Chapter 22

Chocolate

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22

Introduction: Brief History of Chocolate

• Cacao bean and Theobrama Cacao

• Cacao was brought to the Europe in the early 16th century.

• By the end of 19th century, the first eating chocolate was produced, and large cacao plantations were established

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The Importance of the Bean• Theobrama Cacao – Native to northern South

America and Central America

• Breeds of cacao

– Criollo

– Forastero

– Trinitario

• The major producing area: West Africa, South East Asia and South America

– Map of world highlighting cacao producing regions

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The Importance of the Bean• Cacao Preparation

– Harvest• Only mature pods are harvested by machete

• The beans are removed from the pod

• Drawing of mature and split cacao pod

– Fermentation• Cacao becomes “cocoa” when fermentation process is

initiated

• Heap fermentation

• Box fermentation

• Fermentation of the bean

CHAPTER

22

The Importance of the Bean• Cacao Preparation

– Drying

• After fermentation, the beans are washed and dried to lower the moisture content

• The method varies by region

– Storage and Shipping

• Away from odor and excessive humidity which lowers the quality

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Processing the Bean into Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter and Cocoa Powder

• Involves five steps to transform the solid bean form into liquid

• Manufacture in the country of origin or in the country of processing

• Cleaning

– Remove foreign materials

– Agitate the beans and blow out lighter pieces of debris rise on top

– Magnetic devices attracts metal pieces

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Processing the Bean into Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter and Cocoa Powder

• Roasting

– Develops the flavor and color

– Lowers the bitterness and acidic elements

– Different temperatures and temperature combinations can develop unique characteristics

– Kills bacteria and enzymes

• Winnowing

– Separates and removes the shell and germ from the bean

CHAPTER

22

Processing the Bean into Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter and Cocoa Powder

• Grinding

– After going through a two-step process, the particle is small enough for further processing into chocolate

– First process: an impact mill breaks up the nibs into smaller pieces

– Reduce the size of the cocoa paste using a disc mill or ball mill

– Chocolate liquor is obtained after grinding

CHAPTER

22

Processing the Bean into Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter and Cocoa Powder

• Pressing Chocolate Liquor

– Only half of the cocoa butter is pressed out of the liquor

– The remaining solid is processed into cocoa powder

– Cocoa Butter

• Solid at room temperature and melts at room temperature

• Used in various pastry applications

CHAPTER

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Processing the Bean into Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter and Cocoa Powder

• Processing Chocolate Liquor

– Cocoa Powder

• Processed from the cocoa cake left over after cocoa butter is pressed out

• Used in various pastry and beverage applications

• “Dutched” Cocoa Powder

– Made with chocolate liquor or cocoa beans that have been treated with alkali

– Less likely to clump and has intensified color

CHAPTER

22

Chocolate Couverture Production

• Couverture grade chocolate only contains cocoa butter as fat

• Made with chocolate liquor, sugar, extra cocoa butter and additional ingredients

• Refiner Mill

– All of the solid particles are coated with fat after being processed through cylindrical rollers with increasing pressure

– The particle size of 15-25 microns

CHAPTER

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Chocolate Couverture Production

• Conche

– Achieve a finer texture and improve flavor, viscosity and flow property

– The chocolate is warmed and constantly agitated, pressed against the side of tank

– The process lasts for 8 hours to 2 days

• Tempering and Molding

– Tempered chocolate has a firm and crisp texture and shiny finish

– Pre-crystallize a portion of chocolate, and set up the reminder of the chocolate

– Schematic of chocolate production from bean to bar

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Cocoa Products• To regulate the quality standards, many

countries have Standards of Identity for Chocolate

• Standards of Identity: Chocolate

CHAPTER

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Cocoa Products• Understanding Chocolate Percentages

– Chocolates are referred with percentages of cocoa ingredients (cocoa liquor) in the chocolate

– The higher the percentage of cocoa, the more bitter the chocolate will taste

– Chocolate Liquor

• Also know as cocoa mass and cocoa paste

• More coco butter is often added to improve the flow property

• Can be processed into cocoa powder and cocoa butter, or unsweetened chocolate, or can be further processed into dark or milk chocolate

CHAPTER

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Cocoa Products• Understanding Chocolate Percentages

– Cocoa Powder

• Made from chocolate liquor by pressing out a portion of the fat

• Most cocoa powder is alkalized during processing

– Dark Chocolate

• Made from chocolate liquor, additional cocoa butter and sugar, often vanilla and lecithin

• Most quality dark chocolate contains between 55-80% cocoa

• Sweet, Semi-Sweet and Bittersweet

CHAPTER

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Cocoa Products• Understanding Chocolate Percentages

