guess I'm not very good at making money off this stuff! We have been getting our bags from there for years, 2 or 3 orders a year, we usually buy our bags in packs of 1000. They are not a sponsor, and I hadn't thought of seeing if they do affiliate link stuff. Your question made me check and it looks like they do; I'll have to check into it! Who knew? 🤣 Thanks.

    • @eileenniehaus5368
      @eileenniehaus5368 Год назад +2

      @@SchoolReports I thought perhaps since they weren’t your normal bags you might have gotten them elsewhere. Never heard of them doing affiliate either, could be a good thing for you. 😁

  • @arlinaallen
    @arlinaallen Год назад +2

    What settings did you use for gummy candies? Mine were still squishy :(

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      These were mostly done at 130ºf (I prefer the results at 125), but the settings may not be the issue. What brand were the ones the didn't work?
      Some candies simply do nothing. My sister recently tried some cinnamon gummy bears and they did nothing; she even tried it at 150ºf, and still nothing!
      Some people even preheat their tray of candies in a low oven (170ºf?) before they out them in the freeze dryer to make them blow up bigger. We don't.

    • @Jsh465
      @Jsh465 Год назад +2

      Gummies never ever work for me

  • @ronaldduty7854
    @ronaldduty7854 Год назад +1

    Where did I get the
    4 by 4 pans you freeze
    Thanks

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +1

      We bought our pans at the Dollar Tree store, I have a picture of the pans on the Community page. They were called 8x8" but the bottoms are about 7x7", a perfect fit for our medium freeze dryer trays. (Turns out they have them online too www.dollartree.com/cooking-concepts-square-cake-pans-75-in/10065 ) The different batches of pans that we have bought (over the past 20 years) have had slightly different side slopes, which would require a slight change in the divider shape.
      And, the divider we use in the pan is just something I designed and 3D printed to fit our pans. Here is the design and print video if you are interested; ruclips.net/video/3KLblPCTpHk/видео.html They were printed with ABS then vapor/acetone smoothed to seal them. The file is on Thingiverse.
      Another viewer used cut some out of thick plastic (like thick cutting board) to make their dividers. (They did have a laser cutter)
      I'm planning to try to figure out how to make a good, usable (1/2" thick) divider without using a printer. (For those odd people who don't have a few 3D printers)
      Clarification on the 2 1/2 pans per tray; it only works IF the divider is the thickness I use. (or thicker) The freeze dryer trays actually fits about 1/2" less than 2 1/2 pans; that's one reason I made the dividers that thick, and to fit the magnets.

    • @ronaldduty7854
      @ronaldduty7854 Год назад +2

      @@SchoolReports
      Thanks

  • @tarapease638
    @tarapease638 Год назад +1

    The tiny trash can sent me 😍

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад

      🤣 Or are they *giant* freeze dry trays!
      The kids got them during a tour of the recycle and garbage transfer station..

  • @MisterEMystery
    @MisterEMystery 8 месяцев назад

    As you are aware, I don’t watch these in any particular order. In fact, they pop up in my daily feed randomly, so I’m not aware if and or when you’ve recorded another candy batch. Did you ever try the Mike & Ike’s again? I have them and plan to experiment with them; no one I’ve observed has gotten a result with just putting them on a tray at higher temperatures, you experienced exactly what I expected.
    Are the clear portions of those bags you used a thinner Mylar (like 1 mil), or merely cellophane? I laughed when you mentioned that you wanted to remove the candy to prevent any rehydration from the surrounding air.. I’ve found Skittles I freeze dried a week or more ago on the table and they’re just as dry and crunchy as when I pulled them out of the freeze dryer! Speaking of which others have laid a parchment on top of the skittles and loaded a second layer to excellent results. I get one 56 ounce jar to cover all 4 of my Small trays, I haven’t tried a 2nd layer on my thinner trays. Yours are deeper and there’s greater clearance on your older model.
    You are correct regarding not needing to freeze the chamber before entering the dry cycle with candy. After the initial cool down, I will skip the warming of the trays and go straight into Final Dry at 145-150 degrees for 3-4 hours. You probably don’t want to try this with your gummy bears if you really want them to appear as “non-gummy” bears when done. There is so little moisture that the heat vaporizes it during the dry cycle and sublimation isn’t needed.
    Oh that is not to say that certain types of “candy” won’t rehydrate. Marshmallows certainly will. I’ve come across the stray marshmallow days later and while still having a crunch, they are noticeably not as dry. But my “laugh” is in my opinion still warranted for “immediately” trying to keep from rehydrating, most candy will take a long time or in the case of the skittles I don’t think they rehydrate at all.
    I’ll let you know what occurs with my Mike & Ike experiments on some other video. While I did receive the cheese slicer, I haven’t bought any ice cream yet to slice.. like you I get caught up doing other things.
    How many #1 children do you have (you stated your “other #1 child” wants to bring over some candy too)? Is it merely not to show favoritism, or is it One was first born #1 and the other IS the #1 favorite??🤣🤣🤣

