Hochdorf Inside

CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION IN BRIEF

Written by Werner Schweizer | May 18, 2018 9:45:13 AM

In spite of industrialisation, chocolate production remains very challenging. First the cocoa beans are checked, cleaned and broken. Then they are roasted and ground into a cocoa mass. Additional ingredients such as sugar and cocoa butter are then mixed into the cocoa mass, which results in the classic dark chocolate. Milk chocolate is made by adding milk powder or condensed milk to this base mass.


This is fol­lowed by conch­ing. The base mass is warmed to be­tween 50 and 90 °C and stirred for 12 to 48 hours. This re­duces the water in the choco­late as well as un­wanted ol­fac­tory, bit­ter and aro­matic com­po­nents. How length of the conch­ing process is a se­cret the choco­latiers ­prefer to keep to them­selves be­cause this step has a great ­influence on the taste and con­sis­tency of the choco­late. It’s the conch­ing that sets a ­chocolate apart and dis­tin­guishes it from other choco­lates. Then the mass is cooled down. This process is cru­cial for the shini­ness – and the ­sensual “snap” when the choco­late is bro­ken.

 

Next, de­pend­ing on the type of choco­late, extra in­gre­di­ents such as hazel­nuts and al­monds are added to the cooled mass, or more ex­otic in­gre­di­ents such as chilli. The mass is now shaped into del­i­cate pra­lines or solid bars of choco­late.

Fur­ther In­for­ma­tion
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