– Dark Chocolate

• Sweet Chocolate

– Made from chocolate liquor (at least 15%), cocoa butter and sugar

• Semi-Sweet

– Contains higher percentage (50-64%) of cocoa

– Suitable for confectionary work, pastry and entremets

• Bittersweet

– Contains about 64-85% cocoa content

– Used for chocolate confections, baked goods and entremets

CHAPTER

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Cocoa Products• Understanding Chocolate Percentages

– Milk Chocolate• Made from chocolate liquor, sugar, milk solids, vanilla and

lecithin• Average cocoa content of 10-45%• In the U.S., milk chocolate must contain at least 10%

cocoa mass and 12% milk solid by law

– White Chocolate• Contains no cocoa solids• Made from cocoa butter, milk solids, sugar and flavoring

ingredients• Must contain at least 20% cocoa butter and 14% milk

solids

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Cocoa Products• Understanding Chocolate Percentages

– Specialty Chocolates

• Gianduja, flavored chocolates

• Addition of spices, dried fruits and nuts

– Origin Chocolates

• Made using beans from one growing region

• Unique and unadulterated flavor

– Coating and Compound Chocolate

• Design for using without tempering

• Has less sheen, less appealing taste and mouth feel

• Convenient, does not require skill of tempering

CHAPTER

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Cocoa Products• Understanding Chocolate Percentages

– Properties of Cocoa Butter in Chocolate

• When well-tempered, cocoa butter is responsible for the melting/setting properties, shine and crisp snap

• If the chocolate is not well-tempered, fat bloom occurs on the surface

• Form V crystals

CHAPTER

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Working with Chocolate• Storage of Chocolate

– Must always be well wrapped and stored in cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight

• Melting Chocolate– Guideline: Heat dark chocolate to 120°F, milk and white

chocolate to 110°F

– Follow the manufacture’s guideline

– Do not overheat the chocolate

– When using bain-marie, the heat should be moderate to avoid creating excessive steam

– Microwave

– Slow melting at 135°F for dark, 125°F for milk and white chocolate

CHAPTER

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Working with Chocolate• Tempering Chocolate

– Process of melting and pre-crystallizing the cocoa butter

– Poorly crystallized, improperly stored and old chocolate can form fat blooms

– The ideal ambient temperature is 70°F

– Seed, table and mechanical method

CHAPTER

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Working with Chocolate• Tempering Chocolate

– Seed Method

• Melted, de-crystallized chocolate is “seeded” with crystallized cocoa butter

• A quarter of the weight of melted chocolate is added in seed, and unstable cocoa butter begin crystallizing around the stable form of cocoa butter

• Continue stirring until all of the added chocolate has been melted

• Check the temperature of the chocolate and test strip

CHAPTER

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Working with Chocolate• Tempering Chocolate

– Table Method

• Requires a marble slab

• Chocolate is melted to an appropriate temperature, and ¾ of the chocolate is poured onto the marble slab to cool to a proper temperature

• The chocolate is then scraped into the reserved chocolate and stir for at least a minute

CHAPTER

22

Working with Chocolate• Tempering Chocolate

– Mechanical Methods• Manual and Automatic Machines

• Continuous tempering or batch-tempering unit

• Reacting to the Initial Temper

– Under-tempered

» Takes longer time to set

» Add more pre-crystallized cocoa butter

– Over-tempered

» Set too quickly

» Fully de-crystallized chocolate can be added

» Apply direct heat to the too cool chocolate

CHAPTER

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Working with Chocolate• Tempering Chocolate

– Maintaining Form V

• Closely monitor the temperature

• Maintain the temperature with a heat gun, bain-marie or by adding 120°F chocolate

• Continue stirring the chocolate

– Lack of stirring and excessive stirring can result in over crystallization

CHAPTER

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Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Ganache

– Smooth emulsion made from chocolate and liquid like cream, milk or fruit puree

– Used for cake, icing or as a center of chocolate

– Ingredients

• Optimal flavor and shelf life

• Long shelf life can be achieved by using inverted sugar rather than fresh cream or fruit puree

CHAPTER

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Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Ganache– Ingredients of Ganache

• Cream– A fat content of 35%

– Too much fat does not form a good emulsion, and too little fat lacks creaminess

• Chocolate– Couverture-grade chocolate should be chosen

– Select based on flavor combination with additional ingredients

• Inverted Sugar– Retains moisture and creamy texture

– 7-10% total weight of the filling

CHAPTER

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Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Ganache– Ingredients of Ganache