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  8 месяцев назад

      I haven't tried Mike & Ike’s again. (We did try running the same ones twice in a row without much change)
      The clear front bags are 3mil Mylar, just not metallized on the clear layer.
      All freeze dried foods are hygroscopic and will start pulling in moisture immediately. The only questions are exactly how fast for a specific food, how much is too much for that food, and when will it reach what I'd call the tipping point - the point at which we can tell with just our normal senses that it's getting moist, at which point it's already way too late.
      Test - How much water gets back into the freeze dried fruit, from the air, in 12 hours - ruclips.net/video/ArY18d5KW_I/видео.htmlsi=TnVv_YRkTEMHjPcg&t=452
      We have used parchment for multiple layers a number of times for a number of foods. We only do it if the food layers would otherwise stick together.
      Batch 609 Freeze Drying Tomato Slices - ruclips.net/video/F2351166JZM/видео.htmlsi=8Bj_rr_qoBih74be&t=510
      Just the two #1 children. 🤣😇 When our first #1 child hit those teen rebellion years she went to the dark side. First Mayo instead of the awesome Miracle Whip, Coke instead of Pepsi and then an Apple phone! Out of control. I thought we raised her right. We failed as parents and we live in shame!😁 Now the other one can be #1 child. (I actually just use the label "#1 child" any time I'm just referring to either of them)

    • @MisterEMystery
      @MisterEMystery 8 месяцев назад +1

      @SchoolReports I wondered about the clear side because it looks pretty flexible. I used to buy comic book Mylar bags that were 4mil. They were really rigid. I still have them for my expensive books, but Bill Cole Enterprises had to return the exclusive rights to the patent holder Gerber a number of years ago, and they started making 1mil bags that were as flexible as cellophane but still had a minimal archival quality. I refused to buy them.
      The aluminum mixing with Mylar for freeze drying bags appears to have made them more flexible than Mylar by itself. I would question whether the clear side is truly 3mil if they’re as flexible as they appear. I haven’t compared the HR 7mil bag’s thickness to the 4mil comic bags. There may be a thickness difference.
      I don’t dispute freeze dried fruit or other healthy foods ability to rehydrate quickly from the surrounding air, perhaps you misunderstood. I was talking about the candy which is mostly corn syrup and sugar. If you have some articles about rehydration of sugar, corn starch and syrup that’s been cooked at high temperatures to form candy, please supply those.

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  8 месяцев назад

      @@MisterEMystery 🤣 If you knew me you'd know that I didn't assume that the bag was 3mil because it was sold and labeled as 3mil, I measured it myself. They are 3mil bags. (Typically the metallisation is added by vapor deposition, it's not mixed with the plastic film)
      The hygroscopic nature of sugar is so well known I'm not going to spend a lot of time on it. Suffice it to say, all freeze dried items are hygroscopic and if I can't bag into the final bags right away, I'll at least bag into some kind of temporary plastic bag. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
      Pastry science #3 - The properties of sugar
      www.roadtopastry.com/blog/pastry-science/pastry-science-3-the-properties-of-sugar-part-ii
      5. Hygroscopicity
      All sugars are hygroscopic, albeit at different levels: this means that they have a tendency to “grab” water/humidity and keep it as long as they can. . . .
      . . . The most hygroscopic sugar is fructose, which can keep baked goods moist longer than other sugars. The same applies to the syrups containing fructose, like agave syrup and honey. The different levels of hygroscopicity also mean that we cannot simply replace 100% of the sugar in a recipe with honey, because the final consistency will be altered, too soft or spongy.
      The Serious Eats Guide to Sugar
      www.seriouseats.com/the-serious-eats-guide-to-sugar-syrup-honey-natural-sweetners
      Sugar is hygroscopic, . . . . If you ever put a lollipop in the fridge, only to return to a pool of bright pink sugar syrup, it is because of sugar's water-attracting property. But being hygroscopic does more than melt your lollies. . . . In ice cream-making, we call sugar an "anti-freeze," because its hygroscopicity prevents crystal formation and creates a softer, creamier texture.
      www.slideserve.com/halia/day-5
      41. Sweeteners Sugars are hygroscopic. • They attract and bond to water, pulling water from proteins, starches, and gums. • . . .
      42. Sweeteners • Sugars and other carbohydrates vary in their hygroscopic nature. • Fructose is highly hygroscopic. • Isomalt is not very hygroscopic. • Hygroscopic nature of sugar and other carbohydrates: • Is sometimes desirable. examples: soft cookies, icings. • Is sometime undesirable. examples: powdered sugar on doughnuts; spun or pulled sugar.

    • @MisterEMystery
      @MisterEMystery 8 месяцев назад +1

      @SchoolReports “…I’m not going to spend a lot of time on it.” When I read this I thought, he’s not? ‘Only’ 3-4 paragraphs 🤣 (with links, thank you they are appreciated.) !

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  8 месяцев назад

      @@MisterEMystery 😇 Yes, meaning I'm just going to just grab links that I already have in my research file, which are kind of related to the topic/question but doesn't really answer the exact question (and hope nobody notices) and call it good enough for now.

  • @hydej1667
    @hydej1667 Год назад +2

    😀 😛 ❤️ 🐸 😋

  • @Alexis-qb6ud
    @Alexis-qb6ud Год назад

    Wear gloves

    • @SchoolReports
      @SchoolReports  Год назад +2

      🤣 Glove comment people crack me up! I wear gloves all the time they are _needed._
      1) Do you put on gloves every time you make a sandwich or pour a bowl of cereal for yourself?
      2) You don't have to worry, I'm not going to share!