Hello, I am about to coat some almonds in a panning machine with coverture. Do I roast the almonds first, Also what do you use to make them shiny?
There is a lot of good info in the post linked to, for sure.
Most confectioners roast their almonds, but that’s mostly a flavor preference. I don’t know that there are any particular food safety requirements for roasting the almonds but it’s possible that there are.
The shiny surface is created using a glaze, commonly made from insects – cochineal bugs. If you are looking to create a vegan product, one is made by Capol (who also makes standard glazes) – but it’s more expensive, at least one-third more costly than non-vegan glazes.
Here’s the link to the page on their website and there is a US-based company you can contact to find a dealer:
http://www.capol.de/en/glazes.php