• Butter– When properly introduced, butter adds texture and body

– Should be soft and pliable when added

• Nut Pastes– Can be made in-house or purchased

– Added after the emulsion is formed

• Alcohol– Acts as preservative and flavor enhancer

– 5-10% of the total weight

– Added after the emulsion is formed

CHAPTER

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Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Process for Basic Ganache

– Bring the cream and inverted sugar to a boil

– Pour over the chocolate and stir with a rubber spatula to form an emulsion

– Soft butter is added when the temperature reaches to 95°F

– Add alcohol at the end as stirring

– Basic Ganache Process

CHAPTER

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Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Molded Chocolates

– Lining the Mold

• Hold the mold in one hand, and chocolate is ladled evenly over the cavities

• Remove the excess chocolate, and clean top and side of the mold

• Tap the mold to remove the air bubble, then invert over the reserved chocolate.

• Tap to remove excess chocolate scrape off the mold and place upside-down on a sheet of parchment paper

CHAPTER

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Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Depositing Filling

– Soft, pipable consistency

– The ganache should not be above 80-82°F

– Deposit the ganache up to 2mm from the top of the mold

– Allow to crystallize in the mold for 24-48 hours before closing

CHAPTER

22

Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Closing the Molds

– Ladle a sufficient quantity of chocolate over the cavities

– Tap to remove air bubbles and remove excess chocolate

CHAPTER

22

Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Extracting Molded Candies

– Place the plaque in refrigerator for 20 minutes before extracting

– Turn the plaque over in one swift motion

– Transfer the candies to appropriate storage containers or packed as needed

CHAPTER

22

Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Enrobed Chocolate

– Ganache or praline centers coated with a thin layer of chocolate

– Hand dipping or using enrobing machine

– Firmer ganache is prepared in sheet and must be cut before enrobing

CHAPTER

22

Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Enrobing Chocolate

– Preparing the Ganache

• Preparing the Base

– Brush a mixture of 90°F chocolate with 10% cocoa butter onto a parchment paper over the footprint of the candy frame

– Allow to set for 10 minutes or until dry before ganache is placed

• Portioning of the Ganache

– Portion by weight

– Spread out with a palette knife, fill flush with the top of the frame

– Allow the ganache to crystallize

CHAPTER

22

Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Enrobing Chocolate

– Preparing the Ganache

• Cutting and Spacing the Ganache

– Remove from the frame, cut an separate to slightly dry surface

– Cut with a guitar or a ruler and knife

– Allow to rest for at least three hours before enrobing to dry the surface

CHAPTER

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Applications Using Chocolate Couverture

• Enrobing Chocolate

– Enrobing the Ganache

• Enrobing by hand

• hand dipping process

• Enrobing by machine

• The chocolate must be well-tempered

– Decorating Candies

• Textured, cocoa butter or house-made transfer sheets

• Base ingredients like candied fruits and nuts

• Chocolate piping

CHAPTER

22

Specialty Processes for Decorative Work

• Chocolate Transfer Sheets

– Plastic sheets printed on one side with colored cocoa butter

– Spread a thin and even layer over a printed side of the sheet

– Cut into desired shapes just before it sets

– Let set under a weight to avoid warping

– Remove the sheet after 24 hours

CHAPTER

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Specialty Processes for Decorative Work

• Chocolate Transfer Sheets

– Textured Sheets

• Easily cut into strips or shapes for custom works

– House-Made Transfer Sheets

• Apply a design with white, milk or dark chocolate on a plastic sheet

• Spread a thin and even layer of chocolate, and process as the same as cocoa butter transfer sheets

CHAPTER

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Specialty Processes for Decorative Work

• Chocolate Curls and Bows

• Chocolate Cigarette

– Single- or duo- toned

CHAPTER

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Specialty Processes for Decorative Work

• Casting Chocolate

– Deposit tempered chocolate into molds or templates

• Molding Large Pieces

– Brush the large mold with chocolate until thick enough to support the weight

• Spraying Chocolate and Cocoa Butter

– Couverture is thinned with cocoa butter

– Warm the chocolate to 120°F when spraying a frozen element, and the temperature should be 90°F when spraying room temperature elements

CHAPTER

22

Composing and Assembling Chocolate Centerpieces and Showpieces

• Combination of techniques, the vision of the artist and the ability to construct the components

• The theme

• Visual balance

• Structural integrity

• Construction techniques

• Chocolate spray can be applied after assembly

CHAPTER

22

Health and Chocolate• Benefits of dark chocolate

– Antioxidant known as flavonoids

• Type of fat used

– Cocoa butter

– Monounsaturated fat

– Saturated fat

CHAPTER

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Conclusion • Many applications for confections, pastries,

breads and savory food

• Understanding working property of chocolate and variations in chocolate characteristics

• Observation of temperature and controlling crystallization