This demo video shows the The Panner chocolate panning machine in action.
Here is a fully disassembled Panner consisting of the base, agitating ribs, lid, pan and band clamp. The Panner comes standard with removable agitating ribs, beneficial for stirring lighter, less bulky items, but may cause clumping or chipping in heavier, more solid ones. Experience will help dictate which is best for your application.
To install agitating ribs, use a Phillip's head screwdriver to loosen all six screws in the pan hub. Then slide each rib into place and tighten completely. To assemble the bowl, place the lid on top of the pan and slide the band clamp into position. Using a Phillip's head screwdriver and a wrench, place the screws through the holes in the band clamp and tighten into nuts as seen here.
To install the pan into the base, rotate the coupler to point upwards so its slot is in line with the pan link. Guide the pan link into the coupler slot. When seated in place, rotate the coupler 90 degrees to lock. Make certain the coupler is locked before starting the machine.
The Panner is equipped with three control elements, the on-off switch, the speed control knob, and directional switch. For the sake of this demonstration, the agitating ribs will not be utilized. Again, this is up to user discretion. We will be panning six pounds of almonds, using four pounds of chocolate melted at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Ideal room conditions for panning are between 50 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit with humidity below 50 percent.
Place the product you wish to have coated in chocolate into the Panner, turn power switch on, and select the speed at which you'd like to have the unit rotating. Ladle in the melted chocolate slowly and as evenly as possible across the product. You can use your hand as a substitute for the agitating ribs to avoid clumping and uneven coverage.
Wait for the chocolate to dry before adding more into the pan. This may also avoid clumping. You will determine the rotation speed and length of time to tumble your coated products based on the weight of the items, how much chocolate you use, and how long it takes to dry. Again, experience will help dictate the best practices for your application.
For this demonstration, we are adding cocoa powder as a final coating for flavor, texture, and since we are using untempered chocolate, to avoid melting and smudging when touched. This is what our chocolate and cocoa powdered almonds look like.
When the batch is complete, rotate the speed control knob counter clockwise to slow and stop the unit. Then power off. To disassemble the pan for cleaning, remove it from the base by rotating the coupler until its slot lines line up with the pan link. Slide the pan link out of the coupler. Using a Phillip's head screwdriver and a wrench, loosen the screws in the holes on the band clamp and remove as seen here.
The pan lid and band clamp are all dishwasher and power washer safe. For the sake of this demonstration, we are washing these components by hand with hot, soapy water.
